Roundtable Discussion AJ: Hold every athlete to the same standard of accountability. Find out as much as you can about each athlete so it gives you the best insight in how to motivate each individual. One of the biggest mistakes we can make as strength coaches is to try and motivate every athlete the same. Everyone is different and needs to be motivated individually. Our goal is to find every athlete's " hot button " and once we can do that we've got them. T&C: What's one piece of advice you'd give to your younger self just starting out in the field? MK: First is to be an extrovert and reach out to as many people in the profession as possible. That's the best thing about our profession is the legendary coaches in our industry that are willing to share their knowledge and experience. Don't be like I was for like the first five or six years of my career where I would go to conferences and just sit in the back and take notes and not introduce myself to anyone. I thought I was doing a good job of learning but all I was doing was taking notes. For the past five years, as I've gotten more involved in the NHSSCA and NSCA, and going to conferences and networking and creating relationships with coaches of every level I've become an immensely better coach. Our profession is a job built on relationships and helping others so the majority of the good coaches in this industry are ready and willing to help. Gary Schofield and Jeremy Boone are huge mentors of mine who I have learned so much from and stole so much from. They are some of the best and most knowledgeable coaches at any level. Coach Bill Foran of the Miami Heat is someone that I now can call a mentor and a friend. He's probably the most accomplished NBA strength coach of all time. He also was the football strength coach for the Miami Hurricanes in the early 90s and won two national championships with them. I reached out to him about five years ago out of the blue when I was visiting my brother in South Florida. He didn't know me or need to meet with me but he did for hours and he's been someone I've leaned on for advice over and over for the last four to five years. I wish I had begun making those connections a lot earlier in my career! JP: The same piece of advice I will be giving my children when they get older. Mistakes are part of the process but make sure you learn something from it. Success is built on a foundation of multiple failures. Lastly; you are never truly ready for anything but that can't stop you. AJ: Find balance in your life. My first 7-8 years in the profession I never took a vacation with my family. Prioritize what's important and what really matters. Develop hobbies away from work to give you peace. n training-conditioning.com | 13http://www.training-conditioning.com