UNRACKED by BridgeAthletic

The Youth ACL Epidemic with Erica Mulholland | Episode 5

BridgeAthletic Season 1 Episode 5

Note: This episode is from a live recording of UNRACKED, having aired on September 30th, 2025 at 10am PT / 1pm ET.

Erica Mulholland, strength and performance coach specializing in youth female athletes, joins Cooper Napoli to unpack the data, risks, and realities behind the youth ACL epidemic.

In this episode, she breaks down:

  • How youth ACL risk develops and why the epidemic continues to grow
  • Where movement inefficiencies show up across youth sports—from soccer and lacrosse to volleyball and basketball
  • The adjustments she makes when athletes lack strength, movement literacy, or sport-specific coordination
  • The core principle she emphasizes: building strong, resilient movers before building sport-specific specialists

A standout moment: Erica challenges the myth that “more sport = better athlete,” and explains why strength training is the real foundation for long-term athletic success

This is youth injury prevention and performance from someone who has spent over a decade coaching young athletes to be strong for sport—and strong for life.

Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

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