How do you build a sustainable high-performance culture despite yearly assistant coach rotations and demanding schedules? Alice Read, Assistant Athletic Director for Sport Performance at Vassar College, shares expertise from managing 29 teams and 600 student-athletes while continuously "riding the rollercoaster" of Division III scheduling. Read explores strategies for maintaining program continuity, including matching assistant coaches to sports based on strengths and growth areas. She emphasizes advocating for daily staff lifts to test and refine programs firsthand. In a full-circle moment, Read, once an NSCA Foundation Assistantship Recipient, now serves on the committee awarding these opportunities, demonstrating the value of early professional involvement. She also discusses collaborative problem solving within the Liberty League Strength and Conditioning Committee and explains how the College Coaches Professional Development Group (PDG) provided boots-on-the-ground guidance for the 2024 NSCA Strategic Plan. Tune in for actionable insights on mentorship, collaboration, and longevity in collegiate strength and conditioning.
Connect with Alice via email at aread@vassar.edu and on Instagram: @ajpr3 and @vassar_strong | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs
Matthew Van Dyke, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Denver, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about professional development, working as part of a comprehensive sports performance team, and developing additional knowledge in the field.
This article aims to provide information designed to assist firefighter recruits to achieve a successful Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) performance.
August 5, 2019by Ryan DiPanfilo, ATC/L, CSCS, Steven Candelaria, CSCS, RSCC, Daniel Fifer, CSCS, Michael Locasto, CSCS, RSCC, Derek Somerville, CSCS, Matthew Tenney, CSCS, RSCC, and Nate Shaw, CSCS, RSCC
Gain a thorough understanding of thoracic spine anatomy, the causes and effects of limited thoracic mobility, and the diverse strategies that may enhance thoracic mobility from the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball (MLB) Strength and Conditioning Team.
This article discusses how first responder organizations can optimize their training programs through scientific techniques, including the measurement of training load.
TSAC FacilitatorsExercise ScienceExercise TechniqueProgram designTesting and EvaluationProfessional Development
Guy Leahy writes a review of the research relating to the tactical population from presentations and research from the 65th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
This TSAC Report article highlights resilience and recovery with the performance-enhancing benefits of astaxanthin. Visit NSCA online to learn more about nutrition, resistance training, and tactical athletes
TSAC FacilitatorsExercise ScienceNutritionProgram designOrganization and AdministrationTesting and EvaluationBasic Pathophysiology and Science of Health Status or Condition, Disorder, or DiseaseProfessional Development
While acute inflammation is a normal response to high-intensity training, chronic inflammation results in depressed immunity and impaired muscle response. Learn about nutritional strategies to help balance exercise-induced inflammation to optimize performance outcomes.
CoachesNutritionBasic Pathophysiology and Science of Health Status or Condition, Disorder, or Disease