Women’s Lacrosse, Discipline and Mentorship

Today I sat down with Nicole Shattuck, who is the Senior Sports Performance Coach, Duke University Sports Performance (Women’s Lacrosse, Women’s Rowing) S&C Personnel, USA Lacrosse Women’s National Teams (Box, Sixes). She joined Duke Sports Performance in August 2021 and has been with USA Lacrosse since October 2023. She is the Chairperson for the NSCA Lacrosse Special Interest Group. She is not only a coach but also an author. Her publications include “Strength Training for Lacrosse” (Human Kinetics, 2024). Contributing author for Ch. 4 “Handbook of Strength and Conditioning, 2nd edition.” Routledge, 2026. Contributing author to the Lacrosse chapter.

Nicole's path from business sales to becoming a Duke University sports performance coach and U.S. Lacrosse strength coach represents one of the most inspiring career transformation stories in our field. Her willingness to start over at 29 as a volunteer intern, combined with her methodical approach to building expertise in women's lacrosse, offers a blueprint for coaches at any career stage. This interview reveals the strategic decisions, mindset shifts, and relationship-building principles that have made her one of the most respected voices in collegiate strength and conditioning.

10 Key Takeaways from Women’s Lacrosse, Discipline and Mentorship

Sometimes You Must Burn the Ships to Find Your True Calling

Nicole spent eight years after college filtering through various jobs while doing personal training on the side, never fully committing to strength and conditioning. At 29, she made the decision to leave Rochester for a volunteer position at MSU Denver, giving up financial security to pursue her passion. Her mentor's advice to "burn the ships" meant eliminating the safety net and going all-in on coaching. This complete commitment, rather than hedging bets, created the urgency and focus needed to succeed.

Master Your Athletes' Sports to Earn Genuine Respect

Nicole's approach to building credibility goes beyond general strength training knowledge. When working with water polo at Bucknell, she asked the assistant coach to teach her the "egg beater" technique and documented it on social media. For lacrosse, she studies game film, learns player names, and understands conference dynamics. This deep sport-specific knowledge allows her to have meaningful conversations with athletes and coaches, creating trust that transcends the weight room.

Discipline Is the Bridge Between Goals and Habits

Rather than viewing discipline as a finite resource, Nicole frames it as a transition tool. She helps athletes understand that disciplinary actions—like proper warm-up execution or consistent sleep schedules—eventually become automatic habits. Her approach focuses on building systems where excellence becomes the default, not something that requires constant willpower. The goal is to make good decisions feel as natural as brushing teeth.

Compete in Something to Validate Your Coaching

Nicole emphasizes the importance of coaches demonstrating their own commitment to excellence through competition or challenging training. Whether it's running conditioning sessions alongside athletes or maintaining high personal training standards, this "walking the walk" creates credibility that cannot be manufactured. Athletes need to see their coaches pushing themselves to believe in the standards being set for them.

Build Relationships Through Genuine Personal Interest

Nicole's buy-in strategy centers on learning about athletes as individuals—their family members, interests, and personal challenges. She remembers details about their lives and follows up consistently, creating connections that extend beyond athletic performance. This personal investment makes athletes more receptive to coaching because they know their coach genuinely cares about them as people, not just performers.

Embrace the Unique Intensity of Women's Athletics

Working primarily with women's lacrosse, Nicole has learned to harness the specific competitive drive that female athletes bring. She describes lacrosse players as "batshit crazy in the best way," noting their willingness to push through extreme discomfort during conditioning tests. Understanding and channeling this intensity, rather than trying to coach women exactly like men, has been key to her success.

Never Underestimate the Power of Consistent Mentorship

Nicole credits multiple mentors throughout her journey, from Rebecca at Wellesley College who provided initial guidance, to Isaiah Castilleja who challenged her to network with female coaches. She now pays this forward through NSCA involvement and actively mentoring younger coaches. The strength and conditioning community's willingness to share knowledge freely has been crucial to her development.

Position Yourself as a Solution, Not a Gender

When discussing being a female in a male-dominated field, Nicole's philosophy is clear: focus on what you bring to the table, not your demographic. She was once approached for a position specifically because the athletic director was "looking for female strength coaches," which felt diminishing. Her response is to earn opportunities through competence and value, making gender secondary to capability.

Use Technology to Confirm, Not Replace, Good Coaching

Nicole views training technology like GPS systems and VBT as confirmation tools rather than primary coaching methods. At Duke, they use Perch systems for velocity-based training, but the technology serves to validate what coaches already know about movement quality and training response. The goal is using data to support coaching decisions, not letting data drive the coaching process.

Context Shapes Everything with Modern Athletes

Nicole recognizes that today's college athletes have access to resources previous generations never had—professional-level facilities, full coaching staffs, and comprehensive support systems. Rather than resenting this, she uses it as a teaching moment, helping athletes understand their privilege while challenging them to maximize these opportunities. Her approach balances appreciating their advantages with maintaining high standards for effort and commitment.

Nicole's journey from a 29-year-old career changer to a coach working with Olympic-level athletes proves that with the right mindset, mentorship, and relentless commitment to excellence, it's never too late to find your calling in strength and conditioning.

Find Nicole:

Website - https://dukesportsperformance.squarespace.com/

Instagram - @nsca_lacrossesig, @dukesportsperformance, @nicole_lilia

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