NSCA’s Coaching Podcast

NSCA Coaching Podcast – Season 8 Episode 1 – Since 1998, Bryan Mann has dominated strength and conditioning, securing positions at elite collegiate programs and defining research in strength, power, and velocity-based training (VBT). As the Academic Director of Strength and Conditioning at Texas A&M University, Bryan still gets the rewarding chance to shape students like his former athletes, but now, he’s focused on the future. He’s expanding his scope to human performance as a whole — applying his coaching expertise to advance performance across general, special, and tactical populations. Join NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager Eric McMahon as we follow Bryan’s professional path, including his recent transition to the Aggie’s powerhouse performance staff alongside Bo Sandoval and Tommy Moffit. Plus, explore pioneering research on Parkinson’s, the rise of individualization in VBT, and how to create a “forward” (not backup) plan for career longevity. Connect with Bryan on Instagram @jbryanmann or Twitter/X @jbryanmann | Find Eric on Instagram @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn @ericmcmahoncscs In this episode, you’ll learn about the NSCA Presenter Application process. Apply by May 15 to be considered for 2025 local events and conferences while earning CEUs for your expertise.Show Notes“What kept me coaching on the floor for so long, even with having the PhD, was watching the athlete develop from a child to a mature adult. [...] That’s what I really enjoyed. And I just use the weight room and jumps and sprints and everything as a vehicle for that.” 2:43 “You can take plyometrics and scale that to the aging population. That's going to help to the tightened isomers. That's going to help with the stored elastic energy that they're not getting depth through the resistance training. You could do all the heavy stuff you want. You can do all the fast stuff you want. But if you are not using the stretch-shortening cycle appropriately, you're not going to be influencing gait. You're not going to be influencing mobility appropriately.” 14:10 “Find what excites you. What do you think about at night? What do you think about in the morning? What is it that’s always on your mind? That’s the area you should explore [...] because that is what’s going to make you great.” 17:20 “If you have the ability to apply your skillset in another area, you just increased your ability within the job market to go ahead and apply that towards aging, towards general population.” 23:06 “The best ability is availability. And if I have my athletes out on the field feeling good, they’re going to be playing better than if they maintain 95% of their squat max.” 34:46

In this episode with Associate Head Coach of Athletic Performance, Anna Craig, you will learn how “Annual Strategic Planning” improves the professionalism and unity of the University of Texas (UT) Olympic Strength and Conditioning Department. Craig shares her coaching philosophy and talks about the role of mentors during her tenure at UT with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon. This episode stresses the importance of building autonomy in student-athletes and having humility to effectively manage staff dynamics within collegiate strength and conditioning. Learn about how Craig’s off-campus work, coaching in the private sector, allows her to grow professionally. Tune in for some useful tips on staff and facility management. Connect with Anna on Instagram at: @annaecraig or by email at: anna.craig@utexas.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“I want to encourage anyone who is a director of their team or anyone who is in charge of hiring or in charge of longevity—I want to emphasize just the importance of coaches being in their position for a period of time to really make an impact on the place that they are and to really make an impact on their programs and teams.” 5:47 “My philosophy, in life and in my coaching, is that I would like to—if you gave my athletes an exit interview or if you talked to somebody who knew me and you asked them, are you a better person and a better athlete having been coached by Anna than you would have been otherwise?” 11:23 “I want to intrinsically motivate my athletes to seek significant change within themselves and confidence within themselves to be someone at the end that they are proud of.” 12:32 “And part of that is just getting them comfortable with giving each other feedback too. Having hard conversations and giving feedback is uncomfortable. And if they can’t do it in an incredibly controlled situation within the weight room or within strength training, then they have no chance doing it in a heated situation on the field. They’re probably going to handle that incorrectly, not say anything. And so, I want to teach them how to be good communicators. I want to teach them how to be responsible.” 17:35

Get to know the 2024 NSCA Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Kenna Smoak-Minnici. After accepting her award at the 2024 Coaches Conference, she connects with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the unique coaching rigors at the prestigious military academy, Army West Point. The episode goes beyond the demands of sport-specific training to developing student-athletes and leaders for sustained success in the military. Smoak-Minnici highlights the role of family along her journey as an athlete and strength and conditioning coach, as well as the importance of always pushing yourself to go beyond the norm. Connect with Kenna on Instagram at: @kenna_minnici or LinkedIn: @kenna-smoak-minnici | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs    Did you enjoy the episode? Don’t forget to nominate a deserving strength and conditioning coach for an NSCA Coach of the Year Award at NSCA Awards.Show Notes“I also help out with the Athlete Monitoring Program. Everyone is probably familiar with—to get in the military, you have to have meet certain height and weight requirements, or physical abilities that might lean more towards distance running, push-ups, sit ups, whatever it may be. But when you have a 300-lb lineman, or a heavyweight wrestler, or a rugby player, or a thrower, that type of training might not—that body size isn’t conducive to their athletic career for them to stay safe and be successful. So, I work close with getting those athletes ready to commission once their sports seasons end.” 4:48 “When I got to middle school, my parents sat me down and they’re like, okay, maybe softball, or track, or some of your other sports might—and I was like, “no, I’m playing football. I like this the best. I like hitting people.” So, then my dad was, to really appease my mom, like, “don’t worry, I’m going to make her quit.” And so, then he made me get up every morning at 5:00 AM and do his whatever he knew about two hours of working out before school in middle school and I fell in love with it to where he didn’t make me quit. So, I played through junior year.” 11:30 “To me, it’s just all flowing and I can’t compartmentalize it. I’ve been at West Point a while, so I really do feel like I have a family here, to where I can bring my son around. There’s definitely been last minute schedule changes. I’ve thrown him in the hiking backpack and just coached a group. My players love him and he loves Army. It means so much to me for him to see me feel like I have a purpose in my career.” 15:15

Have you ever considered getting a K-12 teaching license, with your CSCS, to gain employment as a high school strength and conditioning coach? Coach Justin Loudon serves as the Chair of the NSCA High School Coaches Professional Development Group (PDG). He shares PDG updates with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, including highlights from the 2024 NSCA Coaches Conference and direction for the future of high school coaching. Learn about the impact of school-based strength and conditioning beyond the weight room, and important benefits for students over their lifetime.   Connect with Justin on Instagram at: @coach_loudon or by email: loudonsc@gmail.com| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or X (Twitter): @ericmcmahoncscs | Here is a link to engage with NSCA Professional Development Groups.   As mentioned in the episode, check out the book: NSCA's Guide to High School Strength and ConditioningShow Notes“I think it's more about being a physically literate individual. So for me, being able to teach these kids and educate these kids on how to do this, I think it just sets them up for success later on in their life.” 6:38 “Our job is really to help mold those kids, the whole child aspect. It's not just focusing on sports. And if I can get that 93%, 94% stronger and better and more athletic, than the other 6%, 7% is going to come with it as well.” 12:48 “Being a coach is being a teacher and being a teacher is being a coach. And I think if you can get that education background, even a couple of classes on it, that's really going to help you out as a coach, whether it's in the college level, professional, or wherever, just being able to look at things maybe slightly different.” 25:10

Catch up on this presentation from the 2024 NSCA Coaches Conference with Major League Baseball (MLB) Tampa Bay Rays Strength and Conditioning Coach, Joey Greany. Greany takes NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, on a deep dive into plyometrics for a wide range of athletes. He also shares the importance of professional development for strength and conditioning coaches. Tune in to learn in-season training tips and how the NSCA inspired Greany’s path to the Big Leagues. As mentioned in the episode, here is a link to learn more about the Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society (PBSCCS).   Connect with Joey on Instagram at: @joeygreany | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or X (Twitter): @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“I was very interested in fitness, in sports training. So I went to school for exercise science, physical education. Upon graduation, I explained to the group that my academic advisor, at the time, printed out the NSCA, I guess, job board and the NSCA website, handed that to me. I was walking back to my dorm room, reading the material that he just printed out from the NSCA, and you know, I was completely hooked. I said, this is something that I want to do. Eventually, I want to work with the best athletes in the world.” 8:40 “The Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning Society, is an organization that represents all the strength coaches in professional baseball. When it first started out, there was only a few coaches involved. Over the course of some years, we’ve grown to probably 300 plus coaches that are involved. That’s both Minor League coaches and Major League strength and conditioning coaches, as well as other directors and coordinators are also involved.” 12:45 “Communicating with the players on the team, developing relationships and trust with these players on your team is very important to get them to do the things necessary to improve performance.” 17:45 “It’s important that you manage strength and power levels, while also keeping in mind of fatigue and recovery throughout the whole off season. And there’s a number of different strategies, techniques, and methods to go and to utilize that. As far as sets and repetitions, I like giving a set and repetition range for my athletes.” 20:28

From tactical strength and conditioning to developing the skills to train a specialized group of football kickers, Catherine Wallace shares how growing up in a military family inspired her into coaching. In this episode, Wallace connects with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, on how to pursue a tactical coaching career in different branches of the military and public safety. She discusses how earning the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator® (TSAC-F®) certification led her to pursue the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®), and more ways that involvement with the NSCA has positioned her for career growth. There is also a discussion about “holistic programs” within strength and conditioning, an area that has been popularized, but is perhaps still misunderstood. Listen and learn about the rapidly growing tactical strength and conditioning area of the field, and the mindset needed to thrive as an impactful coach. Connect with Catherine on Instagram at: @tac.coach.cath or by email: catherine.university@hp.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“I would say, a big piece of advice if you are making that transition is take time to be a fly on the wall and observe and soak in the community and the area that you’re working within. That’s going to be helpful to build trust within your tactical athletes that are coming through.” 7:29 “The NSCA provides so much great content, opportunities to collaborate, to communicate, to grow yourself, and then, also, to grow other coaches.” 14:55 “You can have the best program in the world, but if it doesn’t match the person, if you don’t understand the intent, the why, the purpose behind it, you’re only scratching the surface.” 20:20 “Whether you want to take your service into the fitness field or strength conditioning or you’re looking to pour into whatever it is that you’re doing in the moment—whether that’s you’re working in corporate or you’re just looking to build within yourself or your own community—we tap into the importance and what defines a successful coach.” 23:59

In this episode of the NSCA Coaching Podcast, we delve into one of the biggest topics in college sports today–Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). Tune in to learn more about this game-changing development and its implications for college athletes. Hannah Burkhart, a graduate student in Sport Science and Coaching Education at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), shares her experience as a student-athlete and brand ambassador. Eric McMahon, the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, joins her in the discussion to unpack the details of NIL policies, learn about the impact of social media on student-athletes, and uncover potential career benefits of NIL for personal branding. The episode focuses on the journey of the student-athlete towards professional growth. Don't miss out on this crucial discussion–listen now to stay ahead of the curve! Connect with Hannah on Instagram at: @hannaahnichole or LinkedIn: Hannah Burkhart | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“The NIL is a ton of different opportunities within itself. It has greatly changed college athletics in the last few years. The opportunities arise from showcasing products or services for a brand. A brand can be either local or a major brand.” 4:55 “[The NIL is] definitely is helping. I'm learning the importance of branding yourself. Now that's getting pushed even further with social media. You are your own brand on social media. I'm realizing how important it is to have this cohesive image of yourself projected, so employers or athletes know who they're going to be working with.” 21:05 “With branding, it definitely has made me step back think about my posts specifically, or just how when someone comes on my page, what's their first glance? What is it going to tell them about me? That will help in the long run, especially when I'm out of PT school, and I'm done with my masters, going for those first jobs. How am I portraying myself? So, if someone does find my social media, what do they see? It just helps me think about going forward, how do I want to change as a person? How do I want to portray myself, and that carries over into real life not just social media” 22:20

This episode of the NSCA’s Coaching Podcast features the 2024 NSCA College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Brijesh Patel. Patel shares decades of wisdom and experience with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, including valuable lessons to support a fulfilling strength and conditioning career and avoid coach burnout. Learn about the journey of the 2023 Quinnipiac University National Champions Men’s Ice Hockey Team from the strength and conditioning coach’s perspective. Patel explains how program resources and support from administration can make or break the success of a program. From lessons on mentorship to putting in the work in support of professional development, this is an episode you will not want to miss. Connect with Brijesh online at coachbpatel.com or by email: brijesh.patel@qu.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs    Also, here is the link to nominate a colleague or mentor for an NSCA Coach of the Year Award!Show Notes“In reality, I think, what makes you a really good coach is learning how to coach lots of different athletes and learning how to coach different sports. So when it comes time to earn the right to be able to specialize within one sport, you are going to know how to deal with different personalities and different athletes. And your problem solving ability is going to be that much more expensive because you've been able-- you've been exposed to so much more.” 9:25 “That’s something I brought to Quinnipiac and with my staff, too, is getting people to understand that you aren't a coach 24/7, right? You have to be able to have some family aspects of your life. You've got to have some work-life balance, to not only avoid burnout, but to help you become your best self when you're actually with the athletes that you're around.” 17:05 “Also, developing some coaching strategies where you empower the people that you're around and the people that you get to work with to do the things on their own, right? I tell recruits flat out – I am not a hand holder. I am not going to hold your hand through every single day. I will teach you and I will be a guide along your journey, but at the end of the day, it is your journey. So, if you want to get better, I'm here for you.” 24:48 “It's not just about trying to push them to the next level, but also, getting them to understand how to be an adult, how to take care of themselves in the arena, in the gym, and away. Teaching them how to go grocery shopping. Teaching them about nutrition. Teaching about stress management. Teaching about how to sleep. Teaching them all these tools so they can be healthy, not only while they're here, but also, for the rest of their lives, too.” 28:32

In today's National Football League (NFL) world, teams are always on the lookout for the best talent. That is why strength and conditioning coaches are crucial in optimizing a prospect's value.  This special episode of the NSCA Coaching Podcast features NFL Combine expert, Bryan McCall, sharing details of coaching process leading up to the event. The conversation includes co-hosts Eric McMahon, the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, and Gatorade Team Sports Manager, Jon Jost. You will hear Coach McCall credit Coach Jost as an early career mentor and emphasize the importance of mentorship for all coaches. Learn how to make a successful year-round business of strength and conditioning and advance your coaching career with an entrepreneurial mindset.  You can reach Coach McCall on Instagram: @justbmac_ or Twitter: @just_BryanM | 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.Show Notes"My father told me really early on, man, find something in your life that you love to do. Don't just go into a job where you just dread being there, and you don't want to do it, and you're forced to do it because you need to get a paycheck week to week. He said, find a passion." 1:55 "Physically, a lot of them are all the same. They're all really big. They're fast. They can have the same 5-10-5. The linear speed is there. But it's that "it factor", which we've kind of looked at three different areas. When we talk about mentality, what type of drive do you have? What type of attitude do you have? What's your confidence level? We feel like those three areas is sometimes what separates athletes from being just physical specimens to being, a complete sort of player." 19:52 "You've got the alphabet certification, you've got everything. But then when you're on the floor, can you do it? And so you've got to get real world, practical experience getting in front of people, coaching people. It's hard training athletes. They don't necessarily want to do squats all the time, and sprinting, and 300-yard shuttle. They need motivation. So you've got to get some practical experience and get that really quickly so you can learn if this is something you want to do or not, because it's not an easy road." 32:40 "An issue I'm seeing with the younger generation, is they just want to get to the top really quick. You've got to slow cook it a little bit. Put it in the oven on 200 and let it just bake. Slow cook your career a little bit. It's going to get there, but it takes time to build your reputation. It takes time to get results. Just be patient with it. You're not going to come out here and just start working with Combine athletes as a new graduate. You're going to have to watch for a little bit and learn. And then you'll get your chance." 33:40

This episode of the NSCA Coaching Podcast presents drug testing and anti-doping initiatives in elite sport. Team USA 2008 Olympian, Carissa Gump, discusses how her journey as an international level weightlifter led to her becoming an ambassador for fair competition. Gump shares lessons from overcoming a career-threatening injury prior to the 2008 Olympics, with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, and how a passion for supporting athletes has fueled her career as a sport business executive. Learn about opportunities that the NSCA Foundation has for aspiring strength and conditioning professionals, and how the NSCA Foundation serves to promote the philanthropy of the coaching profession.     Learn more about clean sport and anti-doping by taking the USADA Coach’s Advantage Course for 0.2 NSCA CEUs.   Check out NSCA Foundation resources to discover grants and scholarships available for strength and conditioning professionals. More episode links: USADA – U.S. Anti-Doping Agency   TrueSport – Education for Coaches, Athletes, and Parents   NSF for Sport – NSF Certified Nutritional Products Listing Global DRO – Drug Reference Online  Drug Free Sport – Anti-Doping Services and Education Email Carissa at carissa.gump@nsca.com| Connect with Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“I am a very big advocate for anti-doping in sport. Clean sport is really, really important to me, just for a fair playing field but also integrity of the sport and integrity of the athlete and personally.” 10:05 “I was lifting, but if it weren't for having those folks in my life and helping me get there, I would never have made it. So me being an Olympian is, yes, it's me, but it is also my family, my coaches, my teammates. Everybody was really a huge part of that.” 30:16 “The Foundation is really to me the philanthropic heart of the NSCA. We support students all the way, high school students all the way on up through senior-level investigators. And it's just really special for me to be part of the NSCA and the Foundation because everything comes full circle. What we do comes back to the athletes. And so I'm not coaching. I'm not directly involved with athletes, but I know what I am doing is still-- it's helping athletes in many, many sports.” 33:55 “When I started with the Foundation, we were very heavily research-focused. Over the last seven years, we have continued to add grants and scholarships that are focused on those other areas of membership that we have.” 36:00

Hear from University of Connecticut (UCONN) Director of Football Strength and Conditioning, Matt King, as he reflects on milestones and mentors along his decade-plus coaching journey with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon. King discusses how his early exposure to strength and conditioning as a high school athlete informs the training-age and level-based training approach of UCONN’s football team. Episode highlights include a look into UCONN’s highly collaborative sports performance department, tips for navigating marriage and children in a career with long-hours, and discussion about the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Transfer Portal. Connect with Matt on Instagram: @coach_mking, Twitter: @Coach_MKing, or by email: matthew.2.king@uconn.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“I would say the biggest thing that we've done during the four or five years that I've been here now is be able to have a levels-based system in terms of our training. When they come in, it's based off their training age, we assess them and evaluate them, and then we have four different levels, and each one of my assistants takes a level. So, it also creates ownership in the program with my assistants.” 12:40 “We have an environment here where we kind of police each other in terms of making sure that we cover each other, and you're spending time with your family first and foremost, because jobs come and go. Your family's always going to be there for you, and they're going to need you in good times and bad times.” 21:03 “Don't try to be like your mentors. Make sure that you have your own personality, and you're authentic with that because if you try to be somebody that you're not, your athletes will see right through it. Let's be honest, nobody wants to be coached by somebody that comes in the room and is fake. They want authenticity, and they want realness.” 25:55 “I'd rather have someone that's more of a go-getter and is going to go try and get something done on their own, than have somebody who's going to sit on their hands and wait, because they're not making my job easier if I have to go and tell you to do something every time. Those would be some of my tidbits and my gems for young coaches looking to get in the field.” 28:20

In this episode, Lilly Bernardi, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Hofstra University, talks to Eric McMahon, the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, about her journey from being an athlete to becoming a coach. Bernardi shares sentiments over losing her senior lacrosse season as a college athlete during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it has fueled her motivational approach in coaching. The episode highlights the importance of building confidence as a young professional and adopting a growth mindset for career development. Additionally, the conversation delves into social media etiquette for coaches in the age of information sharing. Connect with Lilly on Instagram: @lilly_bernardi1 or by email: lilly.a.bernardi@hofstra.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“That’s kind of how I found my love for strength and conditioning because the weight room, I think, was the first place for me where maybe I wasn't getting stats on the field. I saw in the weight room, myself getting stronger and that really just translated into a new level of confidence for me and really allowed for me to embrace my role as a leader and, more specifically, a leader by example in the sport of lacrosse.” 3:05 “My athletes are very aware of the fact that, on any given day, if they're doing conditioning, if they're having the hardest lift, they're getting yelled at practice, that I would do anything to take the jersey off their back and get out there one more time. I think if I have athletes who are kind of just going through the motions, I really try to explain to them, it might be hard, but you're going to look back, and you'll miss these four years. And maybe you don't want to go outside and do conditioning every day, but there's a day that you'll look back and wish you could be a part of it.” 5:20 “My best piece of advice that I received in this career is just, you're never ready for your next step. And so, while, like I said, I had no idea what I was going to present on, I knew I wanted to because I wanted to challenge myself in a different way and prove to myself that I can.” 18:10 “Another thing I love about social media is all the books that people post on their stories and adding it to my list. I think sharing information, but also showing your athletes and other coaches and sharing ideas, creating a community of encouraging each other, whether it's in professional accomplishments, and the PRs are fun too.” 25:45

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: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“Again, getting paid a stipend, not a whole heck of a lot, living in a busy, very expensive city, but I was like, if I keep at this, if I keep my nose to the grindstone and I keep asking questions and I show up every day and I’m consistent with what I do, this is just a one-year gig, and it's going to lead me to something bigger.” 13:00 “Stay persistent about it. I think those are the best places to end up at is the places that give you coaching opportunities, and that actually take the time to mentor you. They actually take the time to sit down, answer your questions. They review you. They ask you questions. They challenge you, and as frustrating as it is and maybe scary as it is sometimes, to sit there with your mentor and have them challenge you and really get you to think. If you’re willing to be open minded and have a growth mindset, it always leads you to something better.” 13:47 “When they’re allowed to just take a step back and they understand and they know they’re not going to play, it’s almost like a weight off their shoulders. There’s no expectation for them in already a hard transition to college. In a hard transition already to a faster, more physical game, it just allows them to take a back seat and just watch, just to absorb everything, to be mentored.” 23:05 “As much as we say, embrace the grind, no days off, that’s not really how the human mind and body works. We’re not robots. We’re humans at the end of the day.” 31:40

Kevin Neeld, Head Performance Coach of the Boston Bruins National Hockey League (NHL) team, joins the NSCA Coaching Podcast to share about strength and conditioning practices in the NHL. Neeld connects with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, on his path to working in professional hockey, the involvement of strength and conditioning at the annual NHL Draft Combine, and the partnership between the Strength and Conditioning Association of Professional Hockey (SCAPH) and the NSCA. The discussion includes perspectives for aspiring coaches about working in professional hockey, on-ice and off-ice training, and the recent growth of performance staffs. Connect with Kevin on Instagram: @kevinneeld or Twitter: @KevinNeeld| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“The shift on off-ice development and preparing for a potential combine battery takes a back seat to making sure that you’re ready to play the next game, as it should. In contrast, we have players that maybe have not played a game in three months. So there’s a lot of context that needs to be considered when interpreting the test results of the players that are at the combine.” 9:08 “What we see in some of these conversations that come up regularly is that a player might be really fast on the ice and really underdeveloped in their speed and power qualities off the ice. To me, that may be a player that you really want to take a strong look at because if they have a four-cylinder engine, and they’re beating eight-cylinder engines in races, then you increase the size of the engine. It’s likely that they’re going to continue to scale up in a positive direction.” 15:35 “It’s more of a three-pronged approach of marrying what literature and research-based evidence says along with the coach’s experience along with the values and preferences of the athlete.” 33:10

This episode of the NSCA Coaching Podcast features Nicole Fowler, the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Phillips Exeter Academy. Fowler connects with the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Staff, Eric McMahon and Kevin Gregory, about transitioning from collegiate coaching, at Merrimack University and the University of Denver, to now working in a high school. Learn what it means to be “unembarassable” in your coaching and how that helps your strength and conditioning program. The impact of the high school strength and conditioning coach extends far beyond weight room in this episode. Tune in to learn more about programming for high school student-athletes and training insights for youth during the pre-college formative years. Connect with Nicole on Instagram at @nicolesampson104 and @phillips_exeter_strength | Reach out to Eric and Kevin on Instagram at @ericmcmahoncscs and @coachgregorystrengthShow Notes“There's about 1,200 students that are on campus here with us. We have grades 9 through 12, but then students can come and join us as a post-graduate as well. The cool thing about Exeter is that it's an extremely diverse campus. We represent about 33 countries and the school itself offers over 450 courses.” 2:25 “I've tried to narrow it down to two things, but the athletes want to have control or elements of control, and they want to enjoy the process.” 10:20 “He said to be successful in this world you have to be unembarrassable, which is funny, because I didn't put that into perspective. And sometimes the kids are dancing and having a good time or whatever it is. And you have to kind be on board with it to a certain extent. Obviously you have your standards. But you have to enjoy it, because otherwise you're going to pull your hair out trying to get all these kids to do exactly what you want them to do.” 10:55 “But role within the community I think is something that I've really enjoyed in my two years that I've been here. I love to see the other side of whatever the campus is working on.” 23:05 “I was able to create systems at Merrimack and create systems at Denver, and I'm able to use those systems, but just figure out a creative way to make it work in my setting that I'm in. And I can honestly say that I'm having the most fun that I've ever had coaching, being in the setting that I'm in. And I feel like I'm making a really big impact.” 27:30

Legendary strength and conditioning coach Jeff “Maddog” Madden sits down with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, and 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.Show Notes“I know you’re the strength and conditioning coach. But you want to work to become an assistant athletic director, or an associate athletic director. You want to be of value to the whole department, not just the football staff. That was money in the bank.” 3:17 “That’s a pretty intense amount of time. That’s several months of training that the coaches don’t even get a chance to see them.” 10:45 “When you have communication, you can work things out. I had communication with our doctors, because I wanted to understand what the doctors were doing and how they did what they did, so I could better do my job.” 14:39 “I had a whole semester where I could go and travel and meet people; go to different clinics, go to the Gatorade clinics or whatever was out there at the given time, and spend time with people. And those people helped build my career, because they gave me solid, sound advice.” 20:20 “You see, because I wanted to let them understand it takes a lot to be a champion, but you got to do the work to be a champion. You don’t just walk out there and become a champion. You know? It’s not easy. Anybody can wear the uniform, but can you perform in that uniform? And will you defend the honor of the name on the front and the name on the back of that uniform?” 31:54

Hear from the widely-respected, Rob Glass, Assistant AD for Athletic Performance at Oklahoma State University (OSU), an influential figure in the success of the OSU and University of Florida athletics programs over his four decades in the strength and conditioning profession. Coach Glass connects with the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, on the importance of professionalism among strength and conditioning coaches, and specific qualities he looks for in strength and conditioning coaches joining the OSU staff. This episode highlights the importance of history and experience in developing effective training programs for your coaching environment, and how the student-athletes of today benefit more from our improved coaching practices. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear impactful lessons of character and leadership that can help push your career forward. You can connect with Coach Glass by email at rob.glass@okstate.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“It's the ability to teach and communicate, effective lifting techniques, program design, and… you try to do your best.” 6:04 “The professionalism piece speaks to all that. From the time you first start as a graduate assistant or even an intern, if the professionalism piece is there, you're going to get looked at in a much favorable light with people that are decision-makers for your career moving forward.” 12:38 “Write programs backwards. What does the head coach-- where do I need to be when this training cycle ends? And then I'm going to start writing. I actually write it backwards depending on the duration of the training cycle.” 26:40 “It’s still about networking and developing relationships where you can have good dialogue, training dialogue, where you can ask some questions. But you've got to develop that network.” 28:00 “Don’t be afraid to network. Don't be afraid to reach out. Be a sponge, learn as much as you can. Don't think you have all the answers. I mean, probably the biggest turnoff for some guys is when you sit down with somebody and they act like they've got it figured out and everybody else is a ways wrong. There are so many ways to enhance an athlete's performance.” 30:05

Jessica Burke is an experienced collegiate strength and conditioning coach, most recently at Penn State University, as well as a personal trainer. She joins the NSCA Coaching Podcast with a unique perspective on the state of the strength and conditioning profession. Burke shares her professional path with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, including rewarding work as a personal trainer outside of her responsibilities on campus. This episode explores the value of work-life balance across the coaching profession. Should we debunk the “hustle culture” model of the strength and conditioning coach lifestyle? Listen to learn about this topic and more. Other topics covered include strength and conditioning coaches having a presence on social media and training foundations for youth and female athletes. You can follow Jessica on Instagram: @coachjburke and TikTok: @coachjburke | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“I definitely encourage people to work with the sports that they’re passionate about but also keep that door open, because working with them and working with golf, it definitely has made me a more well-rounded coach and given me the ability to just connect with more athletes.” 2:40 “It takes a level of grit to get into this profession and stay with it.” 8:33 “For me, it was making that really in-depth knowledge really accessible for general population and then also providing a really positive message surrounding food, surrounding exercise, things that I really needed to hear when I was in my early 20s and just cutting through the noise of diet culture, because it is really loud.” 10:45 “I think the science and the nitty-gritty is a huge part of our profession, don’t get me wrong, but the ability to connect with broad groups and types of people is the thing that makes coaches effective.” 20:18

Learn about expanding developmental pathways and career opportunities within Major League Soccer (MLS) in this episode of the NSCA Coaching Podcast. The Charlotte FC Head of Performance, Adam Parr, shares his experience with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, including the key relationships between strength and conditioning coaches, sport scientists, and international influences on the growth of soccer within North America. As athletes today become more accustomed to data feedback on their performance, Parr explains the process of effectively embedding technology in the team setting. Listen in to learn more about how you can break into a growing area of the field in professional soccer. You can connect with Adam on Instagram: @aparrfitness or LinkedIn: @adamcparr| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“I really enjoyed and gravitated towards understanding training loads and stimulus and recovery and how it all fit together. And we started putting together pieces of how are the coaches going to plan training based off of the training loads that we’re getting from the heart rate and different drills and things like that.” 25:00 “When we’re able to show them, I think, that we’re individualizing as much as we can, then they understand, OK, like, they’re doing it for my best interest.” 31:55 “They may be running GPS with a few teams, but not necessarily have the time to really sift through the data and make use of it and make it actionable. So is that something that you can craft out for yourself? If that’s something you’re interested in, can you say, hey, you know, like let me figure this out. Let me do this for you. Because you can create an opportunity for yourself to not only learn the tech and learn the procedures and kind of the best practices, but then also become a valuable part of what they’re doing. And you never know what that’s going to turn into, right? It could turn into an employment opportunity or a recommendation or referral to somewhere else when someone asks.” 35:05 “I think the other thing is just being adaptable, you know, like, willing to flex and adapt, not only to jobs and things like that as far as what you’re doing day to day, but situations, circumstances. If you’re very rigid in what you do in your approach, you’re probably not going to succeed in this space.” 37:50

It is time to catch up with 2019 NSCA Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Ashley Jackson, on her recent career move from the University of Michigan to Texas A&M, as the Assistant Director of Olympic Strength and Conditioning. Jackson talks with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about leadership pathways for coaches and how to gain professional opportunities, from mentorship to earning promotions and taking the next step in your career. This episode explains the importance of the assistant strength and conditioning coach role, not only as a career stepping-stone, but also as an opportunity to practice being both an effective leader and follower. Tune-in and learn more about how you can gain valuable leadership experience, regardless of your current career stage, through involvement with the NSCA. Use this link to look up NSCA Contributor Opportunities and get involved! You can connect with Ashley on Twitter @txstronger| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“For leadership styles and skills, I'd say make sure and surround yourself with good leaders.” 6:23 “But it was just taking that 30 seconds of being brave and introducing myself to Joe Schmo at University X, and not caring who they were, where they coached. Was it football? Was Olympic sports? Was it a junior college? Was it-- did they work in the private sector? I was able to take knowledge and guidance from any coach that would let me chew their ear.” 12:17 “I wouldn't want to be around anyone that's not an open book and doesn't want to share. So I would say definitely keep that in mind of who you're giving your time and energy to if they're not willing to share everything with you.” 15:38 “There are opportunities around us where we can continue to positively influence what our salaries could and should look like. And like I talked about, having representatives at the highest level of administration within our athletic departments will help show those that have say and those that can change salaries and salary grades, how important and integral we are to the athletic department.” 27:35