Building athletes who are strong, healthy, and resilient requires more than sets and reps, starting with a shift in mindset. Christi Edson, Head of Performance for the Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), shares how she integrates strength and conditioning with sport science to sustain athlete health and performance. She reflects on the field’s evolution from the well-known “Bigger, Faster, Stronger” program to a training culture emphasizing resilience, active recovery, and durability. Drawing from her experience coaching high school athletes to NWSL professionals, Edson highlights the adaptability and creativity coaches need. Those qualities help her to develop athletes who can thrive through a demanding 11-month season. She details how tools like GPS, force plates, and velocity-based training sharpen communication and reshape expectations in the gym. Her story points coaches toward the future of athlete development: collaboration, precise load management, and long-term health as the foundation of strength. Connect with Christi on Instagram: @christiedson and LinkedIn: @christiana-edson | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Read the article, “A Creative Mind in the Professional Development of a Strength and Conditioning Coach,” from NSCA Coach, 11(1), February 2024 — referenced in this episode’s return-to-play discussion. NSCA Members enjoy full publication access. Interested in bridging coaching and sport science? The Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS) credential can help you expand your qualifications, open new career paths, and strengthen cross-department collaboration.

Dr. Lonnie Lowery spoke at the NSCA's 2012 Coaches Conference on the benefits of good fats and proteins for youth athletes.

Lecture & Hands-On: Plyometric and Trunk Training for Youth Hockey Development

This short excerpt from Developing the Core details the importance of training the core musculature in tennis athletes.

Dr. Lonnie Lowery spoke at the NSCA's 2012 National Conference and provided tips on how to maintain energy levels in youth athletes.

Single-sport specialized training has led to an emerging risk of overuse injury and burnout. Here are nine things coaches and parents can do to minimize the risk of injury in youth athletes.

This article provides methods used by tactical facilitators, related research articles, and professional interviews to demonstrate how physical conditioning facilitates the transition from practice to duty for service members, including law enforcement and fire and rescue personnel.

Part 2 of this article series explores the possible benefits of mindful meditation for coach development as well as how it can improve reflective practice and the coach-athlete relationship.

A strength and conditioning coach has the ultimate platform to communicate many lessons that can impact the life of youth athletes. In this 2018 Coaches Conference video, Vernon Griffith goes over how to impact youth athletes in more than just weightlifting, and how to be the coach that they need.

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