In the "SEC of Division III," championships and high standards define the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Now in his 10th year at Trinity College, Bill DeLongis reinforces high performance is not about scholarships — it’s about culture, strategy, and buy-in. DeLongis outlines how small-school strength coaches manage high athlete-to-staff ratios, maximize resources, and create top-tier training environments despite fewer external incentives. He discusses Trinity College’s sport science partnerships, the power of internship-driven staffing, and why Division III athletes who are playing purely for the love of the game bring a unique level of motivation. Embodying immersive coaching, he explains how experiencing a sport firsthand (through playing, site visits, and athlete surveys) enhances training specificity and buy-in. As Chair of the NSCA Ice Hockey Special Interest Group (SIG), he shares strength strategies, lessons from Team USA Women’s Hockey, and key NSCA resources. His approach proves that any program can compete at the top — with or without scholarships. Connect with Coach DeLongis on Instagram: @billdelongis, LinkedIn: @bill-delongis, or email: bill.delongis@trincoll.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Join DeLongis and other experts across sports and performance domains in the NSCA’s community-driven Special Interest Groups (SIGs) today. Take your sport-specific knowledge a step further with NSCA’s Strength Training for Hockey.

The four components of the coach-athlete relationship are closeness, commitment, complementarity, and co-orientation. Coaches should seek to deeply understand the value of each category and how to maximize these reciprocal characteristics with their athletes.

This article aims to describe the development of the sport scientist role and clarify the common qualifications and responsibilities therein.

Because fitness test results are part of performance evaluations, smaller service members have an advantage in terms of attaining promotions, despite evidence that suggests that greater body size, strength, power, and load carrying capacity is correlated with tactical performance.

High knee drills help develop coordinated front-side mechanics and are often used as part of a warm-up. This article details several high knee drills that you can use with your athletes.

This article provides medicine ball exercise progressions to help build athleticism in youth athletes.

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.

This excerpt from Developing the Core briefly defines closed- and open-chain exercises and their respective roles in training.

The excerpt from Strength Training for Soccer describes the movements necessary for multidirectional speed.