Hear from two-time Olympian, Meg Stone, the first female strength and conditioning coach to head both men’s and women’s strength programs at a major American university. Stone shares her story from being an elite discus thrower towards an unexpected coaching career, with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Manager, Eric McMahon. She discusses what she believes needs to change to further the strength and conditioning field in support of athlete health and safety. Stone also tells us about what makes the Sport Science Program at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) so unique and beneficial for students.  The episode highlights the ongoing work of the NSCA for the prevention of catastrophic injury and sudden death in sport. You can read more about this topic in a recent NSCA press release: NSCA Reaffirms Position on Appropriate Qualifications for Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches.  Connect with Meg by email at stoneme@etsu.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscsShow Notes“But when I talk to them, I talk to them about two things, real important things, communication and relationships, both of which are extremely important in anything that you're going to do. You've got to build a relationship with that head coach and you've got to communicate with him regularly. And only then can what you're doing be successful or can you have an impact.” 13:10 “And then the hook. You will be the only woman in the country doing it and the first woman to do it. And I thought, I like the sound of that. So, really, I just launched myself into it.” 24:45 “Have you got the background to do it? Do you understand exactly what you're doing when you walk into the weight room? And how you are impacting that young person's career by what you're doing? It's a tremendous responsibility to coach, tremendous. And not enough people take that responsibility seriously enough.” 33:01 “I tell them at the very beginning of our orientation meeting, don't come here if you want confirmation on what you already know. Come here with an open mind, willing to learn and see things from a different perspective, or something different. You may get confirmation from that but come in with an open mind, willing to learn.” 41:15