NSCA’s Coaching Podcast

Night after night, Cirque du Soleil’s performing arts athletes defy gravity and expectations — executing elite-level feats across 480 shows annually. Maintaining peak performance requires more than talent; it demands strategic preparation, adaptability, and trust. Channeling backgrounds in dance and martial arts, married coaching duo Mike and Jade Esmeralda bring a philosophy of continuous improvement to Cirque’s collectivistic infrastructure. Preparing performers with diverse training experiences, they connect on an artistic level to balance readiness with creative expression. From applying RAMP (Raise, Activate, Mobilize, Potentiate) warm-ups for mitigating injury risk to tactical load carriage insights for LED costumes, the Esmeraldas leverage parallels across high-performance environments. Strategies for Cirque’s “valuable human artistic assets” must enhance durability, manage load, and support longevity in an unpredictable, physically — and psychologically — demanding profession. Jade’s evidence-based journalism also combats social media misinformation. Discover how they adapt daily, build buy-in across cultures, and redefine training for a one-of-a-kind population. Connect with Mike Instagram: @m.b.esmeralda, and LinkedIn: @michaelesmeralda, and Jade on Instagram: @jadesmeralda_ | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Discover more stage-specific strategies in the NSCA Performing Arts Special Interest Group on LinkedIn. See some of these impressive feats mentioned in this episode performed by Cirque du Soleil athletes on Instagram at @cirquedusoleil and @cirquedusoleilcasting.Show Notes“As far as needs analysis, I always watch the shows, and I time it. Like everything else, like evidence-based practice, it all started with just really learning on what that is. Before it became research. It was all practice-based evidence. Then it became evidence-based practice. So that's kind of what we're doing right now, whether it's, like, energy systems, how long are they hanging on that strap, what positions are they going into, what are the injury points that I'm looking at, and how can I make sure that they become very durable? Mind you, they are performing 10 times a week, two sequence shows per day with an hour break in between, and it all adds up to 480 shows a year.” 9:55 “I think no matter what show it is, it really encourages you to get creative and get experimental with what you're doing because for me, the biggest correlation that I saw was with tactical populations and how they have to wear different types of equipment, whether it's strapped in a harness in the front or the back. And then suddenly, I'm diving into research to learn about different interventions and strategies that can help tactical populations and just seeing a correlation between traditional, tactical, maybe special operations who have to wear certain equipment, and these dancers that may be totally different in terms of the surface, but they might have more similarities than you might think.” 23:27

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.Show Notes“The athletes are not on an athletic scholarship, as probably most people know. They're playing the sport for the love of the game. They're very motivated. They want to be here. There's nothing really holding them. There's no NIL [Name, Image, and Likeness] money. There's no scholarship over their head. They're playing it and training because they love their sport.” 3:25 “That's 30 different cultures, obviously, more than 30 personalities. Every team has got their vibe and their style of training. So, you do get a lot of reps. You get to see a lot of different programming, work with a lot of different personalities.” 7:20 “That would be something I would recommend to anyone taking over a new sport is play the sport, and obviously, you might not play it at a super high level like I am playing at the lowest level you can play in men's league hockey in the state of Connecticut. But I'm out there. I'm experiencing it. I'm feeling what they're feeling. And then when we get on the ice, we'd be able to do our speed work or our conditioning work. I'm actually out there on skates, which I think really helps with a lot of the buy-in. It’s like, ‘All right, this guy cares. He is taking it upon himself to learn our sport, which is so different.’” 19:40

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.Show Notes“Athleticism does not end when motherhood begins.” 4:45 “We have a really big opportunity as strength and conditioning coaches to look at our knowledge base and our experience working with so many different high level athletes and saying, that is a small percentage of the population, but we have a responsibility to be able to apply our knowledge and help to our family, to our friends and to people to help them pursue this lifetime of athleticism, even if it's not at a super high level.” 8:50 “If we're wanting to pursue this lifetime of athleticism, which extends beyond just pregnancy and the trenches of postpartum, there's a lot we have to learn about our body and our relationship with fitness and just kind of our overall approach to health.” 17:10 “It's getting curious because it's not just about becoming a mother. It's knowing how to support girls and women in general because we have different-- we are not fragile at all, but we also might have different considerations. And that's all. It's just, it's understanding what those considerations may be at all different points across the lifespan, from coaching youth girls to collegiate athletes to professional athletes that are women, to then pregnancy and postpartum to perimenopausal, to menopausal, to elderly women.” 22:50

Sheri Walters’ journey to Director of Sports Medicine at Texas A&M University reflects a career defined by innovation, collaboration, and comprehensive integration. Walters discusses the "arms race" in collegiate athletics and how Texas A&M shatters silos through unit alignment and being intentionally present. Drawing from her EXOS experience, she highlights the impact of integrating sports medicine with strength and conditioning. Walters employs research-based cross-body training to maintain strength, prioritizing long-term rehabilitation over limb symmetry index testing. She explains how her Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®) and Certified Performance and Sport Scientist® (CPSS®) credentials enable her to elevate rehabilitation and speak the language of sport performance professionals. Walters underscores the importance of getting student-athletes back to team strength and conditioning as soon as tissues can tolerate it to promote physiological and psychological healing. She also shares how strength and conditioning coaches can optimize return to performance and reduce reinjury risk. Email Sheri at swalters@athletics.tamu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Catch Sheri’s session on bridging the gap in the collegiate setting LIVE at the 2025 NSCA Coaches Conference! Register to watch online at NSCA.com/Coaches. Fascinated by the intersection between strength and conditioning and sports medicine? Join other professionals in the Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation Specialist Interest Group (SIG) to discover more resources and engage in discussion.Show Notes“The goal is to keep them as strong as possible on the uninvolved side, and then likewise, upper body. I don't want to be rehabbing a lower body injury and then turn around next season having to rehab an upper because we didn't maintain that strength. Those are all things that very early on, the strength coach can take. It helps from a physiological healing standpoint. It also helps from a psychological standpoint to be back with their team and doing a lot of their normal activities. By maintaining my CSCS, by getting my CPSS, it's helped me to be able to speak the same language as those professionals, and then ultimately, get the best outcome for our student athletes.” 8:25“We can make sure the tissue can tolerate the load, and then as soon as possible, integrate it back in. So for us, it's very critical that we're working very early on with the strength and conditioning coach to make that transition.” 17:00“I always encourage students pursuing strength and conditioning coaching careers to do is to get into a training room, connect with members of the sports medicine team and profession. They may do that as athletes before they become a strength coach, but especially for those who maybe don't have a high-level athletic experience, connecting with sports medicine professionals is extremely valuable.” 20:20

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-associationShow Notes“Our day in the life for us, it's to try and create that web of support, as I said earlier, and be across as many departments, and deliver our key messages specifically to those stakeholders rather than trying to work in isolation.” 12:55 “Be the best person in that role. Like, bring it. If you're the intern, be the best intern that they've ever had. If you're the fifth S&C, then be the best fifth S&C coach they've ever had. Because for me, everything matters all of the time, and those things never go unnoticed. Even though you might not see it eventually, you keep doing that every single day and being that best person. Then you will get there. It's just inevitable.” 28:30 “There's so many sports out there that need an edge. They need something that someone else isn't doing. And if you can provide that gap, then it enhances that team, that performance department, that medical department. It enhances all those things just by bringing that 1% something that's novel.” 29:55

Sporting nine national championship rings, Coach Andrea Hudy stands as a titan in strength and conditioning. She joins co-hosts NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager Eric McMahon and Gatorade Team Sports Manager Jon Jost to reflect on her journey, including pursuing her PhD and the impact of lifelong learning. Together, they discuss the changing collegiate landscape, now resembling a professional environment with holistic, interdisciplinary collaboration. Hudy explains how early specialization may expedite later-career injuries, inspiring her to investigate gait mechanics. Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies also mean a “bigger pot” for athletes, extending collaboration to agents and scheduling. They theorize collegiate athletes may face more stressors than professional athletes due to their academic schedule, training, and promotional travel — making time management and investing in longevity essential. Hudy describes her philosophy of education, motivation, and communication, built upon a foundation of honesty and healthy relationships. The trio examine the evolving strength coach skill set, including sport science elements, before offering advice for aspiring professionals. Reach out to Coach Hudy by email at andrea.hudy@uconn.edu or via social media on Instagram: @a_hudy, X/Twitter: @A_Hudy, or LinkedIn: @andrea-hudy. Connect with Jon Jost at: jonathan.jost@pepsico.com. Follow up with Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs. This special episode is brought to you in part by Gatorade Performance Partner. Learn more and join their community at GatoradePerformancePartner.com. Don’t miss your chance to get involved as an NSCA Volunteer. Applications for most positions close soon on December 15. Find your role and apply now at NSCA.com/Volunteer.Show Notes“I have a biomedical engineer on my dissertation committee. I have an ACL specialist on my dissertation committee. I have a tendon specialist on my committee.  It's looking at the problems or solving issues that we have that have always been existent, I think, in sports — both men and women's sports. But to bring that group together, and myself as a sports performance person, and just take all these ideas and collaborate to find out what is the best practice for our athletes, I think, was super important.” 5:00 “I think you have to teach them that relationships are important. And it's not a one-way street. Relationships are a two-way street.” 13:25 “I think a better human makes a better basketball player and being present, being with them, having energy investing in what's in front of me, not what happened in the past, or what happens tomorrow, but what's happening right now and being very present for them.” 17:35 “So you're standing on the edge. And you're welcome to come in here, but just know that these are going to be 12-, 14-hour days. You're going to learn a lot, but you have to invest a lot in it.” 21:35

Nicole Rodriguez always knew she wanted to pursue strength and conditioning, but the extent of her journey — spanning 44 countries and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games — is nothing short of inspiring. During her time at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, Rodriguez recognized the value of experience and environment, later joining the EXOS International Program to coach globally. Eager to test her skills and help standardize coaching education, she sought out developing countries to advance their sport infrastructure. Rodriguez outlines key differences between U.S. and European approaches: while the U.S. excels in strength methodology, Europe enhances sport-specific application through tactical periodization. Additionally, she highlights Europe’s emphasis on rehabilitation and an “inverse relationship” between time in the weight room versus pitch-side with sport coaches. Rodriguez also describes her work with Poland’s Ministry of Sport and Tourism to pursue NSCA Global Chapter status, aligning with her passion for improving strength and conditioning education and implementation worldwide. Connect with Nicole by email: nicole@coachnicolerodriguez.com and online at: coachnicolerodriguez.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs   Learn more about NSCA international programs mentioned in the episode at NSCA.com/Global.Show Notes“I think it's important for strength and conditioning coaches to know that our skill set and our scope of practice isn't just training this sport we work with. It's being able to adapt and form a needs analysis and build a program for any sport or activity based on demands, recognizing key aspects of an activity or a job or a sport or a position that give you windows of trainability to help that athlete or person.” 21:23 “I always believe in Harry Truman's word that you can be successful in life without getting the credit. And there's a lot of things that we have to do in the industry where we're just do not get any credit. And it's just part of the job. But we try to use it as a positive way of working together.” 31:30 “Those are the two things that I always work to remember is, hey, keep the peace in the environments that I work in because they are high-stress environments. But also, this concept of you don't always have to be super bubbly and always smiling. It's helpful. It's very helpful if you have that ability to stay positive through the thick of the scenario. But sometimes it doesn't always need to come from positivity but more of this idea of staying neutral, yeah, so you can make the next best decision.” 35:22

Lindsey Kirschman sees her non-traditional educational background as her greatest asset, not a detriment. She still considers herself a teacher — just differently — as the Director of Sports Performance for University of Utah women’s basketball. Coming from a family of educators, Kirschman initially studied forestry and range science before pursuing strength and conditioning. Kirschman explains how her teaching experience provided a firm foundation for optimizing learning and creating a positive environment. Her approach promotes skill transfer from the weight room to sport and beyond, using exercises like sled pushes as analogies for life lessons about resilience. A former track athlete, Kirschman underscores that while the finish line is the same, every athlete’s starting point is unique. Kirschman also discusses culture building through her “GOAT Award” and the challenges of transitioning from a generalist to a specialist. She encourages aspiring professionals to reframe their mindset and fully engage with their working environment. Connect with Lindsey by email: lindsey.kirschman@utah.edu and Instagram: @authentically_strong | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs  Get involved with the NSCA! Don’t miss your chance to give back and fast-track your growth with volunteer roles. Many applications close December 15 — apply now at NSCA.com/Volunteer.Show Notes“My expectation, the finish line is the same for all of them. But they're not starting at the same spot […] That idea stems from the fact that equity is not the same thing as equality. And in education, that's something that we talk about all the time, is that you have a classroom full of students. They're all going to take the same test, or all have to show the same proficiency, but they all come in with different reading levels. They all come in with different backgrounds, and you have to figure out how to get them all there anyway.” 11:20 “What can a powerful athlete do? They can push against a resistance quickly and overcome it. They can move a heavy object quickly, whether it's your body or another thing. They can overcome that friction at the beginning and they can push through at the end. And that's what a powerful human being can do too, in the world.” 16:00 "What do I celebrate? What do I tolerate? That's going to lead to what I proliferate. And, that's going to be the culture. That's going to be the learning environment." 18:05 “It comes down to, as always, really good communication. And when you think you're communicating, communicate more, or communicate more effectively. Being really willing to listen and learn from everyone all the time. And ask the question, don't just assume. So those are the things I've intentionally done over the last couple of years to really enhance those working relationships, and be the best team of sports performance professionals for each individual athlete.” 24:55

The playing field has changed in collegiate athletics, but Kaz Kazadi knows the keys to longevity. Get to know the Texas Christian University (TCU) Assistant Athletic Director of Football Human Performance, renowned for his ability to inspire athletes. Follow his roots from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) to playing for the National Football League (NFL) Los Angeles Rams — later becoming a “roaming gladiator” in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and NFL Europe to secure tenure. As a leader in the weight room, strength and conditioning was a natural transition. He recalls choosing a graduate assistantship to embody his “long money” philosophy of purpose-driven education, networking, and positivity. Kazadi compares new Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies to free agency and talent acquisition versus recruiting. Additionally, he drills decision-making and delayed gratification as players transition into adulthood. He concludes with advice for creating a coaching network and career vision. Connect with Coach Kaz by email: kaz.kazadi@tcu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Show Notes“Always chase the long money, the things that create longevity. Something that creates longevity is always going to be education, a purpose-driven life, networking with people of like mind, positive energy, being consistent, and being positive.” 8:00 “Adapt. Adapt and be positive. That's the first thing you need to do as a performance coach.” 24:00 “My staff is dear to my heart, man. They keep me alive. I think you're only going to be as good as the five people that you spend the most of your time with.” 28:25 “If you want to get into the field, then get into the field. If the NSCA is having their conference, if the NSCA is having their clinic, I'm going. I'm going to shake hands. I'm going to introduce myself. I'm going to have a digital resume. I'm going to do something to meet the people that I want to meet. And then I'm going to follow up on holidays. Then I'm going to follow up with emails, just the old school way.” 39:40

No two days are the same for Will Gilmore as part of a team that oversees over 800 athletes across 200 sports at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center. From surfers to skydivers, the facility provides an elite high-performance ecosystem for traditionally individual sport athletes. Gilmore highlights the need for remote programming and monitoring to support a constantly shifting roster. Together as a team, they navigate uncharted territory in action sports conditioning, guided by physiological demands and underlying energy systems. Gilmore and NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager Eric McMahon discuss the shift in sport science from ample to actionable data to find, change, and measure what matters most. Gilmore reflects on his “career periodization” and having free time for friends and family while working corporate hours — a stark contrast with his background in Major League Baseball (MLB). The pair also emphasize proactive networking and education for future career opportunities. Connect with Will on Instagram: @will_gilmore_ or LinkedIn: @will-gilmore | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs   Want to get involved with the NSCA? Find peers who share your passion for a specific sport or topic in Special Interest Groups (SIGs), or apply now for Volunteer Leadership Opportunities!Show Notes“What I've found is that relationships, again, are very important. You never know what's coming around the next corner. But being a good person, meeting people, forming genuine bonds over strength and conditioning or even things outside of work with people in your field are very important.” 16:05 “Whether the sport demands show that, hey, you need some high-level anaerobic conditioning for this, the mental state of the athlete demands it. So whether that's cliff diving or downhill mountain biking where there's zero pedaling or even pitching in baseball, they've shown that the heart rate gets to 90%, 95% max. Why? Because that guy is stressed out. That is a tough job out there. And so you better prepare him in the gym to handle those demands.” 23:20 “That's really what we're looking for if we're going to be hiring a strength and conditioning coach. Not necessarily, have you worked with any extreme sports, but what is your thought process in going about evaluating a sport?” 26:32