Science for Sport Podcast

323: The Unseen Work of S&C and Sports Science

June 8th, 2026  |  29 mins 16 secs

athletic performance, catalan dragons, coaching, decision making, elite rugby, elite sport, gps data, high performance, high performance puzzle, leadership in sport, leicester tigers, matt parr, performance data, performance environment, performance leadership, performance teams, player management, return to play, richard graves, rugby league, rugby performance, rugby union, s&c, science for sport, sports medicine, sports performance, sports science, sports science podcast, strength and conditioning, training load

Richard Graves welcomes Matt Parr back to the Science for Sport podcast to explore the invisible work behind elite performance. Matt discusses why data, GPS reports, and training plans only tell part of the story, and why relationships, trust, standards, alignment, and decision-making are often what determine whether performance systems truly work. Drawing on his experience across Leicester Tigers, Catalan Dragons, and High Performance Puzzle, Matt offers practical insight for sports science, S&C, medical, and coaching staff working in elite sport.

322: The Performance Demands of a World Cup with Dr Dave Hancock

June 1st, 2026  |  25 mins 36 secs

ai in sports science, apollo, apollo v2, artificial intelligence in sport, athlete management system, athlete screening, blind screen, chelsea fc, dave hancock, dr dave hancock, elite football, elite sport, england football, fatigue monitoring, fifa world cup, heart rate variability, high performance, injury prevention, injury risk, international football, leeds united, movement screening, new york knicks, performance data, performance director, player availability, recovery, rehabilitation, richard graves, rotational movement, science for sport, science for sport podcast, sleep monitoring, sports medicine, sports physiotherapy, sports science, tournament preparation, world cup 2026

Richard Graves welcomes Dr Dave Hancock back to the Science for Sport Podcast to discuss the latest developments in his Blind Screen approach, the growing role of AI in athlete monitoring and the challenge of preparing elite players for the 2026 World Cup.

Drawing on his experience with Chelsea, Leeds United, the New York Knicks and the England national team, Dave explores player availability, individualised recovery, heat, travel, mental freshness and the importance of bringing players and staff together around one common goal during a major tournament.

320: The Challenges of Modern Collegiate Sport

May 18th, 2026  |  32 mins 19 secs

ai in sport, athlete monitoring, athlete wellbeing, coaching, collegiate sport, data analytics, female athlete data, female athletes, gps, heather farmer, high performance, human performance, interdisciplinary teams, ncaa, performance data, rehabilitation, return to play, science for sport, sport science, sports medicine, sports performance, sports science, sports technology, strength and conditioning, transfer portal, university of nevada las vegas, unlv, wearable technology

Richard Graves is joined by Heather Farmer, Assistant Athletics Director, Sports Science at UNLV, to discuss how sport science has developed within collegiate sport and how UNLV has built a human-first, data-informed performance model. Heather explains why data should support decision-making rather than replace practitioner judgement, how to build coach and athlete buy-in, and why the lack of female athlete data remains a major challenge. The episode also covers wearable technology, AI, return to play, the transfer portal, and the importance of strong communication across the whole high-performance team.

318: ACL Rehab: Training Age, Force Progression and Return to Sport with Carmen Bott

May 4th, 2026  |  35 mins 15 secs

acl rehab, acl rehabilitation, adolescent athletes, ai in sports science, artificial intelligence in sport, athlete development, carmen bott, coaching, dynamic strength training, elite sport, exercise prescription, force progression, injury rehabilitation, isometrics, kinesiology, performance coaching, plyometrics, professional sport, return to play, return to sport, richard graves, science for sport, sports injury, sports medicine, sports performance, sports science, strength and conditioning, youth athletes

Richard Graves speaks with Carmen Bott about her career in kinesiology, strength and conditioning, and athlete rehabilitation. The episode explores how practitioners can better support coaches and athletes, particularly during ACL return-to-play decisions. Carmen explains why training age, communication, force progression and real coaching skill are central to effective rehab, and shares her perspective on where AI can and cannot support practitioners in the future.

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.

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

March 9th, 2026  |  30 mins 42 secs

athlete health, athlete monitoring, elite sport science, female athlete health, female athlete performance, female physiology, hormonal contraception, injury prevention, menstrual cycle, performance science, sports medicine, sports physiotherapy, sports science, strength and conditioning, women in sport

Dr Candice Macmillan joins the Science for Sport Podcast to explore the complex relationship between hormonal contraceptives, female physiology, and athletic performance. The episode highlights why education, communication, and symptom awareness are essential for practitioners supporting female athletes in elite sport.

266: Blending Science, Rehab and Reality in Elite Football

May 5th, 2025  |  30 mins 33 secs

athlete wellbeing, athletic training, catapult sports, elite sport, football analytics, football performance, injury prevention, load management, mls, multidisciplinary teams, performance coaching, performance optimisation, player monitoring, rehabilitation, return to play, seattle sounders, sports medicine, sports science, sports technology, strength and conditioning

Athletic Trainer Scott Armistead joins the Science for Sport podcast to share his journey from New Zealand to the MLS, offering candid insights into injury rehab, player trust, and performance optimisation. With real-world examples from FC Cincinnati and Seattle Sounders, this episode explores the power of multidisciplinary teamwork and cutting through data overload.

262: Balancing Performance and Player Health

April 7th, 2025  |  35 mins 29 secs

athlete health, athlete management, coaching, cricket, disability cricket, elite sports, england cricket, fast bowlers, holistic health, injury prevention, mental health in sports, performance optimization, physiotherapist, physiotherapy, self-care in sports, sports injuries, sports medicine, sports science, women’s cricket, young athletes

Richard Graves interviews Sophie Smith-Moore, who shares her journey in sports physiotherapy and discusses the challenges of working with elite athletes, particularly fast bowlers. Listeners will gain insights into injury management, the importance of self-care, and the evolving landscape of women's and disability cricket.

258: League Two to Premier League: Football's Greatest Underdog Story

March 10th, 2025  |  36 mins 6 secs

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, 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.

254: Kicking Diabetes: Brayden Narveson's NFL Journey

February 10th, 2025  |  23 mins 51 secs

athletic performance, diabetes awareness, diabetes management, football, football player, green bay packers, health innovation, insulin pump, medical device, medical technology, nfl, nfl kicker, omnipod, professional athlete, professional sports, sports medicine, sports success, sports technology, tennessee titans, type 1 diabetes

NFL kicker Brayden Narveson reveals how cutting-edge technology and unwavering determination helped him overcome a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis to achieve his pro football dreams. In this inspiring Super Bowl week conversation, discover how modern medical innovation and athletic excellence combine as Narveson shares his remarkable journey from potential career-ending diagnosis to breaking barriers in professional sports.