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: @ericmcmahoncscs

Brett Bartholomew, keynote speaker, performance coach and consultant, best-selling author, and Founder of Art of Coaching™, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the importance of communication as a foundation of coaching, understanding the messy realities of leadership, and how reflection can help the profession grow. Find Brett on Instagram: @coach_brettb or Twitter: @Coach_BrettB | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Patrick McHenry, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Castle View High School in Castle Rock, CO, and member of the NSCA Board of Directors, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about high school strength and conditioning and his growth in the NSCA from a volunteer to an NSCA Board mMember. Connect with Patrick on Twitter: @strengthcentral and Instagram: @ptmchenry | Find Scott on Instagram: @coachcaulfield and Twitter: @scottcaulfield

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

Bobby Smith, owner and Director of Sports Performance at Reach Your Potential Training, talks to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about the transition to owning his own facility and his impact on youth athletes. Topics under discussion include Smith’s education and previous athletic experience that led him to sports performance, being the owner of a sports performance facility, and his impact on youth athletes.

Brianna Battles believes athleticism does not end when motherhood begins. Frustrated by the lack of resources and support for pregnant and postpartum athletes, she founded Everyday Battles to bridge the gap. Now, she empowers everyone from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters and Olympians to hobbyists to challenge their perceived fragility, navigate body and identity changes, and pursue a lifetime of athleticism. Battles notes how strength and conditioning coaches are uniquely poised to influence communities and train general populations using a top-down coaching philosophy. Conducting needs analyses, she focuses on their athletic history, predispositions, and how they manage breathing, pressure, and tension during movement. By reverse-engineering a proactive return to performance, she helps clients overcome social media glorification and fearmongering to design an athlete-mom life that serves them. Battles discusses tapping into the “athlete brain” that craves routine and buy-in. Her advice? Get curious, practice brave, and embrace entrepreneurship as another form of progressive overload. Connect with Brianna on Instagram: @brianna.battles and @pregnant.postpartum.athlete or by email at: brianna@briannabattles.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs This episode discusses new CASCE field experience requirements that dictate a minimum of two substantially different work experiences. Learn more about CASCE accreditation at NSCA.com/CASCE.

Kelly Dormandy, Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Performance at Loyola Marymount University and Head Strength Coach for the Los Angeles Sparks Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about championship culture. Topics under discussion include constantly seeking new challenges, training WNBA athletes, and being proactive about networking in the field. Find Kelly on Instagram: @kdormandy | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Learn about the emerging field of biomechanics in professional baseball from Georgia Giblin, the Director of Performance Science for the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Giblin shares her professional journey with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, from working with Olympic athletes in Australia to educating coaches on emerging technology tools within MLB. This episode features discussion on the recent growth of athletic performance departments, the current state of sport science in the United States, and the helpful role of strength and conditioning coaches in supporting sport science initiatives. Connect with Georgia on Twitter: @GeorgiaGiblin| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

How does a small-town boy from Mid Wales become the next NSCA President? Follow Ian Jeffreys’ inspiring journey, beginning with his introduction to the NSCA in 1989 as a professional rugby player hungry for knowledge to perform better. Listen as he recounts the thrill of his first conference and why NSCA events are so much more valuable than just what is presented on the main stage. Then, dive into Ian’s career-defining contributions to speed and agility, sparked by his reverse-engineering approach that leverages movement patterns and strong positioning to elevate game speed. Reflect on decades of evolution in our profession, including increased career paths plus the rise of technology and AI — and why they can never replace the true human heart of coaching. Lastly, learn Ian’s vision for the NSCA’s future, which involves both listening and leading to maintain the NSCA’s position as the worldwide authority in strength and conditioning. Connect with Ian by email at ian.jeffreys@nsca.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Join Ian’s inauguration at NSCACon 2024 in Baltimore, MD, July 10-13! Register at NSCA.com/NSCACon

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 @coachgregorystrength