Science for Sport Podcast

289: What Sport Teaches Us About Leadership, Culture & the Human Mind

October 13th, 2025  |  29 mins 23 secs

accountability, athlete transition, athlete wellbeing, brisbane broncos, career transition, catalan dragons, courage, david mead, elite performance, leadership, life after sport, mental health in sport, nrl, performance coaching, professional sport, resilience, respect, rugby league, sports psychology, sports science, team culture

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Former NRL and Super League star David Mead joins host Richard Graves to share his journey from elite sport to business, exploring how athletes can successfully navigate life after competition. He reveals how the principles of courage, respect, and accountability learned on the field can drive leadership and performance beyond sport.

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.