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-association

Matthew Van Dyke, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Denver, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about professional development, working as part of a comprehensive sports performance team, and developing additional knowledge in the field.

OK Coach, So I Got My CSCS; Now What?

Ivan Lewis, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Seattle Seahawks National Football League (NFL) team, shares his journey to becoming a strength coach, advice on professional development, how he hires people, and how to work in collaboration with other sports medicine professionals to help athletes return-to-play.

In this hands-on session from the 2019 NSCA Coaches Conference, Scott Charland, Manager of Human Performance for Parkview Health Sports Medicine, introduces his “recipe” for movement patterns that focus on speed development. This can easily be placed into a warm-up session prior to a conditioning workout or sport practice.

Dr. Andy Galpin, Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Sports Performance at California State University Fullerton, talks about the impact of fitness technology on coaching, and how you can master the technology, in this session from the NSCA’s 2018 Coaches Conference.

In this session from the NSCA’s 2017 National Conference, Shawn Arent and David DiFabio summarize the capabilities of various wearable sports performance tracking devices and explain how devices are being used to reduce risk of overtraining, facilitate recovery, and improve performance

Joe Siara, Manager of Peak Performance Programs for the New York Yankees Major League Baseball (MLB) team, joins NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, to discuss the path from Minor League Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coach to sport scientist. The discussion includes a recap of the 2021 Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society (PBSCCS) Baseball Sport Science Virtual Clinic, an explanation of the Certified Performance and Sport Scientist™ (CPSS™) exam development process, and practical applications of technology across a variety of performance settings. Find Joe via Email: jsiara@yankees.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Athletes must be able to express strength, power, and speed in multiple directions, and it may be beneficial to emphasize horizontally based movements in strength and conditioning programs.

Brendon Huttmann, CSCS,*D, RSCC*D, the Sports Science Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball (MLB) team, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about the role of the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®) in MLB.