In this episode, Carmen shares the story of her career, from an unexpected switch from behavioural psychology and criminology into kinesiology, through to working with university teams, NHL athletes, national-level performers and young athletes returning from serious injury.

The conversation explores what kinesiology actually means, how it sits alongside strength and conditioning, and why understanding the sport is just as important as understanding the science. Carmen also discusses the communication challenges that can arise between practitioners, coaches and athletes, particularly when return-to-play decisions are being made under pressure.

Richard and Carmen then take a deeper look at ACL rehabilitation. They discuss why training age matters, how the rehab journey differs between a professional athlete and a young adolescent athlete, and why parents can play such an important role in the process. Carmen also breaks down the place of isometrics, dynamic strength training, plyometrics and force progression in ACL rehab, while offering a clear, practical view of what effective exercise prescription should look like.

Finally, Carmen gives her thoughts on artificial intelligence in sports science and rehabilitation. While AI may help with programming and exercise selection, she explains why coaching, communication, technical feedback and human connection remain central to helping athletes return to performance safely and confidently.

In this episode you will learn

• What kinesiology is and how it differs from strength and conditioning
• Why practitioners need to understand the language and demands of the sport they work in
• How to communicate more effectively with coaches during return-to-play decisions
• Why ACL rehabilitation must be adapted to the athlete’s training age and experience
• The key differences between rehabbing a professional athlete and an adolescent athlete
• Why parents can be critical in supporting youth athletes through injury rehabilitation
• How isometrics, dynamic strength training and plyometrics fit into ACL rehab
• Why force progression matters when preparing athletes for sprinting, cutting and collision demands
• Where AI can support practitioners — and where it cannot replace real coaching

About Carmen Bott
Carmen Bott is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Practicing Kinesiologist, Sports Performance Coach and Educator based in Canada. She holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and has worked with athletes from learn-to-train level through to high performance and professional sport.

Carmen’s work spans physical preparation, ACL rehabilitation, return to play, collision sport athletes, multi-directional speed coaching and mental performance. She is also a university lecturer and has been teaching since 2005.

You can find Carmen on Instagram at @coachbott

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*** In this episode, you’ll learn:**

• How Marc transitioned from the U.S. Army into academia and ultimately the NFL.
• Why strong foundations in research methods, measurement, and statistics are critical for sports scientists.
• How to build sports science systems that connect data collection directly to decision-making.
• The importance of collaboration across strength & conditioning, athletic training, and coaching.
• How subjective monitoring can sometimes outweigh objective data when it comes to understanding athletes.
• Why effective communication—and translating data into a language coaches understand—is essential for buy-in.
• The role of culture, systems, and people in making technology truly effective.
• Where Marc sees the next big leap in sports science, including the impact of artificial intelligence.

About Marc Lewis
Marc Lewis, PhD, is the Director of Applied Sports Science at the Houston Texans. His career spans military service, academia, and professional sport:

• Former airborne infantry soldier in the U.S. Army.
• Earned a PhD in Exercise Physiology at Virginia Tech, where he pioneered one of the university’s first applied sports science roles.
• Held leadership positions at Virginia Tech football and Penn State University in applied health and performance science.
• Joined the Houston Texans in 2023, where he leads the sports science department, developing integrated systems to support athlete performance and recovery.
• Co-author of The Sports Science Handbook: A Blueprint for Better Decision-Making in Sport, written with Adam Virgil (Los Angeles Clippers). Marc is passionate about connecting research with practice, building systems that enhance decision-making, and pushing the boundaries of sports science in high-performance environments.

SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241

• ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively
• ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery
• ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In
• ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese
• ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More
• ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance
• ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes
• ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research