FROM FORGOTTEN TO INCLUDED: ATHLETICISM FOR LIFE STARTS WITH ACCESS

I’m excited to share that I’ll be speaking at the NSCA Performance Summit in Eugene on Saturday, March 28th.

The theme of this year’s Summit is Athleticism for Life, which couldn’t align more closely with the work we do every single day at Specialty Athletic Training. My presentation is titled “From Forgotten to Included: Athleticism for Life Starts with Access,” and it’s a topic I care deeply about, both professionally and personally.

WHY THIS OPPORTUNITY MATTERS TO ME

For years, I’ve worked alongside individuals who have been excluded from traditional fitness spaces. Not because they lacked potential. Not because they didn’t want to be there. But because access was never built into the system.

What I’ve learned is simple but powerful: you cannot build athleticism without access. Performance is the outcome, not the starting point.

Most coaches already have the knowledge they need to work with individuals with disabilities. What often gets in the way are the stigmas, myths, and uncertainty surrounding the disability community. This session is about removing those barriers and showing that inclusion isn’t about lowering the bar. It’s about expanding who gets the opportunity to reach it.

WHAT I'LL BE COVERING

This will be a practical, real-world session rooted in hands-on experience. I’ll be sharing lessons learned from years of coaching individuals with disabilities across different ages, abilities, and support needs.

We’ll talk about:​

• How coaches can use the skills they already have to train more inclusively
• How inclusive coaching actually makes you a better coach for all populations

This isn’t theory. It’s applied coaching, lived experience, and a clear roadmap for doing inclusion the right way.

Athleticism for life isn’t reserved for a select group. It’s built on opportunity, consistency, and environments that invite participation rather than gatekeeping it.

When we commit to access first, we don’t dilute the industry. We strengthen it. We create better coaches, stronger athletes, and communities where more people can experience what fitness truly offers.

I’m honored to bring this message to the NSCA Performance Summit and grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a conversation that I believe represents the future of our field.

​If you’ll be in Eugene on March 28th, I’d love to see you there.