Science for Sport Podcast
Episode Archive
Episode Archive
300 episodes of Science for Sport Podcast since the first episode, which aired on April 4th, 2020.
-
268: From Wembley to Wake-Up Calls: Stevie Ward on Concussion, Courage & Life Beyond the Game
May 19th, 2025 | 45 mins 30 secs
athlete mental health, athlete transition, athlete wellbeing, concussion in sport, elite performance, emotional intelligence, fear in sport, grand final rugby, high performance mindset, leadership in sport, leeds rhinos, psychological safety, rugby concussion, rugby league, rugby retirement, sport and identity, sport injury recovery, sports psychology, sports science, stevie ward
In this episode, former Leeds Rhinos captain Stevie Ward shares the highs and lows of his rugby career, from debuting at 18 to retiring at 27 due to concussion. He opens up about fear, injury, identity, and how emotional intelligence and psychological safety are critical in elite sport.
-
267: Athletes Aren’t Robots. Here’s What You’re Missing
May 12th, 2025 | 28 mins 36 secs
athlete mental health, athlete transition, athlete wellbeing, brain injury in sport, burnout in sport, clinical sports psychologist, concussion recovery, elite athlete mindset, high performance sport, identity after sport, mental health in sport, mental resilience, olympic athlete support, panic attacks in athletes, performance anxiety, psychology of performance, sport retirement challenges, sports psychology, sports science, working with elite athletes
Clinical sports psychologist Dr. Kristin Keim shares raw insights from working with elite athletes, tackling everything from panic attacks and concussion recovery to identity loss and career transition. This episode breaks down the myths of sports psychology and explores the real mental demands behind high performance.
-
266: Blending Science, Rehab and Reality in Elite Football
May 5th, 2025 | 30 mins 33 secs
athlete wellbeing, athletic training, catapult sports, elite sport, football analytics, football performance, injury prevention, load management, mls, multidisciplinary teams, performance coaching, performance optimisation, player monitoring, rehabilitation, return to play, seattle sounders, sports medicine, sports science, sports technology, strength and conditioning
Athletic Trainer Scott Armistead joins the Science for Sport podcast to share his journey from New Zealand to the MLS, offering candid insights into injury rehab, player trust, and performance optimisation. With real-world examples from FC Cincinnati and Seattle Sounders, this episode explores the power of multidisciplinary teamwork and cutting through data overload.
-
265: Why Sprint and Jump Training Transforms Every Athlete
April 28th, 2025 | 30 mins 33 secs
athlete journey, athletics, coaching, cross-training, fitness, longjump, plyometrics, sportsinsights, sportsperformance, sprinting
This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves interviews performance coach Michael Fennell, who shares his extensive experience in athletics, particularly in long jump and sprints. Michael discusses the importance of cross-training across various sports, his coaching philosophy, and the key elements that contribute to athletic success, all while inspiring listeners to embrace their own journey in sports.
-
264: Catapult's Vector 8: The Future of Athlete Monitoring Unveiled
April 21st, 2025 | 41 mins 35 secs
ai in sports, athlete monitoring, athlete performance, catapult, coaching strategies, coaching tools, data analytics, data-driven decisions, elite athletes, injury prevention, performance optimization, professional sports, real-time data, sports analytics, sports innovation, sports science, sports technology, technology in sports, vector 8, wearable technology
In this episode of the Science for Sport podcast, we chat with Jacques Groenewald, Vice President of Engineering at Catapult, about the revolutionary Vector 8 system. Discover how this cutting-edge technology is set to transform athlete monitoring and performance optimisation, enabling real-time data analysis and enhancing decision-making for coaches and athletes alike.
-
263: Secrets of Success: What Makes Teams Thrive?
April 14th, 2025 | 28 mins 39 secs
athlete development, coaching leadership, coaching strategies, diversity in sports, overcoming adversity, performance consultant, podcast episode, rugby league, rugby union, science for sport, sports performance, sports science, sports training, strength and conditioning, team dynamics, technology in sports
In this episode of the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves speaks with performance consultant Tom Clough, who shares his insights on sports performance, leadership, and the importance of connection within teams. Join them as they explore Tom's journey in strength and conditioning, the role of diversity in sports, and how technology can enhance athletic development.
-
262: Balancing Performance and Player Health
April 7th, 2025 | 35 mins 29 secs
athlete health, athlete management, coaching, cricket, disability cricket, elite sports, england cricket, fast bowlers, holistic health, injury prevention, mental health in sports, performance optimization, physiotherapist, physiotherapy, self-care in sports, sports injuries, sports medicine, sports science, women’s cricket, young athletes
Richard Graves interviews Sophie Smith-Moore, who shares her journey in sports physiotherapy and discusses the challenges of working with elite athletes, particularly fast bowlers. Listeners will gain insights into injury management, the importance of self-care, and the evolving landscape of women's and disability cricket.
-
261: The Team That Changed Diabetes in Professional Sports Forever
March 31st, 2025 | 31 mins 33 secs
diabetes, diabetesinsports, eliteathletes. exercisephysiology, sportsperformance, sportsscience
Join host Richard Graves as he explores the fascinating intersection of diabetes and high-performance athletics with leading exercise physiologist Dr. Sam Scott. From professional cycling teams to groundbreaking technology, discover how athletes are conquering diabetes while competing at the highest levels.
-
260: 12 Months, 3 Formats, 1 Body: Cricket's Survival Guide
March 24th, 2025 | 27 mins 26 secs
athletedevelopment, countycricket, cricket, highperformance, leicestershireccc, sportperformance, sportscience, sportstechnology, strengthandconditioning
Join Leicestershire CCC's Head Strength & Conditioning Coach Jack McCann as he reveals the fascinating science behind preparing professional cricketers for the demands of modern cricket, including his innovative "Fox's Recovery Framework" and how cutting-edge technology is revolutionising player development across multiple formats of the game.
-
259: Every Impact Matters: The Game-Changing Initiative
March 17th, 2025 | 28 mins 55 secs
athlete development, athlete monitoring, athletic performance, coaching technology, denver broncos, football safety, impact analysis, injury prevention, nfl, performance data, player safety, smart technology, sports analytics, sports data, sports education, sports innovation, sports research, sports science, sports technology, youth sports
Join us as we explore how the Denver Broncos Foundation and Riddell are revolutionising youth sport through an unprecedented state-wide smart helmet initiative. Discover how real-time impact data from 13,000 athletes is transforming player safety and coaching methodology, potentially creating the blueprint for the future of contact sports. This groundbreaking programme isn't just changing football in Colorado - it's reshaping how we think about youth sport safety worldwide.
-
258: League Two to Premier League: Football's Greatest Underdog Story
March 10th, 2025 | 36 mins 6 secs
athletic performance, athletic recovery, athletic training, elite athletics, elite performance, elite sport, football analytics, football coaching, football development, football fitness, football injuries, football management, football performance, football psychology, football science, football training, gps training, luton town, mental resilience, performance analysis, performance coach, player development, premier league, premier league fitness, professional football, professional soccer, recovery techniques, sports data, sports innovation, sports leadership, sports medicine, sports performance, sports psychology, sports recovery, sports science, sports technology
Former Luton Town Head of Performance Jared Roberts-Smith takes listeners behind the scenes of football's remarkable evolution, sharing insider insights from his 14-year journey from League Two to the Premier League while revealing the cutting-edge performance methods that are transforming the modern game.
-
257: Fear is your friend: A Champion's Paradox
March 3rd, 2025 | 31 mins 3 secs
athletedevelopment, athletemindset, athletewellbeing, boxingpsychology, competitivesport, eliteperformance, empirefightingchance, flowstate, footballpsychology, highperformance, leagueone, mentalgame, mentalhealth, mentalpreparation, mentaltoughness, mentaltraining, mindcoach, mindsetcoaching, peakperformance, performanceanxiety, performancecoaching, philparkinson, positivethinking, psychologicalperformance, ryanreynolds, selfhelp, sportscoaching, sportsconfidence, sportsleadership, sportsmotivation additional relevant terms specific to t, sportsperformance, sportspsychology, sportssuccess, wrexhamfc, youthsports
In this thought-provoking episode, sports psychologist Sam Kotadia challenges everything you thought you knew about mental performance, revealing why positive thinking might be holding you back and how embracing discomfort could be the key to unlocking your true potential. From his groundbreaking work with Hollywood-owned Wrexham FC to transforming young lives through boxing, Sam shares why the multi-billion pound self-help industry might have it all wrong
-
256: Catapult: Rugby's Game-Changing Data Revolution
February 24th, 2025 | 34 mins 49 secs
athlete management, athlete monitoring, catapult, concussion prevention, data analytics, elite sport, gps tracking, high performance, injury prevention, performance analysis, performance metrics, player analytics, player load, player safety, player welfare, professional rugby, rugby development, rugby performance, rugby technology, rugby union, smart mouthguard, sports broadcasting, sports data, sports innovation, sports science, sports technology, sportstech, tom may, training load, womens rugby
Join former international rugby player Tom May, now Head of Global Rugby at Catapult Sports, as he reveals how cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing rugby from traditional 'brute force' approaches to data-driven decision making. From GPS tracking to smart mouthguards, discover how advanced analytics are transforming player performance, safety, and the future of the sport at all levels
-
255: The Post-Workout Mistake Elite Athletes Never Make
February 17th, 2025 | 28 mins 50 secs
amateur athlete, athletic performance, athletic recovery, creatine, cricket, electrolytes, elite athletes, endurance training, evidence based nutrition, fitness advice, fitness goals, food first, football, healthy eating, hydration, leeds united, leicestershire cricket, marathon, marathon training, nutrition education, nutrition science, nutrition tips, performance nutrition, performance optimization, post workout recovery, pre workout nutrition, professional sports, protein, recovery, rugby, running, sport performance, sport science, sports nutrition, sports nutritionist, sports science podcast, supplements, training tips, vitamin d, weekend warrior, youth athletes
Sports nutritionist Dan Richardson, who works with Leeds United Academy and Leicestershire County Cricket, challenges common nutrition myths and reveals why fruits and vegetables might be more important for recovery than protein shakes. Drawing from his extensive experience across multiple sports, Dan shares practical insights on proper fueling strategies, supplement facts, and why timing matters for both elite athletes and weekend warriors alike.
-
254: Kicking Diabetes: Brayden Narveson's NFL Journey
February 10th, 2025 | 23 mins 51 secs
athletic performance, diabetes awareness, diabetes management, football, football player, green bay packers, health innovation, insulin pump, medical device, medical technology, nfl, nfl kicker, omnipod, professional athlete, professional sports, sports medicine, sports success, sports technology, tennessee titans, type 1 diabetes
NFL kicker Brayden Narveson reveals how cutting-edge technology and unwavering determination helped him overcome a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis to achieve his pro football dreams. In this inspiring Super Bowl week conversation, discover how modern medical innovation and athletic excellence combine as Narveson shares his remarkable journey from potential career-ending diagnosis to breaking barriers in professional sports.
-
253: Jeff Reinebold: This Coaching Lesson Changed Everything
February 3rd, 2025 | 31 mins 21 secs
american football, athlete performance, cfl, coaching advice, coaching journey, coaching philosophy, coaching success, data, football analysis, football career, football coaching, football culture., football strategy, high-performance coaching, jeff reinebold, ncaa football, nfl europe, player development, professional football, sky sports nfl, sports analytics, sports broadcasting, sports coaching, sports leadership, sports science, tech, university of hawaii football
Legendary coach Jeff Reinebold (NFL, CFL, Sky Sports) shares 4 decades of wisdom on merging sports science with human connection. Learn how player safety, mentorship, and tech like Catapult redefine performance—proving care is the ultimate metric. Essential for coaches and scientists chasing legacy, not just data.