This episode features Corliss Fingers, the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Bethune-Cookman University. She talks with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about her journey in a predominantly male strength and conditioning profession. This episode speaks to the value of a strength and conditioning coach at the college level, as Fingers shares about preparing athletes in the extreme heat and humidity of Florida during pre-season football. She also recaps her presentation at the 2022 NSCA National Conference in New Orleans, LA, discussing representation around diversity, equity, and inclusion for athletes and coaches. You can reach out to Corliss on Twitter: @CorlissFingers or by email at fingersc@cookman.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Courteney Benjamin and Yasuki Sekiguchi, from the Korey Stringer Institute, talk to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about preventing sudden death in the heat and how coaches can plan ahead, create, and respond with an emergency action plan. Find the Korey Stringer Institute on Twitter: @K_S_Institute | Find Scott on Instagram: @coachcaulfield

Ron McKeefery, Vice President of Performance and Education for PLAE, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about how he got started with the Iron Game Chalk Talk, his involvement with the NSCA, the value in attending and putting on events, the future of the profession, decision paralysis, and creating culture in the weight room.

Stephanie Mock, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance at the University of Pittsburgh, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about growing a comprehensive sports performance program. Topics under discussion include tips for interviews, graduate assistantships, staff development, and the ongoing collaboration with academics to advance sport science initiatives at University of Pittsburgh. Find Stephanie on Instagram: @_mockstephanie_ or @pitt_sportsperformance | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

This excerpt briefly explains the benefits of exercise while pregnant.

Chris Morris, Director or Performance Science at the University of Kentucky, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the importance of capturing athlete readiness through data and technology. Topics under discussion include Dr. Morris’s time as a University of Kentucky football player turned PhD student, how sports science is critical to understanding athlete’s capacities on a much deeper view, and developing interpersonal relationships with athletes to create trust and buy-in. Find Dr. Morris on Twitter: @CMorrisPhD | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Eric McMahon, Assistant MLB Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball (MLB) team, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about his path to becoming an assistant strength and conditioning coach in MLB. Topics under discussion include utilizing the NSCA in helping his career development, velocity-based training, and managing a wide range of player profiles in the MLB. Find Eric McMahon on Twitter: @EricMcMahonCSCS or @rangerstrength and on Instagram: @rangerstrength | Find Scott on Instagram: @coachcaulfield

In this episode, we learn from Emily Schilling, an Associate Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Illinois Fighting Illini Volleyball team. She shares her needs analysis for the growing sport of volleyball with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, including thoughts for training team sports, different positions on the court, and the progression from first-year students through graduation. Another important topic covered is the professional pathways strength and conditioning coaches take to gain meaningful early-career coaching experiences and pursue higher-level director roles. Hear about beyond the weightroom demands placed on college student-athletes today, and how National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) “Name, Image, Likeness” (NIL) policies are a topic that strength and conditioning coaches should learn about. You can connect with Emily via email at esselman@illinois.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

For emerging athletes to move properly and develop athletic skills, they must first develop proficiency in fundamental motor skills. The ABCs of athleticism, therefore, must reflect the development of fundamental motor skills first, and specific athletic skills second.

Learn the path towards working as a National Basketball Association (NBA) strength and conditioning coach, from coaching veteran Jesse Wright. Wright is a former President of the National Basketball Strength and Conditioning Association (NBSCA), and talks about how being a part of this group with fellow NBA coaches has improved advocacy and representation for strength and conditioning coaches in the NBA. Wright also shares his research relating to sociology and cultural topics to strength and conditioning. If you missed his presentation at the 2022 NSCA Coaches Conference in San Antonio, TX, Wright recaps this topic as it connects to the coaching experience. Tune in to learn steps towards becoming a more adaptable coach. Connect with Jesse on Instagram at: @jessekwright and on Twitter: @wrightstrength | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs To learn more about strength and conditioning in the NBA, check out the National Basketball Strength and Conditioning Association (NBSCA). The Intent Is To Grow: A Young Coach Is Guided Along The Path To Becoming A True Professional