Podcast
NSCA’s Coaching Podcast
Hosted by NSCA · EN
This is the NSCA’s Coaching Podcast, where strength and conditioning coaches share their experience, lessons learned, and advice about how to thrive in a highly competitive profession. Published by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, www.nsca.com.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Whitney Leyva-Camberos | Leading Big at a Small College & Serving Locally
2w agoTap to summarizeAt smaller colleges, strength and conditioning coaches are often asked to lead big with limited staff. Whitney Leyva-Camberos, Director of Sports Performance at Fresno Pacific University and NSCA Southwest Regional Coordinator, shares how she supports a growing program while building a career through service. Leyva-Camberos talks through small-department challenges coaches know well, from crowded training windows and shared weight room space to constant communication with sport coaches. She uses timing gates and velocity-based training to raise intent, spark athlete competition, and keep data useful for a small staff. As a parent and department leader, Leyva-Camberos reflects on the support that helps coaches stay in the field for the long term. She also shares how saying yes and showing up at NSCA events helped turn local introductions into lasting connections. Listen for strategies to lead with limited resources, choose technology with purpose, and get connected through NSCA opportunities in your region. Connect with Whitney on Instagram: @bigassmuscles or by email: whitney.leyva@fresno.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Connect Locally: Find your NSCA region, local leaders, and regional LinkedIn group. Check upcoming State/Provincial & Regional Events for chances to learn, network, and earn CEUs near you. Review NSCA Volunteer Leadership Opportunities for ways to get involved and application windows. Explore the Foundations of Coaching Lifts (FCL) Course for coaching compound lifts with progressions, regressions, and cues. Show Notes“I didn't really hear of a lot of women and moms who were head strength and conditioning coaches. So, I kind of had to lean on other industries, like our head athletic trainer at the time. She's a mom, and she kind of was in the same boat. But then slowly but surely, I've made connections over the years now and seeing that there are a lot more moms in this position. But I think the biggest thing for me is like the village I have.” 8:40 “I'm using technology in my way of adding more content to my list, making sure that they're actually getting what we need out of the list to get the adaptations we need. So, you know, even if we're doing like a quick ten yard sprint, like even putting the gates on, it makes them want to do that competition game with each other [...] Especially when you have female athletes who don't lift as heavy as they should. They're stronger than they think. And we know that and we try to push them. I think the VBT gives them more objective information of like, am I lifting in the range I need to? And so I've used it more for the intent piece.” 13:20 “How did you get involved? What are you doing to volunteer? Because I want to see what that's like. I actually reached out to the Southern California director at the time, and it was actually going to be held at San Diego. And I just said, hey, do you need any student volunteers? I'm willing to drive down and help out. And so I'm pretty sure I drove down by myself. I didn't really have I didn't really know anyone at the time I had started grad school, my husband came down with me, booked a hotel, and I was there, the whole Southern California conference. But I told myself my goal that day was, I'm going to talk to every single speaker at that event. I'm going to connect with every single speaker. Like, this is where my connections begin.” 17:10
Transcribe →Sammi Ryan | Seeking Golden Opportunities
Jun 12Tap to summarizeEarly-career coaches have to learn fast, adapt faster, and still earn trust. Sammi Ryan, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Boston University, shares how seeking golden opportunities led her across the country and into unfamiliar sports. After an early training experience deterred her from the field, Ryan found her way in through graduate experience and a support system she still maintains today. When coaching sports she has not played, Ryan starts with research, trusted peers, and relationships with sport coaches. She stresses that coaches cannot “copy and paste” what worked at a previous stop because every team, athlete, and setting is different. For Ryan, athlete questions are a chance to clarify the plan or change course. She also discusses staff coverage and sport science integration at Boston University. Ryan reflects on helping college athletes grow and develop as humans, not just athletes. Listen to learn how to strengthen your support system, adapt across teams, and guide athletes beyond sport. Connect with Sammi on Instagram: @sammiryann or by email: sryan95@bu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Join the NSCA College Coaches Professional Development Group (PDG) to build your network, share ideas, and navigate challenges in college strength and conditioning.Show Notes“I think a lot of times we can kind of get a little narrow focus on the way we're doing things or the way that things are happening at whatever spot we're at. So, I think being able to lean on different support systems, mentors, other people that were in my cohort at my different grad programs to be able to reach out and lean on them and see how are you dealing with this, not just kind of the X's and O's, but maybe dealing with sport coaches or navigating how to train different teams, or working with sport science or just anything that kind of we deal with on the day to day... I think has been a huge one.” 7:10 “I feel like athletes nowadays, especially with the social media climb, they want to know the reason behind everything. So, I think being able to take a step back and [...] making sure I mean everything I program always has a why behind it. And I told my athletes, if they ask me why and I don't have a reason, I'm more than happy to take a step back and change it.” 14:45 “We get kids that are 17/18 years old and then we can take them and see them grow and develop into not just athletes, but grow and develop as humans as well. [...] I think a big part is being part of their life and helping them develop as humans, not just athletes. And to see that development throughout the years is definitely one of my favorite parts about this field.” 19:20
Transcribe →Joe Neal | From Youth to Pro in the Private Sector
May 22Tap to summarizeIn the private sector, you are always auditioning. Joe Neal, owner of 2SP Sports Performance based near Detroit, MI, shares a blueprint for serving athletes from youth to the professional ranks. Those foundational principles support off-season training for National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) players. Neal reflects on his untraditional path from an underserved college baseball athlete to a business owner. Along the way, his coaching was guided by self-experimentation, creative training techniques, and relentless learning. He explains what makes a strong private-sector program: coaches should be prepared, moving, and communicating, not buried in screens or programming. Neal also breaks down how he uses technology to individualize training, track progress, and support better decisions without losing supervision. He emphasizes long-term development, where overlooked athletes can keep growing, stay healthier, and outperform early expectations. Listen for practical lessons on culture, coaching, business, and private-sector development across every level of sport. Connect with Joe on Instagram: @joeneal2 or by email: joe@2spsports.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Join the NSCA Entrepreneur Special Interest Group (SIG) on LinkedIn to connect with other coaches and explore ideas for building and leading in the private sector.Show Notes“If you want to go into the private sector, you got to be willing to bet on yourself constantly. And always be ready to audition, because that's what I feel like I deal with every single day.” 15:25 “If we can do a really competitive and compelling job to get them in there, it’s going to make a difference, you know, a change in their outcomes. [...] I was that athlete who really needed it and that athlete who we probably wouldn't have had, we probably wouldn't be talking if I didn't go through that process myself at this point and just kind of coasted through my career. And it was a game changer for me.” 23:25 “One thing that we want is we want our coaches prepped and ready to go. They shouldn't be programing during, during the session and those type of distractions are really problematic. [...] If they have high energy than our then our athletes are going to have high energy.” 29:40
Transcribe →Loren Landow | “It’s About Service.”
May 8Tap to summarizeFor many coaches, there comes a point when coaching can become less about proving yourself and more about serving others. Loren Landow, Director of Football Performance at the University of Notre Dame, shares how that shift informs his approach to training, hiring, and leading in elite football. Landow distinguishes workouts from training; every block has a targeted goal, and every off-season is a chance to build brotherhood, uphold standards, and compete in everything they do. Landow also reflects on his path from cardiopulmonary rehabilitation to the private sector, the National Football League (NFL), and the University of Notre Dame. For him, when you can “weather the storm,” no career step is wasted. On the technical side, he argues that movement is his largest key performance indicator (KPI). Landow explains that deceleration is trainable, and athletes need movement literacy before reactive work. Listen to help solidify your standards, coach movement with intent, and adapt a service-first lens to last in the profession. Connect with Loren on Instagram: @lorenlandow or by email: LLandow@nd.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Join the NSCA Football Special Interest Group (SIG) on LinkedIn to connect with other coaches and stay current on football strength and conditioning best practices.Show Notes“I make sure that I check all my references and make sure that this person is going to be great rowing in the boat with us. I like it and goes back to some of those values being on time. No excuses that you hold players accountable for. It carries over to staff as well, and they obviously have to set that pace for their position groups, their teams and all the way across the board. And I need to have people that understand it's about service, it's about serving. And that's probably one of the more important qualities I look for and I pay attention to in an interview. Does that word come up? Do you understand that your job is to serve?” 9:20 “There's not one part of my path where I thought, man, that was a wasted two years. That was a wasted three years. Everything has led me to this point now where I take all my collective wisdom or experience past failures, and I use those to fuel my direction and ask better questions and ultimately use it to help, you know, serve my student athletes here at Notre Dame.” 13:00 “One of my coaches at my facility reached out to me not too long ago and asked me the question, what would Loren olderself tell Loren's younger self? And I said two things. Patience. Have patience in the process. But weather the storm. Weather the storm in this field because it's going to get hard. It's going to get bumpy, it's going to get choppy. It's not going to be smooth sailing. But if you can weather the storm and you can really decide what it is that you're trying to do.” 14:35
Transcribe →Ted Rath | Winning the Little Details in the NFL
Apr 24Tap to summarizeFootball is evolving fast, and the coaches who keep pace are the ones who control what they can and win the little details. Ted Rath, Director of Sports Performance for the New Orleans Saints, reflects on over 15 years in the National Football League (NFL). He explains how training times, availability, and sheer athleticism have shifted with the game's expansion. Rath makes the case for gaining a well-rounded experience by coaching different sports, seeking knowledge, and being patient on your path. He also shares his linear progression approach to sport science that keeps new tools actionable and avoids technology overload. With players now arriving more educated and invested in their data, creating understanding and buy-in remains essential. Rath reveals that his coaching philosophy and culture starts with “leading yourself,” emphasizing ownership and helping others. Apply his perspective to protect availability, dial in the little details, and integrate sport science with purpose. Reach out to Ted on Instagram: @tedrathstrengthcoach | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Catch Ted’s session, “The Future of Training in Professional Football,” at the 2026 NSCA National Conference in New Orleans, July 8–11. Sign up early and save at NSCA.com/NSCACon.Show Notes“We work together. That's the greatest thing about team sports. We're in this together and we're competing for the same things and we're trying to help each other get better. But that also goes down to families. We work incredibly long hours, as you know, it's stressful. There are times where it's hard. It's extremely hard. You're going to face adversity. You're going to have ups, you're going to have downs, you're going to have great years. You're going to have very trying years. But all that also reflects upon your family and the people that you choose to surround yourself with.” 5:00 “I always tell the younger coaches that I'm talking to or asking me similar questions. Gain a well-rounded experience and what does that mean? Go see coaches with different philosophical approaches. Go see different sports like we talked about earlier. Go learn wherever you can go. Work with golf athletes and rotational athletes. Go. Just go seek knowledge wherever you can and try to make that as well-rounded as possible. And then don't rush it.” 9:20 “The only wrong step is not taking a step. So, I try to operate with a level of urgency. If you take the wrong step, that's okay. Just learn from it. Don't make that same mistake again.” 11:20
Transcribe →Whitney Tramel | Breaking into Tactical Strength and Conditioning
Apr 10Tap to summarizeWant to break into tactical strength and conditioning? Start by understanding the physical and stress demands of tactical work. Whitney Tramel explains what coaches need to know before stepping into this space. Drawing on her experience across military, police, and fire settings, she outlines the training qualities tactical professionals need to stay ready. She also discusses the growing focus on “holistic health.” In her view, that means looking at the whole individual and supporting longevity across a demanding career. As Tactical Program Manager at the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and a PhD candidate studying stress physiology, Tramel connects research with the realities of tactical coaching. She also addresses a side many coaches are not ready for: tactical athletes often trust their strength coach with conversations that reach far beyond training. Learn what the role requires, what coaches often miss, and how to enter the tactical field with clarity. Reach out to Whitney by email: whitney.tramel@nsca.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Looking to enter the tactical space or keep growing in it? Explore the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator® (TSAC-F®) certification and join us at 2026 NSCA Tactical Annual Training in Orlando this August 17 – 20Show Notes“Maybe there are times throughout the year we can focus more on one than the other. But I think we're really doing people a disservice if we only choose to focus on one at a time. We have a police officer that might be at a desk or two sitting in his cop car all day, but when he needs to chase after someone, he needs to chase after someone, and he doesn't know when that time is going to come. So he needs to be ready to do that at any moment.” 7:40 “Is it required? No. Do I think that it shows that you care and are making efforts towards learning? Absolutely. Secondary to that, it's police officers, firefighters, military personnel, service members who want to bring physical fitness, strength and conditioning, human performance to their department, to their unit, and essentially be a force multiplier...” 19:00 “There's so much research on what the physical and stress demands are of these jobs. So do the research and show up to your first interview knowing without a shadow of a doubt what you're working with. [...] I understand this is what I'm working with. I understand these are some things that I might see in this role. And here's what I plan to do to kind of help that. And I think those are ways to really help you get a job in the space of that's kind of what you're looking for.” 23:05
Transcribe →Dr. William Kraemer | Legacy and Innovation in Strength and Conditioning
Mar 27Tap to summarizeWhen William Kraemer first entered the field, strength and conditioning was, as he puts it, “primordial.” There were few standards, limited research, and little shared understanding. As one of the most influential figures in strength and conditioning, Kraemer recounts how the profession grew from humble beginnings into a science-driven discipline. That history still holds weight for coaches today. He explains why coaches are often drawn to new ideas, but progress comes from building on proven principles. Workout logs are central to his approach, and he notes how analyzing training over time can improve decision-making. He also emphasizes alignment across the performance ladder to support innovation and athlete development. As the Senior Advisor for Sports Performance and Sports Science at The Ohio State University, he shares his perspective on where the field is headed next. Apply his wisdom to stay grounded in solid principles, evaluate training with greater precision, and better serve your athletes. Reach out to Dr. Kraemer by email: Kraemer.44@osu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“I think that search for knowledge, that understanding, that even today I well, we don't know where there's so much, we don't know. I mean, it just gets more complex as you pick up the paper. But if you have the search and the creativity that you want to really understand things and you really, well discovery, and you realize you don't know it all, then you basically build on what we know and the principles and you try to do what's best.” 13:45 “The most important thing you do is your workout logs, and I had a whole chapter on that. If you basically don't understand your workout logs and don't analyze them and look at them and then prepare your athletes to do what their next sequence workout is going to be, you got you really have to be an analytical, you know, monitor, an analytical, forensic person on the athlete's workout logs.” 29:35 “The biggest thing we have to do right now is educate sport coaches, because many of our sport coaches don't have the background that really evolved in into the present day, strength and conditioning and sports performance people or sport science people.” 35:37
Transcribe →Faith Brown | The Evolving Role of a Strength Coach
Mar 13Tap to summarizeExpectations for strength and conditioning coaches now extend far beyond the weight room. Athletes and sport coaches demand better data, deeper insight, and stronger performance. Faith Brown, Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning at George Mason University, supports women’s basketball and volleyball while collaborating with the Patriot Performance Lab. Brown describes balancing teams, testing, and athlete monitoring as a “circus act.” At the heart of her coaching is one goal: be the coach she wishes she had as a college track athlete. She demonstrates ways strength and conditioning coaches can contribute as scientists, creating impact and value outside the weight room walls. Brown shares how GPS, heart rate monitoring, and force plates support workload monitoring. However, she believes that technology should only be used when it answers a real question. Learn how to turn data into better training decisions, translate sport science so sport coaches buy in, and reach out to other coaches to refine your program. Connect with Faith on Instagram: @faithsabrown, LinkedIn: @faith-brown, or by email: fbrown20@gmu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs From the Episode: Explore NSCA’s Essentials of Sport Science, a foundational text defining the field and the role of sport scientists in high-performance environments. It also supports preparation for the Certified Performance and Sport Scientist® (CPSS®) certification exam.Show Notes“We have a lot of interns that come through the weight room. And 85% of them aren't going to continue in strength conditioning especially, or maybe collegiate strength and conditioning, but a part of them doing that internship is figuring out this is not what I want to do. So what else is left out there that maybe I want to explore?” 7:50 “I think it's just being a two-way street with talking to coaches and learning from them about the sport and what they want to see.” 14:32 “The biggest thing when you're working with the new sport is just get out there, watch a sport, talk to the coaches, talk to the athletes, learn as much as you can about it.” 15:30 “For me, I went into student conditioning, obviously, because I loved it. I had a passion for it. But I think also being able to be what I didn't have when I was in college, I didn't have a conditioning coach and me and my friends, still, best friends with two of the girls I ran track with. And they always they're like, face, like all this stuff you all do is like, so cool.” 36:00
Transcribe →Gini Grimsley | Personal Training vs. the Mass Fitness Revolution: How to Stand Out
Feb 27Tap to summarizeThe private sector is growing, and so is the competition. With low barriers to entry and clients cycling in and out of programs, you need a strong business strategy to stand out and build staying power. Gini Grimsley draws on her experience across commercial fitness and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) leadership to address top questions coaches are asking: Where is the smartest place to start? How do you set your rates? How do you grow a client base in a new community? Grimsley distinguishes between being certified and being qualified, noting credentials open the door while applied experience takes you further. She introduces a framework for “periodizing your paycheck,” reverse-engineering income goals into a viable revenue model. Grimsley also outlines how to integrate into established communities and balance hybrid in-person and online coaching. If you are exploring the private sector or refining your approach, gain practical strategies to find your niche and achieve career flexibility. Reach out to Gini on Instagram: @gdotgperiod, LinkedIn: @gini-grimsley-ms-cscs, or by email: trainwithgini@gmail.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Make sure your voice is represented in the profession. Join an NSCA Professional Development Group (PDG) to influence the resources and decisions that impact your segment of the field.Show Notes“We're all trying to do the same thing and getting people moving and performing at a very high level because of the carryover that it does have, whether they're performing on the court, or I like to say, performing in the boardroom.” 9:25 “There's all these apps that are coming into play. So not even online coaching, it's just fitness for the masses. And it's always kind of been like that. You go back to the '80s, it was the aerobics tapes that people were buying and doing. And this is the evolution of that, but people start and stop programs more often than we really care for them to and the health outcomes reflect that. […] How do we get people hooked on fitness in a way that meets them where they are and helps them get to where they want to be in a realistic sense, versus trying to get someone to high performance?” 15:30 “You can't become a good leader until you've become a good follower. And the same thing applies to personal trainers. You can't be a good personal trainer until you experience what good personal training, good coaching actually is.” 18:15
Transcribe →Morgan Smith | Gaining Applied Experience Through Education
Feb 13Tap to summarizeYour career can accelerate when you ask, offer, and say yes. For Morgan Smith, that approach led to a postdoctoral fellowship with the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance at Stanford University. Smith recalls how coaching sparked her interest in the science behind performance. Working across academic and practical settings, she encountered challenges with research feasibility firsthand. Today, she focuses on blending coaching with sport science. At Stanford, she began by building relationships and trust within the athletic department. She describes collaborating with coaches and staff to identify research interests, gaps, and low-burden contributions. Smith also highlights opportunities to support club sports, campus recreation centers, and community programs. These roles can help fund education while building your resume, network, and practical skills. She reinforces the value of education as a time to maximize experience and explore interests. Discover how to gain applied experience early, drive cross-department buy-in, and cultivate relationships that move your career forward. Reach out to Morgan on Instagram: @goldenmo_ and LinkedIn: @morgan-smith-sportsscientist | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs | Learn more about the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance at: humanperformancealliance.org. Interested in bridging coaching and sport science? The Certified Performance and Sport Scientist® (CPSS®) credential can help you expand your qualifications, open new career paths, and strengthen organizational collaboration.Show Notes“My biggest tip would be to put yourself out there and to say yes. Especially as an undergrad, if there's something that pops up and it's like, hey, we have an opportunity for a four week internship, or there's an opportunity to shadow this performance center or this coach, or if anything pops up related to what you may be interested in, say yes as much as you can, because those experiences not only are going to help you build skills, but it's going to help you meet people and network, especially when you have such a positive experience. Your name and your face will be in their minds.” 15:50“Especially as an undergrad, if there's something that pops up and it's like, hey, we have an opportunity for a four week internship, or there's an opportunity to shadow this performance center or this coach, or if anything pops up related to what you may be interested in, say yes as much as you can, because those experiences not only are going to help you build skills, but it's going to help you meet people and network, especially when you have such a positive experience. Your name and your face will be in their minds.” 16:10“You never know what's going to happen. And especially if it's something that maybe it's an experience or it's a job that you don't necessarily have the experience for, still apply, especially when you're in undergrad or in grad school. I always tell people when you're a student, it's the best time to explore.” 25:20
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