California Adjusts High School Sports Rules After Trump Threats Over Trans Athletes
The California Interscholastic Federation, a state organization that oversees high school sports, announced a change Tuesday that aims to ensure all student-athletes have the ability to compete. (5/27/25)

'Sportsmanship Is Not Sexy': Have We Lost The Purpose Of High School Sports?
Elliot Hopkins has centered his career around a term he feels should embody high school sports. For more than a quarter-century, he has worked on initiatives around the country to promote it at games. Go to your local one, though, and you might not see it. (5/26/25)

Spokane Indians Have First Female Coach In Organization's History
When Allison Krajewski figured out she could make a living pursing her passion, she was determined to make it happen. Starting in high school, Allison loved to lift weights. It even got to the point where she spent time after school weight-training with the football team. (5/26/25)

High School Football Will Never Be The Same In Era Of Transfers, NIL Money
When Charles Dickens began his 1859 novel “A Tale of Two Cities” with the legendary line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” who knew that it would aptly describe the state of amateur football in 2025? (5/25/25)

Army Unveils New Fitness Test With Tougher Standards — Could You Pass It?
The U.S. Army requires that all active-duty soldiers prove their physical prowess by passing a rigorous fitness test. There have been multiple versions of the test over the years — and the Army recently announced that a new version has been adopted. (5/23/25)

Coleman Shelton's Offseason Pilates Keeps Him Healthy And Nimble By Exercising 'The Muscles That Help The Bigger Muscles Work
Rams center Coleman Shelton started doing pilates last offseason with trainer Nicky Lal. According to a 2024 article in The Athletic, Lal has worked with 50-65 athletes, most of which play in the NFL. (5/21/25)

Charlie Packman, Popular Personal Trainer And Retired Gym Owner, Has Died At 75
He coached strength conditioning to hundreds of private clients, 28 sports teams at Penn, the men’s basketball team at Villanova, and athletes at Central Bucks East High School. (5/20/25)

Risk Of ‘Contamination’: Is It Safe For Youth Athletes To Take Supplements?
Young athletes are lifting weights and taking over-the-counter dietary supplements in an attempt to gain size and power. The three most common of these performance enhancing substances (PES), according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Creatine, caffeine and protein supplements. (5/18/25)

Strength Training for Lacrosse: Guide & Training Program
Lacrosse is fast, physical, and unforgiving, and if you want to be your best, skill alone won’t cut it. Strength training gives you the edge to hit harder, sprint faster, and last longer on the field. (5/16/25)

'Right To Play' Act Reaches Historic Settlement For Illinois High School Student-Athletes
The "Right To Play" act has reached a historic settlement. It gives young athletes the right to compete in non-school events, or on non-school teams, during the same season in which they play for their school. (5/14/25)

Workout Warrior: With Help From His Coach, Winkels Receives All-American Status In Strength And Conditioning
Austin senior Sam Winkels has made about as dramatic a transformation as one can make as an athlete, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. (5/14/25)

Assistant Coach Arrested After 40 Helmets Go Missing
A high school coach was arrested after coaches at Lakeland high school were preparing for spring practices, only to find out they had a bunch of helmets missing. (5/12/25)

Olympic Gold Medalist Turned Coach Calls For Drug Testing After National High School Track Event
After earning her delayed Olympic gold, Lashinda Demus calls for drug testing in high school track following elite performances at the Arcadia Invitational to protect clean athletes. (5/12/25)

Enhancing Adolescent Health: The Role Of Strength And Endurance School-Based HIIT Interventions In Physical Fitness And Cognitive Development
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an 8-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention based on strength and endurance trainings protocols during physical education (PE) classes on body composition, physical fitness, and cognitive functions in adolescents aged 13–17 years. (5/11/25)

High School Strength And Conditioning Coach Recognized
Tom Libardi is pushing his students and athletes to be their best every time they step into the Columbia High School weight room. (5/8/25)

Why Kettlebells Are One Of The Most Effective Training Tools
Kettlebells aren’t new, but in an era of high-tech fitness trends, they still stand as one of the most timeless, versatile, and effective training tools out there. Why is kettlebell training so effective? What makes these simple ball-shaped weights with a handle so useful? (5/8/25)

7 Tips For Navigating Mental Health As A Strength And Conditioning Professional
Recognize the signs of mental distress. Learn how to navigate crucial moments — what to watch for, how you can respond, and ways to stay within your scope while supporting others. (5/6/25)

Burnout Considerations In Athletes
While participation in sports provides a wellspring of physical and mental satisfaction for athletes, the numerous demands and pressure of being a successful athlete entails non-stop activity of games, practice and physical conditioning. These demands and pressures, if not managed effectively, may lead to burnout. (5/5/25)

Caffeine’s Influence On Vertical Jump Height: A Real-Life Collegiate Student-Athlete Approach
This study examined whether acute caffeine ingestion at this threshold improves squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) performance in NCAA Division II student-athletes, while exploring sex-specific responses and trial-to-trial variability (5/4/25)

The Brutal Truth About Building Elite Athletes – Lessons From Gymnastics Coach Chris Sommer
Think you know what it takes to reach the top? Think again. In this no-BS conversation, Coach Chris Sommer pulls back the curtain on what really separates elite performers from the rest. Tap in to learn why grit beats talent and strength will only take you so far. (5/4/25)

The Impact Of Core Training On Overall Athletic Performance In Different Sports: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis
This meta-analysis examined the effects of core training on athletic performance across multiple sports, addressing limitations of previous analyses that focused on single sports or limited performance measures. (5/3/25)

Arizona Schools Investing In Student-Athletes With New Weight Rooms
When people think of Arizona, they probably think of the Grand Canyon. But in the Phoenix area, some high schools are carving out a different kind of landmark: new weight rooms. (5/3/25)

PE Teacher Marvels At Resilience, Fortitude Of Students
It wasn’t until fairly recently that Derek Ash truly started to think of himself as an educator. The Cedar Springs High School PE teacher started out as a substitute at the middle school in 2016 before getting a full-time placement as a behavior interventionist in 2018. (5/2/25)

Breaking The Stigma: How Basketball Is Changing The Conversation Surrounding Mental Health
In recent years, mental health has taken center stage in sports, with athletes and coaches challenging long-standing stigmas through open dialogue and advocacy. Basketball in particular has emerged as a powerful platform for fostering mental health awareness. (5/2/25)