Science for Sport Podcast
Behind the Scenes of Elite Performance – Unlocking the Science, Stories, and Strategies That Make the Best Even Better
Displaying 4 items of Science for Sport Podcast with the tag "football science".
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339: Can a Playing Surface Change How an Athlete Moves?
September 28th, 2026 | 36 mins 57 secs
alan thomson, artificial turf, athlete performance, athletic field safety, biomechanics, elite football, elite sport, fifa world cup, fifa world cup 2026, football science, footwear surface interaction, green bay packers, hybrid grass, hybrid pitch, injury risk, john sorochan, lambeau field, metlife stadium, natural grass, nfl, nfl player safety, pitch technology, player safety, player surface interaction, playing surface research, playing surfaces, sis grass, sis pitches, soccer science, sport science, sports injuries, sports performance, sports science, sports turf, turf science, turfgrass science, university of tennessee, world cup pitches
Professor John Sorochan from the University of Tennessee and Alan Thomson from SIS Pitches join Richard Graves to explore how playing surfaces influence athlete performance and safety. They discuss the interaction between the athlete, footwear and surface, how elite pitches are tested, the differences between natural, artificial and hybrid turf, and the challenge of creating consistent playing conditions across modern multi-use stadiums. Drawing on their work around the 2026 FIFA World Cup and major US sports venues, they also examine the debate around artificial turf, player preference for natural grass and how hybrid technology could shape the future of elite playing surfaces.
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315: The Under-fueling Problem in Professional Sport with Dr Nessan Costello
April 13th, 2026 | 31 mins 14 secs
al-ahli fc, athlete health, athlete nutrition, body composition, carbohydrate loading, creatine, disordered eating in sport, elite football nutrition, elite sport, football fitness, football performance, football science, fuelling for performance, hydration, match day nutrition, performance nutrition, pre-season nutrition, premier league nutrition, ramadan sport, recovery nutrition, saudi pro league, science for sport podcast, sports dietitian, sports medicine, sports nutrition, sports nutritionist, sports physiology, sports science, supplementation in sport, underfuelling
Dr. Nessan Costello, 1st Team Sports Nutritionist at Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, joins Richard Graves to discuss the realities of nutrition in elite football. With experience at Chelsea, Newcastle and Leeds United, Nessan unpacks why so many professional players are chronically underfuelled, the truth about carbohydrate loading and post-match recovery, and why chasing ultra-lean body composition is actively harming performance. He also shares what Ramadan nutrition looks like from the inside, with training sessions at 10pm and cup ties kicking off past midnight, and what the World Cup heat conditions in North America will demand from nutritionists and athletes alike.
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297: Finding the Competitive Edge: Elite Performance with FC Midtjylland’s Niklas Virtanen
December 8th, 2025 | 26 mins 24 secs
TrackMan, applied sports science, athlete monitoring, catapult, coaching science, data analytics, elite coaching, elite sport, fc midtjylland, football analytics, football performance, football science, gps tracking, high performance, high-speed running, inertial data, injury risk, load monitoring, match preparation, micro-actions, performance coaching, performance data, performance optimisation, player development, scandinavian football, set piece analysis, sports physiology, sports science, sports technology, talent development
This episode explores how FC Midtjylland punch above their weight using advanced data, inertial tracking, and smart performance processes. Niklas Virtanen reveals how he blends science, coaching, and communication to drive elite on-pitch results.
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258: League Two to Premier League: Football's Greatest Underdog Story
March 10th, 2025 | 36 mins 6 secs
Premier League, 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 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.