PA CHALK UP

In this episode, I sit down with Madison Peele, a strength and conditioning coach working with the Florida State University beach & indoor volleyball. We dive into: Building and sustaining a strong team culture Programming principles specific to volleyball Expanding and adapting the coaching toolbox This one's all about staying open-minded, being adaptable, and finding the right approach for e...

Had an incredible conversation with Kenna Smoak-Minnici, Performance Director at Army West Point. We dove into how she experiments with tools before they ever reach her athletes, and how every decision is filtered through the lens of what the sport—and the soldier—demands. Kenna breaks down the unique differences between a traditional collegiate program and West Point’s high-performance environmen...

Sat down with Bert Sorin, President of Sorinex and an absolute legend in the world of strength. We got into the roots of weight equipment history, what shaped the Sorinex brand, and how the Scottish Highland Games influenced his mindset. We also tackled the current state of the strength industry—where it’s thriving, where it’s slipping, and what real development looks like. This episode is Sponsor...

In this episode of PA Chalk Up, I sit down with Matrixx Ferreira—Canadian strength coach, founder of Iron Performance, and a guy who’s doing things differently in the world of athlete development. From the ground up, Matrixx has built a training facility where culture, mentorship, and performance collide. We talk about the behind-the-scenes structure of Iron Performance, how he blends pro and yout...

Valerie Smith-Hale is a strength and conditioning coach working with women’s soccer at Notre Dame. She’s also doing something a lot of coaches talk about but never actually do— conducting her own research and getting it approved. We sat down and got into everything:– How she actually programs for soccer athletes– Load management that goes way beyond the basics– What it's like balancing real coachi...

In this episode of PA Chalk Up, we sit down with Joey Guarascio, ADD of sports performance at Tulsa University, to break down what it really takes to build resilient, explosive, and game-ready athletes in today’s high-performance landscape. Joey shares his philosophy on athlete development, programming principles, and how he creates adaptable, high-output systems that translate directly to on-fiel...

Federica and I go way back to our university days, and it’s been incredible watching each other evolve in the industry since then. We've stayed connected, challenged each other, and pushed our respective limits. In this episode, we dive deep into the role Federica has carved out for herself and the powerful business she’s building in Kenya. We break down her innovative work in the nutrition space,...

In this episode, we delve into the world of sports performance with Panagiotis Roxanas—a seasoned Strength and Conditioning Coach with over a decade of experience. Panagiotis has worked extensively in volleyball, notably with the Markopoulo Revoil Volleyball Club, leading teams to multiple national championships. His expertise spans from grassroots development to elite performance, emphasizing a h...

In this episode of PA Chalk Up, we welcome Fred Hale, Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning at the legendary University of Notre Dame football program. Fred brings years of experience working at the highest levels of collegiate football, and he currently helps lead the physical preparation for one of the most iconic teams in NCAA history. From developing explosive power and durability...

In this episode of PA Chalk Up, we sit down with Cristian Lambrecht , one of Argentina's most accomplished strength and conditioning coaches, now applying his expertise at the professional level with Bilbao Basket in Spain. Cristian has over two decades of experience developing elite athletes and has worked across multiple top-level teams and international federations. His resume includes time wit...

Sean Swetnam returns to dive DEEP into the inner workings of UCLA Football’s high-performance system. We talk hamstring profiling, VBT protocols, Nordic alternatives, hydration testing, and how to get athletes genuinely fired up to train after full-pads practice. Sean breaks down the real stuff—how technology gets used (and misused), why asymmetry isn’t always a red flag, and how buy-in is built t...

Dane Miller is a world-class strength and conditioning coach and the founder of Garage Strength, a private training facility in the USA known for producing elite-level athletes. With a proven track record of coaching competitors to the world stage—including international championships and the Olympic Games—Dane brings unmatched experience and intensity to every athlete he trains. Beyond the weight...

Ryan Croson is a former Baylor track athlete and now a strength & conditioning coach working with high school athletes and general population clients at a public gym. We met while coaching at the University of Washington, and this episode is just two coaches talking shop. We get into speed development, how his background as a sprinter shapes his coaching today, and what it’s really like going...

Nathan Allas was a fellow intern at the University of Washington. During this episode we further breakdown what we discussed on the Dub-ois episode + extra training ideas and follow up experiments. This episode is Sponsored by TeamBuildr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : Coaches, revolutionise your training programs with their cutting-edge platform. Create and customised workouts, track progress, communicate effort...

Dr. Marco Altini is a data scientist, entrepreneur, and the creator of HRV4Training — an app used by athletes and coaches around the world to make smarter training decisions using heart rate variability and other physiological data. With a PhD in data science and a background in machine learning and wearable tech, Marco breaks down the science behind recovery, performance, and why your resting hea...

Join us on a friendship built through working at the University of Washington. Brandon Chu, Nate Allas joins PA Chalk Up for a round table on how we started together and how we have developed since. This is the first instalment of Dub-ois where we hang out and talk shop. This episode is Sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TeamBuildr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠:Coaches, revolutionise your training programs with their cutting...

Curtis Clay Training is a premier athletic training facility in Seattle, Washington, founded by Curtis Van Wyck himself. Known for his holistic approach, Curtis helps athletes overcome imbalances and unlock their full potential. Our paths first crossed during an internship with the Washington Huskies, where I had the chance to visit his facility and dive into some great conversations. Curtis has p...

Coach AK, the powerhouse behind LSU Volleyball and Tennis strength training, takes us inside her world of high-performance coaching. In this episode, she breaks down her training philosophy, the principles that drive her program, and how she runs a championship-caliber weight room. Plus, she reveals the science behind predicting performance and the key factors that make her program so successful....

From shaping champions at Yale to driving innovation at Teambuildr, Teofe Ziemnicki has left his mark on athlete development. In this episode, we dive into his journey—exploring the strategies behind building a winning program at Yale and how he’s now revolutionizing performance training with our proud sponsor, Teambuildr. Tune in for insights, stories, and expert knowledge from one of the best in...

Anthony Morando is a strength and conditioning coach based in Minnesota, working with the private company Sanford. The seamless integration of strength & conditioning with health has been a key factor in the facility's success, driving innovation and advancement in the field. In this episode, Anthony provides an in-depth look at his role, sharing insights into the strategies and principles...

This week, we sit down with Anja Leber and Ivo Staub, the founders of LS Sport Performance—a premier Strength and Conditioning gym in Switzerland. They share their expertise on training high-performance athletes, navigating the unique demands of multi-sport coaching, and optimizing end-range strength. Tune in as we dive into the complexities of developing a well-rounded, elite athlete roster and t...

In this episode, we’re joined by Kainon Clark the Associate Director of Football Strength and Conditioning at Western Kentucky University to dive into the heart of their innovative program. We explore the strategies, techniques, and philosophies that drive success both on and off the field. From training methodologies and player development to fostering a winning mindset, this episode gives you an...

Blair Lloyd, Strength and Conditioning Coach and Director of Training at Pure Performance, works with athletes across various disciplines, bringing a data-driven approach to her programs. Blair places a strong emphasis on athlete metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to guide her training. In this episode, we explore her professional journey and dive into how she leverages tools like Hawki...

Grace Stiles, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the women’s soccer program at Cedarville College, joins us for an insightful conversation. In addition to her coaching role, Grace works full-time with Teambuildr. In this episode, she breaks down her comprehensive training program, delves into athlete education, and shares her approach to load monitoring specifically for female athletes. Grac...

Marko Matušinskij is a strength and conditioning coach based in Croatia and has vast experience in soccer. Current porject is coaching female soccer player and determining the impact of the menstrual cycle on performance. Marko tackels: "Menstrual Cycle Impact on Performance" Got thoughts or insights? Be part of the discussion! Drop your comments below and let’s unpack their perspective together....