Get to know the 2024 NSCA Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Kenna Smoak-Minnici. After accepting her award at the 2024 Coaches Conference, she connects with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the unique coaching rigors at the prestigious military academy, Army West Point. The episode goes beyond the demands of sport-specific training to developing student-athletes and leaders for sustained success in the military. Smoak-Minnici highlights the role of family along her journey as an athlete and strength and conditioning coach, as well as the importance of always pushing yourself to go beyond the norm. Connect with Kenna on Instagram at: @kenna_minnici or LinkedIn: @kenna-smoak-minnici | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Did you enjoy the episode? Don’t forget to nominate a deserving strength and conditioning coach for an NSCA Coach of the Year Award at NSCA Awards.

This is the highest award presented by the NSCA for Career Legacy in the field of strength and Conditioning. This esteemed award is given to an individual, whose career achievements have made a clear and lasting legacy on the practice, scientific understanding, or methodologies of strength and conditioning. The NSCA Board of Directors carefully deliberates to select the recipient of this prestigious award.

Joe Kenn, MA, CSCS,*D, RSCC, spoke at the NSCA's National Conference about training and the impact of training in a fatigued state.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is proud to announce the recipients of the organization’s 2025 Coach of the Year Awards

Coaching staffs need to be mindful of how groups are formed for training, who the leaders are, and what group norms are established across the different combinations of athletes training.

NSCA awards are governed by this following general criteria. Please visit the individual award's page for specific criteria.

Brad Schoenfeld, MS, CSCS, CSPS, NSCA-CPT, spoke at the NSCA's 2012 National Conference about combination training and its effect on metabolic resistance training.

Loren Landow shows some progressions for core training movements that he uses with his athletes.

Jim Kielbaso, MS, CSCS, spoke at the NSCA's 2013 Personal Trainer Conference about finding balance between working with personal training clients vs athletes.