Caitlin Quinn, Director of Performance for Toyota Racing Development talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about her start in the field of strength and conditioning with internships, her time at Florida State as a GA and Strength and Conditioning Coach, and her new position at Toyota. Topics under discussion include internships, GA positions, not letting people define you as a coach, and the athletes she works with at Toyota Racing Development.

This article explores the concept of how lifestyle behaviors encouraged at the high school-level could affect fitness during adulthood, with a focus on both sport and strength and conditioning participation.

This article addresses three main areas of resistance exercise that best prepares tactical personnel for load carriage.

This article suggests how high school strength and conditioning coaches can not only prepare high school athletes for sports and fitness, but also help with the process of improving fitness and athleticism of all youth.

Strength and conditioning coaches with knowledge of the exercise principles for youth and the specific demands of basketball can design effective integrative neuromuscular training (INT) programs based on the individual needs of youth athletes.

This article discusses performance under stress, as well as factors influencing this performance in tactical personnel.

When considering applying advanced methods to affect and augment maximal power output, this excerpt from Developing Power explains three key points to consider.

The path to the top is not always linear. For Jill Costanza, it included returning to school and stops in collegiate and military performance before becoming Director of Sport Science and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach with the National Football League (NFL) Detroit Lions. Costanza describes today’s sport science landscape as a “Wild West,” where definitions differ by perspective. Her focus centers on assessing the athlete and program effectiveness against the demands of the game to identify holistic interventions. She outlines how intentional systems, a clear communication funnel, and data visualizations help athletes and stakeholders understand the “why,” build buy-in, and tap into competitiveness. Addressing common misconceptions, Costanza clarifies that elite athletes can still have foundational qualities that need rewiring. She emphasizes movement quality, proprioception, and breathing while adapting for individual needs and neurological fatigue. Learn how to build sport science systems, turn insights into action, and keep progressing on your professional path. Reach out to Jill by email at: jill.costanza@lions.nfl.net | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Join the NSCA Football Special Interest Group (SIG) and explore 24 other specialized communities designed to support your development on the Special Interest Groups page.

The second in a planned series to review essential considerations of each Functional Movement Screen (FMS) pattern, this article will examine the FMS hurdle step pattern in finer detail.

NATCON 22