Science for Sport Podcast - Episodes Tagged with “Athlete Monitoring”

314: Player Load, Practice Periodisation, and the Art of Keeping It Simple with Jackson Polk

Science for Sport — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0100

Richard Graves is joined by Jackson Polk, Director of Sports Science at the University of Southern California (USC), for a conversation that covers the full spectrum of what it actually means to do this job well, from wrangling a thousand Catapult metrics down to the handful that matter, to the perhaps surprising conclusion that conversation might be your most powerful tool.
Jackson's path into sports science isn't the conventional one. He started as a student videographer with Oklahoma football, found himself drawn to the patterns hiding in data, and taught himself enough statistics and analytics to make coaches stop and listen. That curiosity eventually took him from Norman, Oklahoma, to Los Angeles, where he's spent the past four years building USC football's sports science programme from the ground up.
What makes this episode stand out is Jackson's willingness to be honest about uncertainty, about AI, about his own mistakes, and about the limits of any single metric or method. He's equally at home referencing Principal Component Analysis and the TV show Veep, and that breadth of thinking is what makes him worth listening to. Whether you work in elite sport, study sports science, or just want to understand what goes into keeping a college football roster performing at its best, there's plenty here to take away.

In This Episode You Will Learn

Why reducing Catapult's thousand-plus metrics down to a focused few, Player Load, sprint volume, and repeat sprint exposures, actually produces better decisions than trying to monitor everything
How Jackson uses principal component analysis to build confidence in the data he's presenting to coaches and athletes
The "iceberg" model of athlete monitoring: what data can tell you, and what only a direct conversation will uncover
Why practice periodisation and load management have been one of USC's biggest organisational wins, and how PlayerLoad underpins that planning
How force plates (via VALD/ForceDecks) and velocity-based training tools like Perch complement GPS data to reveal readiness on any given day
The case for teaching college athletes sound recovery habits early, so they're not spending their rookie contracts figuring out what works
How Jackson thinks about AI in sports science: where it's useful, where to be cautious, and why it's only as good as the data it's trained on
Why communication, not technology, is the cornerstone of an effective sports science operation, and how to make data digestible for coaches under pressure
The value of building a culture where experimentation and failure are treated as learning, not liability
Lessons from Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke on separating process from outcome, applied directly to sports science decision-making

About Jackson Polk
Jackson Polk is the Director of Sports Science for USC Trojans football, a role he was elevated to in 2024 after serving as Assistant Director from 2022–23. He joined the USC support staff in March 2022, bringing with him an unconventional background that blends mathematics, data science, and a deep passion for American football.
His journey began at the University of Oklahoma, where he spent four seasons as a student videographer before becoming a volunteer performance analyst. While at OU, he co-founded the Oklahoma Sports and Data Analytics Club, which went on to win the Pro Football Focus Analytics Blitz contest. He completed his bachelor's degree in mathematics at Oklahoma in 2021 and subsequently pursued a master's in data science and analytics.
At USC, Jackson has been responsible for building the football programme's sports science infrastructure, integrating GPS monitoring, force plate testing, and load management into daily practice planning. He holds an MBA alongside his analytical credentials, and his work sits at the intersection of data science and high-performance sport.

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Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes
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311: The Future of Weight Room Monitoring with Perch P2

Science for Sport — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Jordan Lucier, Senior Director of Engineering at Catapult and Co-Founder of Perch, to explore the next evolution of performance monitoring in the weight room.

Perch has become one of the most widely used camera-based systems for measuring barbell velocity and strength training performance in elite sport. Now, with the launch of Perch P2, the technology is taking another step forward.

Jordan shares the story behind the development of Perch, how computer vision and machine learning are used to quantify weightlifting performance, and why the weight room has historically been one of the least measured environments in sport.

The conversation explores the key technological advancements behind P2 — including improved camera technology, greater processing power, enhanced portability, and new possibilities for tracking movement quality and technique.

Jordan also discusses how better strength training data can help coaches build a more complete picture of athlete performance, how Perch fits alongside Catapult’s wider ecosystem of athlete monitoring tools, and why the next frontier may lie in connecting weight room insights with on-field performance.

In this episode you will learn

How Perch evolved from an early idea into a leading weight room monitoring system
Why velocity-based training has become increasingly important in elite sport
How computer vision technology can quantify barbell movement and lifting performance
The key upgrades introduced with the new Perch P2 system
Why portability is a major step forward for strength and conditioning environments
How improved frame rates and camera technology increase measurement accuracy
The concept of the “inaccuracy gap” and why it matters for explosive movements
How machine learning is used to track movement and analyse lifting performance
Why movement quality may become the next frontier of strength training analytics
How weight room data could integrate with broader athlete monitoring systems

About Jordan Lucier
Jordan Lucier is the Senior Director of Engineering at Catapult and Co-Founder of Perch, a computer vision system designed to measure performance in the weight room.

Originally developed at MIT, Perch uses advanced camera technology and machine learning to automatically track barbell velocity, movement patterns, and strength training performance without requiring wearable sensors.

Jordan has led the engineering development of the system from its early concept through to global adoption across professional teams, collegiate programmes, and high-performance environments.

His work sits at the intersection of sports science, computer vision, and performance technology, helping practitioners bring objective measurement to one of the most important areas of athlete development: strength training.

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310: Why Female Physiology Still Needs Greater Attention in Sport with Dr Candice Macmillan

Science for Sport — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Why Female Physiology Still Needs Greater Attention in Sport with Dr Candice Macmillan

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes Dr Candice Macmillan, lecturer at the University of Pretoria, sports physiotherapist, and course author of “Contraceptives and the Female Athlete” on the Science for Sport platform.

As women’s sport continues to grow professionally around the world, understanding the unique physiological considerations of female athletes has never been more important. Yet many practitioners still feel underprepared when supporting athletes through topics such as the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraceptives, and their potential implications for performance, wellbeing, and decision-making.

Drawing on her background as a sports physiotherapist, researcher, and academic, Dr Macmillan explores how practitioners can better support female athletes through education, communication, and evidence-based decision making.

The conversation covers the complexity of hormonal contraceptives, how different types influence physiology and behaviour, and why awareness of factors such as testosterone suppression and symptom tracking may be crucial for athletes and support staff alike.

Perhaps most importantly, Dr Macmillan explains why empowering athletes to ask the right questions about their own health may be one of the most powerful tools practitioners can provide.

This episode offers valuable insights for sports scientists, strength and conditioning coaches, physiotherapists, and performance staff working across elite sport — while also opening up a conversation that continues to shape the future of female athlete support systems.

In This Episode You Will Learn

Why female athlete health remains one of the most misunderstood areas in elite sport
The difference between hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptives
Why the contraceptive pill is not a single solution and varies widely in composition
How hormonal contraceptives can influence testosterone levels and athlete behaviour
Why symptoms may impact performance more than hormone levels themselves
The importance of tracking menstrual symptoms for informed medical decisions
Why practitioners must help athletes learn the language to describe how they feel
The role communication plays between athletes, coaches and medical staff
How policy and education are shaping the future of female athlete support in sport

About Dr Candice Macmillan
Dr Candice Macmillan is a lecturer at the University of Pretoria, a qualified sports physiotherapist, and holds a PhD in Sports Physiotherapy.

Her work focuses on female athlete health, injury prevention, and performance, with a particular interest in how physiological factors influence training, recovery, and long-term athlete wellbeing. Through her academic and applied work, she aims to bridge the gap between research and real-world practice for practitioners working in sport.

Dr Macmillan is also the author of the “Contraceptives and the Female Athlete” course available on the Science for Sport platform, where she helps practitioners better understand the complexities of hormonal contraception and its potential implications for female athlete performance and health.

Her research and teaching continue to contribute to a growing body of work aimed at improving education, awareness, and practical support for female athletes across sport.

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309: Building Smarter Performance Systems with Emily Jacobson

Science for Sport — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0000

This week on the Science for Sport podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Emily Jacobson, Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Marquette University.

Emily has spent the past decade building and refining a sports science model within a relatively small department, working primarily with men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball. Alongside her role at Marquette, she also contributes to U.S. Soccer in a high-performance capacity.

In this conversation, we explore one of the most pressing challenges in applied sports science: how do you simplify complex data streams so they become actionable for coaches and meaningful for athletes?

From acute:chronic workload ratios and GPS monitoring to return-to-play frameworks and Power BI dashboards, Emily shares how she transformed “expensive toys” into effective performance tools.

She discusses the importance of visualisation, collaboration with data engineers, humility in decision-making, and why the “eyeball test” still matters in a world driven by wearables and AI.

For practitioners working in elite sport, or those building systems within constrained environments, this episode offers practical insight into making sports science more impactful, not just more complex.

In this episode you will learn:

How to simplify GPS and workload data for real-world application
Why acute:chronic workload ratios are a framework — not a solution
How to build effective data visualisations that coaches actually use
The difference between “expensive toys” and performance tools
How to structure phased return-to-play models with clear definitions
Why collaboration with data engineers and academics can transform departments
How to educate athletes in an era of AI, social media and misinformation
Why patience and long-term development still matter
How to adapt sports science systems in the transfer-portal era
Why relationships remain more important than technology

About Emily Jacobson
Emily Jacobson is the Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Marquette University, where she has worked for the past 10 seasons. A former Marquette women’s soccer student-athlete, she now oversees sports science and performance systems across multiple programmes, with a particular focus on soccer and volleyball.

She has helped develop load monitoring models, return-to-play protocols and data visualisation systems that integrate GPS, velocity-based training, force plates, motion capture and body composition analysis.

In addition to her work at Marquette, Emily serves as a network employee within U.S. Soccer’s high-performance department.

Her approach combines applied performance coaching, collaborative analytics, and a strong emphasis on education and athlete relationships.

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308: Peak Demands and Decision-Making Under Fatigue with Stan Parker

Science for Sport — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:30:00 +0000

Fresh from pre-season camp in Australia, Richard Graves sits down with Stan Parker, Sports Scientist at the Western Bulldogs, to explore how tracking data, contextual analytics, and interdisciplinary collaboration shape performance in elite AFL.

Stan’s journey spans the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, Queensland Rugby Sevens, and now five seasons embedded within the Bulldogs’ high-performance programme, including a PhD focused on contextualising tracking data beyond simple load metrics.

This episode moves beyond “distance covered” and “top speed” to examine how sports science actually influences coaching decisions, athlete development, injury management, and tactical execution. From peak demand analysis and real-world decision-making under fatigue, to AI readiness and workflow efficiency, this is a grounded, practitioner-led conversation about where elite sport is really heading.

In this episode you will learn:

Why contextualising tracking data matters more than collecting more of it
How to compare peak training demands to peak match demands
The role of vision and video in translating data for coaches and players
How to build buy-in when athletes aren’t “numbers learners”
The balance between availability and performance in weekly competition cycles
How interdisciplinary decision-making works inside an AFL club
Why isolated fatigue “flags” can be misleading
How gym-based physical development can be directly tied to on-field outcomes
The importance of soft skills in high-performance environments
Where AI realistically fits (and doesn’t fit) in elite sports science

About Stan Parker
Stan Parker is a Sports Scientist with the Western Bulldogs in the AFL. He has previously worked with the Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Rugby Sevens, building experience across multiple elite sporting codes in Australia.

Stan is also completing a PhD focused on the contextualisation of tracking data in team sports, exploring how movement patterns and peak demands can better explain performance impact rather than serving purely as load monitoring tools.

He is particularly interested in bridging the gap between data analytics, coaching vision, and real-world performance application.

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307: Performance Science in AFL and NRL with Brendan Fahrner

Science for Sport — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 06:00:00 +0000

This episode explores what high performance really looks like inside two of the most demanding professional sporting environments in the world.

Richard Graves is joined by Brendan Fahrner, formerly Head of Sports Science at the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and previously a long-serving performance staff member at Richmond Football Club during one of the most successful periods in AFL history.

Across a career spanning AFL and NRL, Brendan has worked inside premiership-winning programs, navigated the evolution of GPS and performance analytics, and seen firsthand how elite sport has shifted from data accumulation to data translation.

In this conversation, he strips back the noise around technology and shares why soft skills, trust, and clarity of message ultimately drive performance outcomes. From simplifying GPS dashboards to building credibility with senior coaches, Brendan offers a grounded, practical perspective on what actually moves the needle in team sport.

He also speaks candidly about practitioner burnout, self-worth, and why sustainability in high performance careers is just as important as physical robustness in athletes.

This episode will resonate with sports scientists, S&C coaches, performance managers and aspiring practitioners looking to build impact in elite environments.

In this episode you will learn

Why high performance is more about relationships than periodisation
How to build trust quickly when entering a new club environment
The importance of simplifying data for coaches and athletes
How to align performance metrics with a coach’s game model
Why most GPS reports contain too much irrelevant data
How to identify the few variables that truly influence coach perception
Practical strategies for athlete-centric monitoring in squad settings
The crossover principles between AFL and NRL performance environments
How to translate analytics into language players understand
Why self-care and professional boundaries matter in elite sport
The importance of valuing yourself as a practitioner

About Brendan Fahrner
Brendan Fahrner is a high performance practitioner with extensive experience in elite Australian sport.
He began his career in the early adoption phase of GPS in the AFL, working with Richmond and later Geelong during a period of sustained premiership success. He spent the majority of his career at Richmond Football Club, contributing to three premiership titles and multiple finals campaigns.
Most recently, Brendan worked in the NRL with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, applying performance principles across codes and leading athlete monitoring and sports science integration within rugby league.
He has developed a strong reputation for simplifying complex performance data, building trust with athletes and coaches, and creating athlete-centred systems in high-pressure team environments.

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297: Finding the Competitive Edge: Elite Performance with FC Midtjylland’s Niklas Virtanen

Science for Sport — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0000

This week, host Richard Graves sits down with one of the most energetic and thought-provoking voices in modern performance: Niklas Virtanen, Head of Sports Science at FC Midtjylland.

If you’ve ever wondered how a club without the financial muscle of Europe’s giants consistently outperforms bigger teams, beating Nottingham Forest away, winning at Celtic, and challenging at the top of the Danish Superliga, this conversation tells you exactly how they do it.

Niklas is a rare blend of passion, creativity and evidence-based practice. His presentation at a recent Catapult event had the entire room hooked, and this episode delivers the same energy. From dismantling traditional GPS limitations to redefining how football teams train for micro-actions, set pieces, and physical dominance, Niklas pulls back the curtain on the processes driving Midtjylland’s success.

This episode goes deep into the real-world application of sports science, the balance between data and intuition, and why sometimes the most powerful competitive advantage is simply learning to “solve problems without money.”

Things You Will Learn

Why FC Midtjylland’s entire model is built on “solving problems without money” and how data gives them a competitive edge.
How Niklas and his team dominate set pieces using Trackman technology and detailed ball-flight analytics.
Why GPS alone is blind to football’s most important movements, and how inertial data captures the micro-actions that matter.
How to use accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers to measure real football movement quality.
The truth about injury “prediction,” why we still don’t know athletes’ limits, and why subjective data is often your most valuable input.
How to balance analytics with player feelings, coaching intuition, and the “eyeball test.”
Why communication, not technology, is the biggest challenge when coaching staffs change.
Practical ways to design training exercises that actually transfer to match actions (including why traditional rondos may be overrated).
How to create buy-in across departments in fast-moving environments with shifting coaching teams.
Why the best decisions come from leading with data first, then layering coaching opinions on top.

About Niklas Virtanen
Niklas Virtanen is the Head of Sports Science at FC Midtjylland, one of Europe’s most forward-thinking football clubs and pioneers in data-driven performance.
From Finland’s Jyvaskyla to the top of the Danish Superliga, Niklas has carved out a journey defined by curiosity, relentless learning, and a willingness to challenge traditional methods. Starting his career as a physiotherapist, he transitioned into coaching, performance, and ultimately sports science — where he discovered his passion for practical, applied, football-specific methodology.
At Midtjylland, Niklas plays a central role in integrating data, performance analytics, inertial technology and coaching processes. His approach blends scientific rigour with real-world applicability, always anchoring decisions in the question: “Does this help the players perform?”
He collaborates closely with coaches, mental performance staff, physios, analysts, and leadership teams, shaping a holistic performance culture built around trust, objective data, and constant communication.
Niklas is known across the professional football community for his high energy, creativity, authenticity, and his commitment to pushing the boundaries of what sports science can be. You’ll often find him speaking to — and learning from — industry leaders such as Chris Barnes and Paul Balsom, who he credits with encouraging him to explore unconventional ideas, test them in the real world, and build evidence from the ground up.
He shares many of these insights on LinkedIn, where he’s become a respected voice for modern performance practitioners.

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291: Managing Workload and Performance in the NHL

Science for Sport — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0000

This week, host Richard Graves welcomes Steven Nightingale, Sports Scientist with the New Jersey Devils (NHL), to explore the realities of managing workload, performance, and recovery in one of the world’s most demanding sporting environments.
From starting out in Peterborough to working in China, Russia, and now in the NHL, Steve shares his fascinating journey through elite sport, and how data, experience, and practical collaboration with coaches all come together to optimise athlete performance.
They dive deep into how workload is managed across an 82-game season, the impact of fixture congestion and travel, and the evolving role of data and AI in shaping the future of sports science.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How Steve’s career took him from teaching in England to sports science roles across China, the KHL, and the NHL.
What workload management really means in professional ice hockey, and why it’s misunderstood.
How the Devils balance recovery, readiness, and tactical demands across a relentless schedule.
The challenges of measuring true intensity and how Steve uses Z-scores and T-scores to make data meaningful for coaches.
Why less distance covered can actually correlate with winning more games.
How travel, sleep, and recovery all factor into athlete performance across an 82-game season.
The future of data analysis, including AI’s growing role in sports science.

About Steven Nightingale
Steven Nightingale is a Sports Scientist with the New Jersey Devils in the NHL and is currently completing his Doctorate in Applied Sport and Exercise Science. Originally from Peterborough, England, Steve’s career has taken him from teaching and voluntary roles in UK hockey to international positions with Ice Hockey UK, the Chinese Olympic Committee, and teams in the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League).
His research focuses on workload monitoring, return-to-play strategies, and performance optimisation, using technologies such as Catapult to inform evidence-based decision-making. Steven regularly shares insights on LinkedIn and publishes his research on ResearchGate.

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287: Data With Purpose: How the Houston Texans Use Sports Science to Drive Performance

Science for Sport — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0100

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Marc Lewis, Director of Applied Sports Science at the Houston Texans.
Marc’s journey is anything but conventional. From a childhood in foster care, to serving as an airborne infantry soldier in the U.S. Army, to becoming one of the leading voices in applied sports science in the NFL. He shares how his military discipline shaped his academic career, how he built his own sports science role from the ground up, and what it’s like to apply evidence-based practice in one of the world’s most demanding sporting environments.
For practitioners working in professional sport, this episode offers practical insights into building effective systems, working collaboratively across disciplines, and making better decisions with data.

*** 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

286: NFL’s Digital Athlete – How Data is Transforming Player Health & Safety

Science for Sport — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0100

This week, host Richard Graves is joined by two leading figures driving innovation in sport:

Dr Mackenzie Herzog, VP of Player Health & Safety and Strategic Innovation at the NFL

Julie Souza, Global Head of Sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Together, they explore the groundbreaking NFL Digital Athlete, a data-driven platform reshaping how the league prevents injuries, enhances performance, and safeguards the long-term health of its players.

This episode offers a rare look behind the scenes at how one of the world’s biggest sports organisations is using advanced analytics, computer vision, and machine learning to transform player welfare.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How the NFL Digital Athlete creates a 360° view of every player by combining wearable, video, and performance data
The role of AWS in processing 500 million+ data points per week to power injury prevention and performance insights
How data modelling led to rule changes like the dynamic kickoff and banning hip-drop tackles to reduce injuries
How computer vision is used to track player pose and limb position to identify mechanisms of injury
How concussion risk has dropped thanks to position-specific helmets and guardian caps
Why player and coach buy-in has been crucial for the success of data-driven safety initiatives
How the Digital Athlete model is now influencing college football, global sport, and even other industries

About Dr Mackenzie Herzog
Dr Mackenzie Herzog is the Vice President of Player Health & Safety and Strategic Innovation at the NFL. She leads the league’s efforts to reduce injuries, improve player health outcomes, and integrate cutting-edge technology and analytics into performance and safety strategies. Mackenzie has overseen the creation and implementation of the NFL Digital Athlete, spearheading collaborations with partners such as AWS to harness data for player health and safety advancements across the league.

About Julie Souza
Julie Souza is the Global Head of Sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where she partners with leading sports organisations to leverage cloud technology, machine learning, and data analytics to transform athlete performance, fan engagement, and operational efficiency. Julie has played a pivotal role in AWS’s collaboration with the NFL, powering the Digital Athlete platform and pioneering innovations like next-gen stats, optical tracking, and large-scale injury risk modelling.

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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

284: Club Plans & Personal Coaches: Adding An Edge?

Science for Sport — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0100

Club Plans & Personal Coaches: Adding An Edge?

In this week’s episode, host Richard Graves sits down with Daniel Booth, a performance coach who’s worked inside elite teams (Watford FC, Ealing Trailfinders), across Olympic sprint programmes, and independently with top athletes, to unpack one of the hottest debates in high performance:
Should athletes stick strictly to club schedules, or can personal trainers/physios/dietitians add an edge without adding risk?

Drawing on experience from football, rugby, and Olympic sport, Daniel explains why tensions flare (mismatched philosophies, poor communication, asset ownership), what great collaboration looks like in the real world, and how high-performing organisations formalise outside support without losing control.

What you’ll learn

The real source of conflict between club performance/medical staff and external coaches, and how cross-sport thinking challenges “that’s how we’ve always done it.”
A practical collaboration model: who shares what, when, and how (weekly data drops, post-match/flight recovery notes, and a single “central coordinator” to integrate inputs).
Risk vs. reward in load management: why living on the “edge” drives adaptation, and how to avoid double-loading athletes after intense sessions.
Contracts done right: how some teams formally write approved externals into player agreements and set clear, shared calendars.
International duty realities: why centralised models in rugby/cricket often outperform football’s fragmented approach, and what football can copy now.
Case studies that translate: lessons from LeBron/Mancias and Mahomes/Stroop—how season-long regen blocks and role clarity reduce noise and improve availability.
Social media pitfalls: why chasing a “brand” erodes trust, and how word-of-mouth and discretion still win in elite environments.

About Daniel Booth
Daniel Booth is a performance coach with 10+ years’ experience across elite football (Watford FC), rugby (including Ealing Trailfinders), and Olympic sprint programmes, as well as work with Warner Bros. Discovery. Now operating independently, he partners with clubs and national teams to deliver athlete-centred programming and is formally written into several Premiership rugby player contracts to act as the central performance coordinator, integrating club, country, and external inputs. Daniel’s approach blends cross-sport best practice, honest communication, and low-ego, data-led decision-making focused on availability and longevity.

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

282: AI in the Weight Room: Jacob Rothman on the Future of Velocity-Based Training

Science for Sport — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +0100

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves sits down with Jacob Rothman, founder of Perch and now Head of Strength at Catapult, to explore how camera-based, AI-driven technology is changing strength and conditioning, velocity-based training, and athlete monitoring in elite sport.

Jacob shares the journey from an MIT startup to being trusted by pro teams, collegiate programs, and the military, and how the recent Catapult acquisition of Perch is creating a seamless ecosystem that connects weight-room data with on-field performance metrics.

What you’ll learn in this episode

How camera-based velocity-based training (VBT) is revolutionising athlete monitoring.
Why closing the feedback loop in the weight room is a game-changer for S&C coaches and sports scientists.
Real-world insights: how LSU Football leveraged Perch to fuel a national championship season.
What the Catapult–Perch integration means for the future of athlete data and performance analytics.
The challenges and lessons of building a hardware-software platform for elite sport.

About Jacob Rothman
Jacob Rothman co-founded Perch at MIT after a back injury inspired him to find a safer, smarter way for athletes to train. Since 2017, Perch has become a trusted solution for pro teams, collegiate programs, and elite training facilities, capturing over 500 million reps in the weight room. In June 2025, Catapult acquired Perch to bring non-invasive, AI-powered strength analytics into its global athlete performance ecosystem. Today, Jacob leads Strength at Catapult, driving innovation in integrated performance and health solutions.

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

272: Inside Catapult: Global Trends, Common Pitfalls & the Future of Sports Science

Science for Sport — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 06:00:00 +0100

This week, host Richard Graves is joined by Chris Polley, Vice President of Customer Success at Catapult, for a deep-dive into the world of elite sports performance monitoring. With over 55 sports scientists working across 16 countries, Chris shares what he and his team are seeing across top-tier teams in more than 40 sports worldwide.

Listeners will learn:

The global trends shaping the future of sports science, including data integration and AI
Why the best teams often do the basics exceptionally well
Common mistakes when adopting performance tech – and how to avoid them
How Catapult’s wearable and video technologies are being used to save time and unlock deeper insights
What really makes a great sports scientist in today’s high-performance environment

Chris also shares practical advice for aspiring practitioners, highlighting the importance of communication, cultural fit, and the ability to simplify complex data to drive better decision-making.

Whether you're working in pro sport or just entering the field, this episode is packed with wisdom from someone who’s helped scale one of the most widely used performance platforms in the world.

About Chris Polley
Chris Polley is Catapult’s Vice President of Customer Success, formerly Senior Director of Sport Science, based in Victoria, Australia. Over the past 11 years at Catapult, Chris has played a pivotal role in scaling the team from its start-up beginnings to a global fixture, now supporting over 4,400 teams across 128 countries. He leads a diverse squad of approximately 55 sports scientists across 16 nations, delivering post-sales support, global training, analytics best practice, and insights-driven performance strategies. With a strong academic grounding, including published research on activity profiling in elite lacrosse and rugby forwards, Chris brings both scientific rigour and real-world expertise to Catapult’s wearable and video technology suite

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264: Catapult's Vector 8: The Future of Athlete Monitoring Unveiled

Science for Sport — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 06:00:00 +0100

Join us this week on the Science for Sport podcast as we dive into an exciting conversation with Jacques Groenewald, the Vice President of Engineering at Catapult. In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking Vector 8 system, a revolutionary product that is set to transform athlete monitoring and performance optimisation.

Jacques shares his journey from electronics to sports technology, revealing the years of research and development that culminated in the creation of Vector 8. Discover how this innovative system enhances real-time data collection, enabling coaches and athletes to make informed decisions on the fly. With its user-friendly design and powerful capabilities, Vector 8 promises to streamline workflows and improve efficiency for elite teams.

We discuss the unique features that set Vector 8 apart from previous technologies, including its ability to handle up to 120 athletes simultaneously and its advanced AI integration for deeper insights.

Whether you're a coach, athlete, or sports enthusiast, this episode will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of how Vector 8 is poised to redefine the future of sports performance.
Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the technology that is not just changing the game but revolutionising how we understand and enhance athletic performance. Tune in to find out why Vector 8 is the must-have tool for elite teams around the world!

About Jacques Groenewald
Jacques Groenewald is the Vice President of Engineering at Catapult, where he plays a pivotal role in the development of cutting-edge sports technology. With nearly two decades of experience in product development, Jacques has a rich background that spans electronics, big data, and sports technology. His journey began with a passion for electronics, leading him to work in various sectors, including semiconductors and industrial applications. Jacques's expertise in product management and engineering has been instrumental in the creation of Catapult's game changing Vector 8 system, which is set to redefine athlete monitoring and performance optimisation. His commitment to enhancing the user experience and simplifying complex data processes reflects his belief that technology should empower athletes and coaches alike. Jacques's innovative mindset and dedication to pushing the boundaries of sports science make him a key figure in the evolution of athlete performance technology.

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259: Every Impact Matters: The Game-Changing Initiative

Science for Sport — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 06:00:00 +0000

In this fascinating deep-dive, we explore a groundbreaking initiative that's set to revolutionise our understanding of impact forces in youth American football. The Denver Broncos Foundation and Riddell are launching an unprecedented state-wide programme that will generate millions of data points on player impacts, technique, and load management at the secondary school level.

But the real story goes beyond the helmets. How does a thin proprietary film inside each helmet capture and translate impact data? What insights can coaches extract from nearly a million recorded impacts across 13,000 secondary school athletes? And most intriguingly - could this massive data collection effort fundamentally change how we approach technique development and injury prevention in contact sports?

Join us as we dissect the technology with Riddell's Brian Kopp and explore the programme's implementation with the Broncos Foundation's Allie Engelken. We'll examine:
The science behind impact sensing technology
How real-time analytics are revolutionising coaching methodology
The potential implications for evidence-based practice in youth sports
Whether you're a sports scientist, strength coach, or performance specialist, this episode offers unprecedented insights into the future of data-driven player development.
This isn't just about American football - it's about understanding how technology can bridge the gap between elite and grassroots sports science.

About Allie Engelken
As Executive Director of the Denver Broncos Foundation, Allie Engelken is driving transformative change in youth sports across Colorado. With extensive experience in community development and sports philanthropy, she leads strategic initiatives that bridge the gap between professional and grassroots sports. Under her leadership, the Foundation has launched unprecedented programs, including the largest statewide smart helmet initiative in American football history. Her work focuses on removing barriers to participation while elevating safety standards in youth sports through innovative partnerships and technology adoption.

About Brian Kopp
A pioneering figure in sports technology and analytics, Brian Kopp serves as Senior Vice President at Riddell, where he leads the development and implementation of their groundbreaking smart helmet technology. With over two decades of experience in sports innovation, Brian previously held executive positions at STATS LLC and SportRadar, where he transformed how data is used in professional sports. His expertise spans across player tracking, performance analytics, and safety technology development, making him one of the industry's leading voices in sports science and equipment innovation.

256: Catapult: Rugby's Game-Changing Data Revolution

Science for Sport — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 06:00:00 +0000

From GPS Tracking to Game-Changing Analytics: The Evolution of Rugby Performance Technology
Join us for a fascinating conversation with Tom May, former international rugby player and current Head of Global Rugby at Catapult Sports. In this episode, we dive deep into how cutting-edge technology is revolutionising rugby performance analysis and player welfare.

Key discussion points include:

How advanced analytics are transforming rugby from traditional 'brute force' approaches to data-driven decision making
The crucial role of contextualising performance data for meaningful insights
Latest innovations in player safety technology, including smart mouthguards for concussion detection
Unique considerations in women's rugby performance monitoring and injury prevention
The future of sports technology in broadcasting and fan engagement

Whether you're a sports scientist, coach, or performance analyst, this episode offers valuable insights into how technology is shaping the future of rugby at all levels. May shares candid perspectives from both sides of the fence - as a former player and now a technology leader - making this a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of sports science and professional rugby.

About Tom May
A former international rugby player with an illustrious playing career spanning nearly two decades, Tom May brings unique insights from both sides of the professional rugby world. After making his debut in 1999 and playing at the highest levels of the sport, Tom has successfully transitioned into the sports technology sector. Now serving as Head of Global Rugby at Catapult Sports, he combines his extensive playing experience with a passion for advancing rugby through technology and analytics. His dual perspective as both a former player and technology leader makes him uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between traditional rugby culture and its data-driven future.

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