Single-sport specialized training has led to an emerging risk of overuse injury and burnout. Here are nine things coaches and parents can do to minimize the risk of injury in youth athletes.

Sam Melendrez, full-time strength and conditioning coach for Discovery Canyon Campus High School, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the value of strength and conditioning coaches at the high school level. Topics include advice for those who are interested in strength training youth and high school athletes, programming fundamentals, and the value of applying classroom management skills in the weight room. Find Sam on Twitter: @sammelendrez2 | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

NSCA has a network of volunteer leaders who direct NSCA’s efforts at the state level. NSCA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator provides oversight and training to local state directors. Members in the Mid-Atlantic Region can connect at local and regional events as well as on Facebook to others in this area.

This consensus statement provides specific conditioning recommendations with the intent of ending conditioning-related morbidity and deaths of secondary school athletes. Most deaths in sports are preventable; our charge is to meet this expectation.

This article aims to explore why unloaded non-linear training can be an effective modality for personal trainers, strength coaches, and exercise enthusiasts, as well as present the benefits, possible implications, and methods that can be implemented into a current training program.

This short excerpt from Developing the Core details the importance of training the core musculature in tennis athletes.

Early sports specialization has been a controversial topic in the field of sports medicine, training, and conditioning. Recent studies report increased sports-related injuries in single-sport specialized athletes compared with multisport specialized athletes.

Strength and Conditioning Coaches who are NSCA-Certified are preparing youth for training, using proven strategies that improve their safety and competitiveness.