Science for Sport Podcast - Episodes Tagged with “Performance Psychology”

296: The Mental Game: What Athletes Really Carry with Them

Science for Sport — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0000

This week, host Richard Graves sits down with former Great Britain and England international basketball player Kofi Josephs, an athlete whose journey through elite sport has been anything but ordinary.

From growing up in Birmingham to playing in front of Michael Jordan at the Jordan Brand Classic, suffering two major hip surgeries in the US collegiate system, becoming the British Basketball League’s highest-scoring British player, and navigating the hidden psychological battles behind performance… Kofi’s story is raw, real, and deeply relevant for anyone working in elite sport.

Now the founder of WhyNotI, a preventative mental health tech platform designed specifically for elite athletes, Kofi is on a mission to reshape how professional environments understand – and support – the person behind the performer.

This episode offers an unfiltered look at the pressures, cultural challenges, expectations, and mental load that athletes carry, and the systemic changes needed to truly support sustainable high performance.

What You’ll Learn

The hidden mental toll of elite sport and why performance alone never tells the full story.
How perfectionism, pressure, and identity shape athlete wellbeing – and where support structures fall short.
Why mental health must be preventative, not reactive, if teams want consistency and longevity in performance.
Insights into the collegiate system in the US and its cultural, emotional, and psychological challenges for young athletes.
Why separating “the athlete” from “the person” is flawed, and how reframing this changes support strategies.
The crucial role of coaches, GMs, and ownership in building environments where mental health is prioritised.
How WhyNotI is using technology, psychology, and data to influence policy, culture, and player care across elite sport.

About Kofi Josephs

Kofi Josephs is a former professional basketball player who represented England at the Commonwealth Games and Great Britain at EuroBasket, competing across elite leagues worldwide including Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, and Iceland.

A psychology graduate and outspoken advocate for athlete mental health, Kofi has built a platform that blends his lived experience with scientific insight. He is the founder of WhyNotI, a preventative mental health tech solution designed to provide bespoke support for elite performers while equipping organisations with the data needed to improve culture, care, and decision-making.

Kofi now works across sport, safeguarding, and policy, collaborating with leaders from national governing bodies, Olympic sports, and high-performance environments to drive systemic change.

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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

290: Rewiring Performance: The Neuroscience Behind Mindset and Recovery

Science for Sport — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0100

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Dan Metcalfe, former youth footballer, West End performer, Olympic development coach, and now international keynote speaker and founder of Born Superhuman.
Dan’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. From a career-ending accident that left him paralysed and blind in one eye, to rebuilding his life, defying medical diagnoses, and going on to coach Olympic-level athletes. His journey is a masterclass in resilience, mindset, and human potential.
In this inspiring conversation, Dan shares the philosophy that underpins his Born Superhuman method, revealing how mindset, breathwork, hydration, and self-belief can transform performance in sport and life.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How Dan overcame paralysis and rebuilt his life
Why mental training is just as critical as physical training for peak performance
The seven pillars of Dan’s Born Superhuman philosophy and how they apply to everyone
How reframing setbacks as “gifts” can unlock growth and success
Why elite athletes and CEOs alike struggle with the same mental blocks, and how to rewire them
The simple word change that helped Dan drop from 21% to 8% body fat without changing his diet
How hydration, sleep, and breathing directly impact focus and performance
The neuroscience behind belief, recovery, and human potential

About Dan Metcalfe
Dan Metcalfe is a performance and mindset coach, keynote speaker, and founder of Born Superhuman. His remarkable journey spans football, theatre, and elite sports coaching. After suffering paralysis and vision loss in a stage accident, Dan defied medical expectations and rebuilt his body and mind through sheer determination and psychological mastery.
He went on to become Nike Youth Coach of the Year (USA), leading players into professional football and working across the US Olympic Development Program. Today, he helps elite athletes, business leaders, and teams unlock their full potential through his Born Superhuman framework, blending neuroscience, mindset, and performance principles to inspire extraordinary results.

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285: Ellie Wilson: Inside the High-Performance World of Women’s Football

Science for Sport — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0100

This week, host Richard Graves is joined by Ellie Wilson, a professional footballer who has played for Reading, Bristol City, Sheffield United, Wolves, and most recently Melbourne Victory in Australia’s A-League Women.

Ellie opens up about her journey through elite football, from being rejected by academies as a young player, to representing England U19s, U20s and U23s, battling an ACL injury, and helping Melbourne Victory break club records this season.

This is a powerful conversation for anyone working in or around sports science, performance support, and high-performance teams who wants to understand the real challenges athletes face behind the scenes — and how the right environment can shape success.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How the infrastructure and support systems in women’s football are evolving — and where they still need to catch up.
The physical and psychological demands on female athletes during adolescence and how clubs can better support them.
How Ellie navigated a 13-month ACL rehab and what it taught her about athlete wellbeing and return-to-play planning.
Why preparing for life beyond football is vital, and how her sports science degree and S&C studies helped her do that.
What it’s like to be part of a team that breaks records but misses out on silverware, and how to process that experience.
How penalty shootouts are prepared for and the role of psychology in those high-pressure moments.
Practical advice for coaches, practitioners, and parents supporting the next generation of female players.

About Ellie Wilson

Ellie Wilson is a professional footballer currently playing for Melbourne Victory. She has previously played for Reading, Bristol City, Sheffield United, and Wolves, and has represented England at U19, U20 and U23 levels, playing alongside stars like Leah Williamson and Alessia Russo.

Ellie holds a degree in sports science and is studying towards an advanced strength and conditioning qualification, showing her commitment to both performance on the pitch and life beyond it.

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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

248: Overcoming Pressure and Performing Under Stress

Science for Sport — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 06:00:00 +0000

How do elite athletes handle pressure and perform at their peak when it matters most? In this episode, host Richard Graves sits down with renowned sports psychologist Dr. Haley Perlus to uncover the secrets behind mastering the mental game.

In This Episode, Discover:

The surprising story that inspired Dr. Perlus’ career in sports psychology.
How to turn pressure into your greatest advantage.
Practical strategies to stay calm and focused under stress.
Why “the best athlete is the best recoverer.”
How boredom and stillness can unlock brilliance.

Whether you're an athlete, coach, or someone looking to level up your mindset, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you thrive under pressure in sports and life.

** About Dr Haley Perlus**
Dr. Haley Perlus is a distinguished sport and performance psychologist with a Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Psychology. Drawing from her background as an elite alpine ski racer, coach, fitness professional, and entrepreneur, she provides clients with mental toughness tools to achieve peak performance. Dr. Perlus has collaborated with top athletes, Fortune 100 executives, and global brands to overcome mental barriers and attain tailored results. She is a professor at the University of Colorado, and author of several books, including "The Ultimate Achievement Journal" and "The Inside Drive." Her insights have been featured in publications such as Thrive Magazine, Fitness Magazine, and IDEA Fitness Journal

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112: Can Managing Mental Fatigue Bring You Next-Level Performance?

Science for Sport — Mon, 23 May 2022 02:00:00 +0100

In episode 112, Suzy Russell, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Australain Catholic University, joins us.

Specifically you will learn:

The importance of mental fatigue
Practical tips to deal with mental fatigue

About Suzy

"Dr Suzy Russell is a postdoctoral research fellow investigating mental fatigue and recovery at the Sports Performance, Recovery, Injury and New Technologies (SPRINT) Research Centre, Australian Catholic University, in partnership with the Australian Institute of Sport. She holds a PhD and Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science (Hons I) from the University of Queensland, with a track-record of high-quality research outputs, awards, and invited presentations. Suzy is an ESSA Accredited Sports Scientist, with previous applied experiences including roles as a performance analyst for professional teams, physiology and recovery consultant for national sporting organisations, product manager for a leading sports technology company, and project lead of sports specific mental health and wellbeing programs. Suzy works to achieve translational and impactful research, engaging with projects that aim to improve human performance, with a focus on optimising training and competition practices in elite athletes with specific attention to mental fatigue and recovery."

Twitter: @suzanna_russell
Instagram: @suz.russell

https://www.acu.edu.au/research-and-enterprise/our-research-institutes/sprint-research-centre/our-people/dr-suzanna-russell

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Learn Quicker & More Effectively, Freeing Up Time To Spend With Friends And Family
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