Coach & Athletic Director

Jonathan Winer, athletic director at CREC Magnet Schools in Hartford, Connecticut, says athletic directors must stay alert to tactics of the youth sports industrial complex and help families reclaim their sanity. My first experience with the modern youth sports machine happened when my 7-year-old daughter tried out for a local travel soccer program. I was informed that securing a roster spot required a four-day-per-week commitment across three seasons.

A midyear report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) reveals that sports and fitness participation in the United States has reached a record high. Photo courtesy of Marek Pramuka, Wikimedia Commons According to the report, which covers the 12 months ending this June, 81.3% of Americans ages 6 and older participated in at least one of the 126 sports and fitness activities tracked by SFIA, while inactivity reached a record low of just under 19%.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has released the results of its annual NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey which showed that participation has increased for the fifth straight year, including record-high participation in both boys and girls sports. The Ohio High School Athletic Association sanctioned girls flag football in June.

Key factors athletic facilities should consider when planning their next flooring upgrade Ask the Expert (Sponsored) Ensuring that athletic facilities meet performance and safety standards while maximizing the long-term value of the investment can feel overwhelming — especially when budgets are tight. From selecting the right surface to extending the life of athletic flooring to creating a space coaches, athletes and the community can enjoy, every detail counts.

Riddell, a Des Plaines, Illinois-based protective athletic equipment company, has brought back its Smarter Football grant program designed to expand access to advanced equipment and technology while recognizing high school football programs committed to continually improving the athlete experience. Riddell has brought back its Smarter Football grant program that provides equipment to high school football programs.

Coach & Athletic Director invites strength and conditioning coaches across the country to participate in the annual Strength Coach Survey presented by our sister publication, Training & Conditioning. The survey is an industry initiative designed to capture real-world insights into the evolving landscape of strength and conditioning coaching practices.

States can adopt a 70-second shot clock for high school boys lacrosse starting with the upcoming 2027 season. The new rule is one of 16 changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Boys Lacrosse Rules Committee during its meeting in mid-July in Indianapolis. “The adoption of a shot clock has been a discussion topic over the last few years,” Matt Dempsey, chair of the NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Committee, said in a news release Aug. 13.

Robb Rogers has been in the strength and conditioning industry for four decades, training athletes at every level — from high school and college athletes all the way to the pros. Robb Rogers “I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of different professional entities and organizations and … observe culture and observe trends and observe the commonalities and the differences in how we train,” he told Training & Conditioning. Rogers is now an exercise physiologist for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The NFHS has published the results of its parent survey, revealing an overwhelming support for education-based athletics and activities. (Pictured: A high school football game in Mentor, Ohio.) Editor’s note: This article was originally published in The NFHS Report and authored by NFHS Executive Director Davis Whitfield. It has been edited according to Coach & A.D. style.

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) has updated its secondary school sports safety recommendations as preseason practices begin and student-athletes head back to school, offering general questions and guidelines to ensure proper sports safety protocols are established and followed.