2026 NHSSCA Illinois State Clinic

7:00-8:00 am – CHECK-IN/REGISTRATION

8:00-9:15 am – WELCOME
Overview of Day’s Activities & Presentations

8:15-9:00 am – HANDS-ON
Roots Before Reps: How to Coach Movement, Not Just Exercises by Melissa Mercado

OVERVIEW: Before we chase numbers, we have to build movers. In this high-energy, hands-on session, Coach Melissa Mercado brings a fresh perspective from her six years of tactical strength and conditioning, where she built Marines from the ground up for success. Now, she’s bringing those same movement principles into the high school weight room, because foundational movement isn’t just for performance, it’s for life. Coaches will learn how to teach and refine key patterns, squat, hinge, push, pull, carry, rotation, and antirotation, using practical cueing and progressions that build durable, confident, and capable athletes. These aren’t just exercises — they’re movements that set athletes up for lifelong success, on and off the field.

9:15-10:00 am – LECTURE
Implementing Large Group Speed Training with the Weight Room by Matt Cates

OVERVIEW: Coach Matt Cates’ lecture will discuss weight-room and speed-training programming, as well as organizational strategies for 1,100 high school student-athletes. Coach Cates will discuss exercise selection, scheduling, as well as data collected for the weight room and speed training. Coach Cates’ enthusiasm and dedication working with student-athletes has made him one of the most known strength coaches in the Nation. Coach Cates builds lasting relationships with students, bringing out the best in them.

10:45 – 11:30 am – LECTURE
Training for Speed in the Weigh Room by Frank Campbell

OVERVIEW: This presentation breaks down how to build speed qualities, acceleration, max velocity, and power inside the weight room. Attendees will learn how to identify the key strength and power qualities that transfer to game speed, and how to train them using proven weight room methods such as dynamic effort work, Olympic lift variations, plyometrics, contrast training, and strategic loading patterns. Coaches should attend if they want to: 1. Improve speed in athletes who may have limited access to sprint training time or space 2. Better connect weight room training to on-field performance 3. Learn practical programming strategies that can be implemented immediately 4. Understand why certain lifts and patterns transfer to speed better than others.

11:45 am-12:30 pm – LECTURE
Get Fast With Limited Indoor Space by Tony Holler

OVERVIEW: Attendees will learn how simply implement Tony Holler’s “Atomic Workout” and “X-Factor Workout”. Coach Tony Holler is a member of Illinois Track & Field Hall of Fame and Co-director of Track Football Consortium along with Chris Korfist. Holler created the revolutionary “Feed the Cats” in 1999. The XFactor workouts are 25-40 minutes of maximum intent, non-sprint work with each effort lasting 6-10 seconds and enough rest to repeat at the same level. Plyometrics are the most common X-Factor exercise. The Atomic Workout is a great speed workout to improve max speed, maximum effort, and concentration for each rep.

12:30-1:15 pm – LUNCH PROVIDED
More Than a Meal, It’s a Networking Opportunity

OVERVIEW: Lunch at the NHSSCA State Clinic is not just about grabbing a plate and catching up with your usual circle. It’s a chance to collaborate, share, and expand your professional network. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just stepping into the field of high school strength and conditioning, this is your moment to connect with coaches who inspire, mentor, and challenge you to grow.

If you leave this clinic without making at least one new connection, you’ve missed an incredible opportunity to grow professionally and personally. The NHSSCA is more than an organization—it’s a #FAMILY, built on shared knowledge, support, and a commitment to making each other better.

So, don’t just eat—engage, listen, and learn. The people sitting around you might change how you approach coaching forever. Let’s make this lunch one to remember! #NHSSCA #FAMILY #CoachingConnections #GrowYourNetwork

1:30-2:00 pm – ROUNDTABLE

2:00-2:05 pm – CLOSING REMARKS