Tom Williams’ journey to Head of Performance and Sport Science for Major League Soccer (MLS) powerhouse, the Los Angeles (LA) Galaxy, began at a crossroads: pursue traditional coaching or medical pathways. As a soccer “Swiss Army knife,” he embraced early sport science alongside coaching, building a career defined by collaboration and innovation. At the Galaxy, Williams is part of a web of support that uses rich data storytelling tailored to stakeholders and players, guiding decisions and infusing value in every encounter. This system drives their three key pillars: winning championships — including their recent record-breaking sixth MLS Cup — developing a robust academy pipeline, and leading innovation. In MLS’s “cultural melting pot,” Williams balances diverse backgrounds and short-term demands like fixture congestion while employing sustainable long-term strategies. With a unique full-time cognitive department and creative approaches like dodgeball warm-ups, he combines trust and ingenuity to elevate performance and presents a blueprint for those exploring emerging sport science. Reach out to Tom on LinkedIn: @tom-williams and X/Twitter: @Williams26Tom | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Did you know MLS has a newly mandated Certified Performance and Sport Scientist® (CPSS®) role? Engage with NSCA’s Pro Sport Partner, the Professional Soccer Performance Association (PSPA), on social media to learn more: Instagram: @pspa_performance X/Twitter: @PSPA_perform LinkedIn: @professional-soccer-performance-association

The modern game of ten-pin bowling requires an athlete to have high levels of physical preparedness to excel. This article includes a sample training program that may improve bowling performance.

The goal of this article is to help strength and conditioning professionals properly educate clients on how protein can go a long way in assisting them in achieving their health and fitness goals.

While exercise is safe for most participants, many screening strategies have been implemented to reduce the likelihood of injury, and possibly death, from exercise. This article shares an objective strategy for selecting an appropriate assessment method based on a client’s resistance training status and experience.

This article is the first of a continuing series of tactical strength and conditioning (TSAC) research reviews. It is designed to bring awareness to new research findings of relevance to tactical communities.

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Interest is growing in warm-up procedures that involve dynamic activities and sport-specific movements that maximize active ranges of motion at different movement-specific speeds while preparing the body for the demands of sport training and competition.

When choosing whether to purchase new technological advances, strength and conditioning coaches should consider price, practicality, and credibility in order to maximize the training of their athletes.

This TSAC Report column examines the use of adaptogen and nootropic supplements to aid in favorable stress-related and cognitive outcomes. Visit NSCA online to discover more about nutrition research.

The first in a planned article series to review essential considerations of each Functional Movement Screen (FMS™) pattern, this article will examine the FMS active straight leg raise (ASLR).