In this specialist tutor profile series we caught up with Specialist Training tutor: Sam Portland! Read our Q&A style blog below as she answers some of our questions ahead of the launch of our new course ‘Speed for S&C’:
Introduction
Can you briefly describe your current role at Strength and Conditioning Education?
Sam Portland is the course lead for our upcoming S&C for Speed Specialist Training Course. With many years of experience as an educator and coach in the field of Strength and Conditioning, Sam brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insight to the programme.
What led you into the strength and conditioning industry?
A love of sport and athletic development. Also rehabbing my broken leg inspired me to help others.
What qualifications and certifications do you hold?
– Undergraduate degree in human performance Brunel University
– Masters degree in strength and conditioning St Marys University
Can you share a bit about your career journey so far – where did you start, and how did you get to where you are now?
I started out as a promising rugby player with natural speed – scoring tries from inside my own half. But an injury cut my playing career short, and that moment became the catalyst for coaching. I became obsessed with learning how to teach speed – something I’d always just “had.” I threw myself into it: reading books, learning from mentors, and experimenting on myself. I’ve worked across professional rugby, school systems, rehab environments, and private performance settings. Over time, I noticed a gap: traditional S&C wasn’t delivering speed that truly mattered on the field. That’s when I developed the Sports Speed System — not just to make athletes fast, but to make that speed count in games. Now, I teach coaches worldwide how to simplify, systemise, and genuinely coach speed – not just program for it.
What other roles have you had outside of your work with Strength and Conditioning Education?
– Professional Rugby: As a performance coach working with elite-level athletes.
– Rehabilitation: Helping athletes return from serious injury, especially hamstrings, with speed as the rehab lens.
– Youth Development: Coaching in school settings where athlete coordination and engagement come first.
– Private Consulting: Supporting athletes, coaches, and clubs through tailored programming and strategic mentoring.
– Educator & Speaker: Delivering workshops and mentoring coaches to break out of rigid systems and build what actually works.
At this point in my career it is safe to say I am not just a trainer, but also a practitioner who sees the full picture: rehab to performance, theory to reality, track to tactics.
Approach to Coaching and Education
How would you describe your coaching philosophy or teaching style?
Direct, experiential, and output-driven. I believe in in teaching athletes to feel speed, not just understand it theoretically. He simplifies complex neurology and biomechanics into tactical, coachable chunks.
What do you enjoy most about delivering practical workshops?
Seeing the “aha” moment when a coach or athlete feels the change. I thrive on making performance real – not stuck in theory.
How do you tailor your support to suit students with different learning styles or backgrounds?
By using frameworks like Speed Age and Learn-Load-Execute, I meets athletes and coaches where they are, adjust for cognitive and physical load, and lean into play and exploration to embed learning.
What common challenges do you see students face — and how do you help them overcome these?
Over-coaching, chasing irrelevant metrics, and getting lost in tradition. Sam counters this by prioritising transfer, embedding neurology, and stripping training back to what’s tactical.
Industry Insights
What trends or changes have you noticed in the strength and conditioning field in recent years?
A growing shift from linear periodisation and track-based models to adaptable, game-specific speed development. There’s also more focus on neurology, coordination, and motor learning. I feel there is also a greater need to principle first education due to the over consumption of short form social media.
Are there any myths or misconceptions in the industry that you’d like to set straight?
Yes!
“You need max effort to get faster.” → False. Sub-maximal sprinting builds real skill.
“Strength equals speed.” → Not unless it transfers.
“Drills are just warm-up.” → No. The drill is the test to determine coaching and transfer.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in strength and conditioning?
Stop chasing weight room numbers. Watch how your athletes move, coach what you see, and test your ideas. Don’t get stuck in textbooks, use them to answer questions you have from your coaching.
Continuing Development and Personal Practice
How do you stay current with developments in strength and conditioning practice or sports science?
By applying, testing, and reflecting. I coach myself as much as my athletes and I use live problems to stay sharp. I also work closely with coaches on the front line day to day helping them solve problems.
What are your go-to resources for professional growth?
Coaching conversations, athletes, and real-world outcomes. Influences include; Verkhoshansky, Bondarchuk, Michael Yessis, and Tom Tellez.
Are there any particular athletes, coaches, or mentors who’ve influenced your approach?
Yes – both from books and personal relationships. Sam mentions learning deeply from the likes of Yessis and Tellez, but also from coaching conversations with coaches day to day. A big influence on myself was James the thinker Smith who I spent time with early on in my career.
Highlights and Impact
Can you share a memorable success story from your work – either with a client, team, or student?
Being able to work with players in the NFL and have the dedicated time to physical performance was amazing.
What’s been your proudest moment as a coach or educator so far?
Publishing The Sports Speed System – because it turned a lifetime of reps into a resource that helps others. It’s a significant contribution to the body of work in our field.
How do you measure your impact on students or athletes?
By their performance on the field, not just in drills or testing. If it doesn’t help them win, it’s not working. When I work with coaches we measure their relationship with coaching and their effectiveness as a practitioner.
Personal Side
What do you enjoy doing outside of coaching and teaching?
Spending time with family, especially my partner Emma and son Fynn. I enjoy carpentry, cooking and watching movies.
If you weren’t working in strength and conditioning, what do you think you’d be doing?
Something hands-on, creative, and performance-based – possibly in education, mentoring or building epic tree houses. Definitely not stuck behind a desk.
Favourite lift, workout, or recovery method?
Unilateral work, resisted sprints and explosive throws. Recovery: lots of walking and breath work.
What motivates you to keep doing what you do every day?
Helping athletes become who they really are. Creating change that matters. And pushing back against outdated dogma in the industry.
