Special Interest Groups

Become a member of one of the NSCA’s SIGs, listed below. To join, please visit the SIG's corresponding group on Facebook and request to join.  You may also update your preferences with your Account page.

Are you interested in starting a SIG? Download NSCA’s Volunteer Handbook to learn about the requirements and contact NSCA’s Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@nsca.com to start the application process.

Purpose Statement: Our purpose is to connect NSCA members with an interest in the sport of baseball and/or who work with baseball athletes. We want to share best practices and increase the performance levels of our athletes and clients.

SIG Chair:  Albert Sandoval, CSCS, RSCC*D, albert-sandoval@hotmail.com

SIG Vice Chair: Adam Ross, EdD, CSCS, RSCC, adamr@dbu.edu

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Baseball Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of baseball strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: Our purpose is to connect NSCA members with an interest in the sport of basketball and/or who work with basketball athletes. We want to share best practices and increase the performance levels of our athletes and clients.

SIG Chair: Vincent Dalbo, PhD, v.dalbo@cqu.edu.au

SIG Vice Chair: Michael Snowden, CSCS, RSCC, mcsnowden1@gmail.com

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Basketball Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of basketball strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of the Bodybuilding and Fitness Competition SIG is to allow members who either compete in bodybuilding and fitness or who train clientele who compete to share and disseminate strength and conditioning best practices and research in the sport of bodybuilding and fitness.

SIG Chair: Guillermo Escalante, DSC, MBA, ATA, CSCS, gescalante23@yahoo.com 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Bodybuilding & Fitness Competition Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of bodybuilding and fitness competition.

Purpose Statement: The Combat Sports Special Interest Group’s (SIG) purpose is to organize NSCA Members who work within, research, participate, or take an interest in Combat Sports. The SIG will facilitate the exchange of evidence-based ideas, methodology, and implementation of strength & conditioning, making weight, injury recovery other pertinent areas related to the unique training regimens of competitive combat sports athletes.

SIG Chair: Duncan French, PhD, CSCS,*D, dfrench@ufc.com 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Combat Sports Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of combat sports strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of the NSCA Educators’ SIG is to facilitate the professional growth and development of NSCA members and nonmembers who educate students seeking professional certifications in the field of Exercise and Sport Sciences. This education occurs on many levels, from high school to university-level, from the classroom to the laboratory to the weight room and field, and for the shared needs of strength and conditioning practitioners. In accordance with NSCA SIG guidelines, the Educators’ SIG will facilitate sharing information, discussion, networking, mentoring, and camaraderie.

SIG Chair: Victor Kizer, MS, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, TSAC-F,*D, victorkizer@gmail.com

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Educators' Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of strength and conditioning education.

Purpose Statement: As the NSCA represents the worldwide authority on strength and conditioning research, the Exercise/Sport Psychology SIG (ESP) will support and disseminate research based knowledge and its practical application to improve athlete performance and fitness specifically related to concepts associated with sport and exercise psychology. The SIG will also discuss leadership development in coaches and personal trainers, sharpening the relationships between coaches, strength coaches, athletic directors, interns and graduate students. Other increased benefits will enable our membership to better train and lead student-athletes, special populations, military personnel, firemen/women, police and general population. Some of the areas of concentration of study by this SIG will include motivation, socialization, mental imagery, goal setting, leadership, focus, stress management and arousal, depression, anxiety, concentration, visualization, adherence to exercise, rehabilitation, and theories that support these constructs.

SIG Chair: Erin Egelhoff, CSCS,*D, erin@strengthofwilltraining.com 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Exercise/Sport Psychology Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of exercise/sport psychology strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: To provide information on strength training as it pertains to the sport of figure skating and to create a liaison between NSCA and USFSA.

SIG Chair: Melissa Vriner, CSCS, melissavriner@gmail.com 

SIG Vice Chair: Jana Raisner, raisner.jana@gmail.com 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Figure Skating Coaches Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of figure skating strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of the Football SIG is to bridge the gap between NSCA and the sport of football by allowing coaches access to the latest cutting-edge, safe and effective strength and conditioning practices, as well as allowing the opportunity for further research and development in the field of strength and conditioning, as it pertains to the sport of football. Our intent is to share best practices to maximize the benefits of strength and conditioning as it relates to the sport of football.

SIG Chair: Bill Parisi, CSCS, bparisi@parisischool.com

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Football Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of football strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement:  Our purpose is to connect NSCA members with a desire to improve their skills as golf coaches and/or trainers working with golfers. We strive to provide members this opportunity through sharing best practices and discussing research literature that pertains to golf, the nuances associated with golf-specific training, and injury prevention. We strive to make relevant research literature more digestible for a broader audience and identify the key takeaways that can truly impact our work in optimizing the athletic performance of golfers.

SIG Chair:  Noah Sachs, CSCS, noahsachsblog@gmail.com

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Golf Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of figure skating strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The Health and Wellness (HW) SIG will serve to unite NSCA members with an interest in sharing, researching and discussing areas in health and wellness.  The group will help professionals learn about best practices in how to integrate health and wellness best practices in the strength and conditioning profession, and provide means to articulate, understand, and express health and wellness in a diversity of settings.

SIG Chair: Rodney Gaines, PhD, CSCS,*D, rodneygaines95@yahoo.com

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Health and Wellness Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of health and wellness related to strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: To promote safe and effective strength and conditioning in the growing sport of ice hockey; To provide a representative voice for hockey conditioning coaches; To form a cohesive group that will constantly evolve its ideas for the purpose of organized growth in ice hockey; To address the educational needs of both hockey players and coaches; To serve as a liaison between hockey conditioning coaches, creating a network through which information and ideas can be shared, and to promote this field and facilitate job creation.

SIG Chair: Joseph Maher, CSCS,*D, RSCC,*D, jfmah@umich.edu 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Ice Hockey Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of ice hockey strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: 1. To further the growth of lacrosse by uniting the field of strength and conditioning and the game. 2. To facilitate further development of practical and scientific research to allow growth within the sport. 3. To provide an avenue for members to exchange ideas and knowledge to help develop the sport from the youth to the professional levels. 4. To provide continuing education opportunities for both members and coaches for greater sport development.

SIG Chair: Eric Ruppel, CSCS, RSCC, Eric.Ruppel4@gmail.com 

SIG Vice Chair: Tracy Zimmer, CSCS, RSCC*D, tracydzimmer@gmail.com 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the  NSCA Lacrosse Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of lacrosse strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement:   Promote and disseminate good practice and scientific research relevant to the long-term athletic development of children and adolescents.  

SIG Chair: Tony Moreno, PhD, CSCS,*D, amoreno@emich.edu 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of long-term athletic development strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of the NMBC SIG is to help fellow NSCA members apply research based information within the fields of nutrition, metabolism and body composition as it relates to improving athletic performance and fitness. As a constructive member of the NSCA SIG community, NMBC will aid fellow NSCA members in their efforts to provide well-informed advice to their clients. NMBC will also work to help fellow NSCA members identify educational and certification opportunities that will allow them to further their scope of practice in these very popular areas that are rapidly approaching reimburse-ability. While NMBC has no desire to monitor fellow NSCA Member qualifications for scope of practice, NMBC will help fellow NSCA members recognizing the state-by-state liabilities associated with Medical Nutritional Therapy Licensure that legally limits scope of practice with diseased populations.

SIG Chair: Jameson Tade, MS, RD, CSCS, jamesont1@gmail.com 

SIG Vice Chair: Erica Goldstein, MS, RD, CSCS,*D, erg1500@yahoo.com 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Nutrition, Metabolism, and Body Composition Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of nutrition, metabolism, and body composition strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of the NSCA Performing Arts Special Interest Group is to connect and organize NSCA members that have an interest in working with Performing Artists such as dancers, musicians, vocalists, and others.  The Performing Arts SIG will discuss, promote, and share safe and effective scientific training concepts and methodologies as it relates to the Performing Artist.

SIG Chair: David Sanders, CSCS,*D, dsanders2@luc.edu

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Performing Arts Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of performing arts strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The Powerlifting Special Interest Group (PSIG) aims to create an education support system for the coaches, athletes, and facilities that vindicate the competitive sport of Powerlifting as well as those who utilize the powerlifts in their training programs for physical preparation of sport.  By creating a direct link between coaches and athletes for information sharing, PSIG will create a dynamic milieu with the intention of growing sport participation and making relevant literature more digestible to a broader audience.

SIG Chair: Nicholas Bronkall, CSCS, nbronkall@gmail.com

Visit us on Facebook!  Join the NSCA Powerlifting Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of powerlifting strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: Our purpose is to connect NSCA members that work with athletes or have an interest in the sport of Rugby Union, Rugby League and/or Rugby Sevens.  We want to share best practices that can/will increase the performance levels, overall health and longevity of our teams, athletes and clients.

SIG Chair: Ashley Jones, MSc, CSCS,*D, RSCC*E, ashley@ashleyjonesstrengthcoach.com 

SIG Vice Chair: Justin Goonan, MS, CSCS, jlgoonan@gmail.com

Visit us on Facebook!  Join the NSCA Rugby Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of powerlifting strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: To further grow the strength and conditioning field in soccer. Provide an avenue for members of NSCA who have an interest in soccer to exchange ideas and knowledge to help develop the sport from the youth to the professional level. Provide continuing education for coaches and NSCA members to continue to develop the sport.

SIG Chair: Allison Skufca, CSCS, askufca214@gmail.com 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Soccer Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of soccer strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: To create increased awareness, collaboration, and education among NSCA members about opportunities to bridge the gap between strength coaches, personal trainers, tactical facilitators, sports medicine professionals, and other exercise professionals in the design and implementation of strength and conditioning programs and increased performance for special populations.

SIG Chair: Jeff Young, CSCS, JYKinesiology@gmail.com

SIG Vice Chair: Cindy Kugler, MS, CSCS, CSPS, CKugs32@hotmail.com

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Special Populations Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of special populations strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of the Sport Science and Performance Technology SIG is to bring together a group of NSCA members who share a common interest in the scientific disciplines related to sport science, technology, and athletic performance. These scientific disciplines include, but are not limited to: Biomechanics, physiology, data science/analytics, measurement/research methods, and computer science. This SIG is unique in focus, emphasizing integrative approaches to utilizing data and technology while working across multiple scientific disciplines to improve athletic performance.

SIG Chair: Timothy Suchomel, PhD, CSCS,*D, RSCC, timothy.suchomel@gmail.com 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Sport Science and Performance Technology Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of sport science and performance technology.

Purpose Statement: To promote this specialty area to NSCA members who are involved in Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation or individuals interested in related issues. Membership may include, but not limited to, physical therapists, athletic trainers, students of related fields, and other health related professionals (e.g., sports trained physicians and chiropractors). The Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation SIG will serve its members and members of the NSCA, as well as the public and consumers by working within the mission of the NSCA to bridge the gap not only between research and practice, but between traditional rehabilitation concepts and strategies that take advantage of strength and conditioning principles.

SIG Chair: Jennifer Novak, MS, CSCS, jennifer@symmetryperformance.com 

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of sports medicine and rehabilitation strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of the NSCA Strongman SIG is to help strength and conditioning coaches to safely and effectively integrate strongman training with their athletes. Our goal is to combine the science-based approach that is the hallmark of the NSCA along with the heritage of strongman training that has evolved from tests of strength throughout human history. The mission of the NSCA Strongman SIG is to elevate the respectability and academic understanding of the sport of strongman while bringing the field-tested training techniques and implements to the word of strength and conditioning.

SIG Chair: Heidi Campo, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, heidi@coachbta.com

SIG Vice Chair: Garett Reid, MS, CSCS, pangufitness@outlook.com

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Strongman Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of baseball strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The NSCA Track and Field Special Interest Group will allow NSCA members who share an interest and passion in Track and Field to share strength and conditioning programs along with research to benefit fitness runners along with competitive track and field amateur and professional athletes. The group will be an advocate for the NSCA by providing scholarly research and applied articles on strength and conditioning for fitness and athletic performance. The Track and Field Special Interest Group will discuss ways to form affiliations and alliances with running groups along with organizations that provide leadership for Track and Field, such as the United States Track and Field (USTAF) Organization.

SIG Chair: Frederick Benlein, fpbenlein@msn.com    

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Track and Field Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of track and field strength and conditioning.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of the Weightlifting Special Interest Group (WL-SIG) is to bring together NSCA members who are interested in promoting the use of Olympic-style weightlifting exercises in strength and conditioning. The WL-SIG provides a series of resources for professionals to learn and share their experiences and knowledge in the study and coaching of the snatch, the clean and jerk and their main derivatives to improve performance in sport.

SIG Chair: William (Guy) Hornsby III, PhD, CSCS,*D, wguyhornsby@gmail.com

Visit us on Facebook! Join the NSCA Weightlifting Special Interest Group and connect with other NSCA members in the field of weightlifting strength and conditioning.