Learn about the anthropometric, kinematic, kinetic, and asymmetric variables that contribute to sprint performance, as well as how a coach can design effective speed development programs for male youth athletes.

In this video from the NSCA’s 2018 Coaches Conference, sports performance coordinator from Salisbury University, Matt Nein, describes what mental toughness is, skills associated with mental toughness, and how to develop this attribute in athletes.

In this presentation from the NSCA's 2013 TSAC Conference, Police Commander Thor Eells discusses how to develop and implement a fitness culture across your whole department.

Andy Gillham goes over how to develop and prioritize goal setting for both athletes and coaches, in this session from the NSCA 2018 Coaches Conference. Creating systematic goal setting can help achieve team, performance, and personal goals.

Mentorship isn’t flawless — and that’s where its power lies. Erik Hernandez, Associate Director for Sports Performance – Olympic Sports at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, has built his career on turning imperfect scenarios into lasting lessons for athletes and young coaches alike. For over 14 years at UNC, he has guided lacrosse, volleyball, and golf, adapting his voice to each culture while holding firm to shared standards of accountability and growth. Hernandez streamlines training into a three-phase model — explosive, strength, and remedial — yet emphasizes that delivery and communication matter more than complexity. He reminds athletes, “modifications are part of progress,” linking health, recovery, and seasonal demands to long-term development. For interns and early-career coaches, his advice is clear: earn mentors by serving others, and learn from every scenario, even the imperfect ones. Hear how mentorship, adaptability, and athlete health point the way forward for stronger teams and longer careers. Reach out to Coach Hernandez on Instagram: @hernandezstrength or by email: ehhernan@email.unc.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Answer Bryan Mann’s “call to arms!” Many volunteer applications are open now through December 15. Step up and give back to your strength and conditioning community at NSCA.com/Volunteer.

Field tests have become popular in applied exercise science and sport performance enhancement programs because of their simplicity and ability to generalize results. However, numerous confounding factors may influence the validity of test data from such evaluations.

In this session from the 2018 NSCA National Conference, Lance Walker talks about how to create and develop age-specific strength training programs for ages 9 – 18 and how the programs change and progress. He also discusses how to get the most out of each program for young individuals.

This PTQ article focuses on the use of the back squat along with innovative technology to measure velocity during lower body lifts. Visit NSCA online to read more on personal training news and athletic performance.

Gatorade Team Sports Manager, Jon Jost, to share stories and lessons from an over four-decade collegiate coaching career. This Gatorade Performance Partner collaboration episode of the NSCA Coaching Podcast emphasizes the vital role of the strength and conditioning coach as a team builder, leadership developer, and master motivator for student-athletes. Coach Madden takes us on his journey from the early days of being a strength and conditioning coach to today, discussing some major influencers in the profession and training principles that support long-term career success in college athletics. Listen in and be better equipped to face the challenges we experience in our jobs as coaches. You can reach Coach Madden by email at jmaddog59@gmail.com| Email Jon at: jonathan.jost@pepsico.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs To learn more and join the Gatorade Performance Partner Community, visit GatoradePerformancePartner.com.

Brian Thompson, Director of Strength and Conditioning at Springfield College, helps young coaches develop an understanding of how small mistakes can make a big difference while interviewing for a strength position. This session provides knowledge of how the selection process works for employers and discusses how to apply better professionalism to get the positions you want.