This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves sits down with Nathan Spencer, Strength & Power Coach at the St. George Illawarra Dragons and former NBA Performance Coach with the Orlando Magic. With over 15 years in high-performance sport, Nathan shares his unique journey from the pathways of Australian rugby league to the courts of the NBA, and now back to the NRL. The conversation dives deep into velocity-based training (VBT), practical insights into using data in elite en...
Sep 01, 2025•31 min•Ep. 283
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 t...
Aug 25, 2025•25 min•Ep. 282
This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves sits down with former NFL star turned MMA promoter Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman, a man who’s gone from sacking quarterbacks to shaking up the fight game. Known for his explosive NFL career with the San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills, Merriman has successfully transitioned into the world of Mixed Martial Arts with his promotion Lights Out Extreme Fighting (LXF). In this episode, he reveals how his football mindset, business vision,...
Aug 18, 2025•32 min•Ep. 281
In this week’s episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes Luke Harris, the Head of Strength & Conditioning and Sports Science at Adelaide United Football Club. Luke shares his insights on managing multiple teams, the challenges of balancing youth and women’s football, and how he integrates cutting-edge science to drive player development. With a career spanning several years in elite football, Luke gives an in-depth look into his approach to coaching, recovery, an...
Aug 11, 2025•32 min•Ep. 280
This week, host Richard Graves is joined by Steve McNamara, one of Rugby League’s most experienced and respected minds. With a career spanning over 36 years across playing and coaching, Steve has done it all, captaining Hull FC, coaching England at a home World Cup, and leading Catalans Dragons to their first major silverware. From working on Hull’s fish docks to standing on the touchline at Wembley, Steve reflects on the evolution of the sport and the people and principles that shaped him. Whet...
Aug 04, 2025•35 min•Ep. 279
What does fuelling a Premier League footballer really look like? This week, we’re joined by Ted Munson, Brentford FC’s Lead Performance Nutritionist, whose journey has taken him through elite-level roles across football, rugby, Formula 1, and even international tournaments with Denmark’s national team. From managing nutrition for matchday prep and recovery to adapting for individual player needs, Ted shares what goes on behind the scenes at the highest level of the game – and how everyday athlet...
Jul 28, 2025•34 min•Ep. 278
This week, Richard Graves is joined by returning guest Andrew Hyde, a leading strength and conditioning coach and founder of Aesthetic Athletes, who works with elite and youth footballers across the UK. With professional clubs identifying talent as young as six, and social media raising the stakes for young athletes, is youth football facing a crisis? Or just a complex new challenge? In this honest and insightful episode, Andrew shares his experiences from working with young athletes and their f...
Jul 21, 2025•32 min•Ep. 277
This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes back Michael Carolan, a performance coach and subject lead in sport rehabilitation at the University of Salford. With nearly two decades of experience across elite sport, the military, and education, Michael shares a refreshingly honest and deeply practical perspective on what it really means to coach athletes through injury and recovery. Whether you're a coach, therapist, or performance practitioner, this episode offers a ...
Jul 14, 2025•35 min•Ep. 276
In this episode, host Richard Graves sits down with former professional footballer Sam Winnall, who shares his honest reflections on a 15-year career across clubs including Wolves, Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, Oxford United, and Burton Albion. Sam opens up about the realities of life as a professional athlete, the highs of Wembley wins and Golden Boots, the lows of injury setbacks and contract uncertainty, and the immense physical and mental demands that most people never see. Mo...
Jul 07, 2025•34 min•Ep. 275
What do Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James... and astronauts have in common? They’re all using the same training technology, blood flow restriction (BFR). In this episode, host Richard Graves back Dr. Warren Bradley, Chief Science Officer and founder of Hytro, to unpack how BFR is transforming the way athletes train, recover, and even how astronauts prepare for life in space. You’ll learn: What blood flow restriction actually is, and how it helps build strength, muscle, and endurance faster (with l...
Jun 30, 2025•26 min•Ep. 274
In this episode, Richard Graves is joined by performance specialist Julia Eyre, a sports scientist and psychologist with a rich background in elite sport. From working with U.S. collegiate athletes to roles with German Olympic federations and the TSG Wieseck Football Academy (a partner of Eintracht Frankfurt), Julia brings a multidimensional approach to athlete development. Founder of Whiteline Performance Group, Julia focuses on creating environments where athletes thrive as humans first, pushi...
Jun 23, 2025•35 min•Ep. 273
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 exceptional...
Jun 16, 2025•43 min•Ep. 272
In this week’s episode of the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Leicester Tigers’ Head of Performance, Matt Parr, a former professional rugby player turned strength and conditioning expert with experience across both rugby union and league. Matt shares his fascinating journey from the pitch to the performance department, offering valuable insights drawn from his time at Leicester Tigers and Catalan Dragons. With a career that’s spanned both codes of rugby, Matt dives in...
Jun 09, 2025•28 min•Ep. 271
What’s it really like behind the scenes of an England Rugby Six Nations campaign? How do you fuel elite athletes to perform at their peak, and recover just as hard? This week, host Richard Graves is joined by the brilliant Dr. James Morehen,lead performance nutritionist for England Rugby and founder of the Performance Nutrition Network. With a career that’s taken him from snowboarding in Canada to backstage of international test matches, James brings a fascinating, no-nonsense look at the art (a...
Jun 02, 2025•43 min•Ep. 270
Join host Richard Graves as he sits down with performance nutrition consultant Tom Coughlin, who brings a decade of elite sports experience working with Olympic athletes, professional rugby teams, and numerous other high-performance individuals. In this enlightening episode, Tom shares his journey from psychology and sports science student to becoming a leading voice in sports nutrition. Discover essential insights about: The truth about sports supplements and how to navigate the complex market ...
May 26, 2025•27 min•Ep. 269
This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves sits down with former Leeds Rhinos captain Stevie Ward, a man who went from teenage prodigy to Grand Final winner, only to have his career cut short by concussion at just 27. In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Stevie opens up about: What it’s really like debuting alongside your childhood heroes The fear and thrill of running out at Wembley at 18 The brutal highs and lows of elite performance, injury, and recovery How fe...
May 19, 2025•46 min•Ep. 268
This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by the remarkable Dr. Kristin Keim – a clinical sports psychologist, former elite cyclist, and passionate advocate for athlete mental health. In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, Kristin takes us beyond the buzzwords of “mental toughness” and into the real, nuanced world of clinical sports psychology. From helping Olympians navigate panic attacks to supporting athletes through concussions, identity loss, and ret...
May 12, 2025•29 min•Ep. 267
This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Scott Armistead, Athletic Trainer at Seattle Sounders FC, to explore the realities of working at the highest level of football in the US. Born and raised in New Zealand, Scott’s journey has taken him across continents — from youth football in Auckland to the intensity of Major League Soccer. In this candid conversation, Scott reflects on his early struggles in pro sport, navigating four head coaches in 12 months, and pl...
May 05, 2025•31 min•Ep. 266
In this week's episode of the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes performance coach Michael Fennell, who brings over 22 years of experience in athletics coaching, specialising in long jump and sprints. Michael shares his journey from athlete to coach, including his work with notable figures like Chelsea and England football star Cole Palmer. Michael discusses the importance of cross-training and how techniques from various sports, including American football and rugby, can en...
Apr 28, 2025•31 min•Ep. 265
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 th...
Apr 21, 2025•42 min•Ep. 264
Join host Richard Graves in this episode of the Science for Sport podcast as he dives deep into the world of sports performance with the experienced consultant Tom Clough. With over a decade of experience, Tom shares his journey from aspiring athlete to a leading strength and conditioning coach, offering valuable insights that will resonate with both sports scientists and fans alike. In this episode, Tom discusses his transformative experiences in the US sports system and how they shaped his coa...
Apr 14, 2025•29 min•Ep. 263
This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves chats with Sophie Smith-Moore, the England Men’s Pathway Physiotherapist and Disability Cricket Medical Services Lead. In this episode, Sophie takes us on her journey from a fresh graduate to a key player in elite cricket, sharing her insights on the unique challenges faced by fast bowlers and the critical role of data analytics in injury prevention. Discover how Sophie navigates the fine line between traditional methodologies and c...
Apr 07, 2025•35 min•Ep. 262
Ever wondered how elite athletes manage diabetes while pushing their bodies to the limit? In this captivating episode, we dive deep with Dr. Sam Scott, a renowned exercise physiologist and former Head of Research for Team Novo Nordisk - the world's first all-diabetes professional cycling team. Key highlights: Uncover the crucial differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and their unique challenges in sports Learn about cutting-edge technology revolutionising diabetes management for athletes...
Mar 31, 2025•32 min•Ep. 261
Ever wondered what it takes to keep professional cricketers performing at their peak across a grueling season? This week, we dive deep with Jack McCann, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Leicestershire CCC, who shares fascinating insights into the evolution of cricket performance science. From managing international stars like Rehan Ahmed to nurturing academy prospects, Jack reveals the delicate balance of preparing players for everything from T20 explosiveness to multi-day endurance. Bu...
Mar 24, 2025•27 min•Ep. 260
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 imp...
Mar 17, 2025•29 min•Ep. 259
From the dugouts of League Two to the intense pressure of the Premier League, former Luton Town Head of Performance Jared Roberts-Smith takes us behind the scenes of one of football's most remarkable journeys. In this captivating episode, Jared reveals how sports science has revolutionised the beautiful game over his 14-year career, sharing intimate insights into the physical and mental demands of Premier League football that few get to witness. Discover the cutting-edge recovery techniques used...
Mar 10, 2025•36 min•Ep. 258
In this captivating episode, host Richard Graves sits down with Sam Kotadia, the pioneering sports psychologist supporting Wrexham FC's recent success and a transformative force in athletic mental performance for over two decades. Sam challenges conventional wisdom about positive thinking and mental preparation, offering a revolutionary perspective that turns traditional sports psychology on its head. From his early breakthrough with a tough-as-nails centre back at Colchester United to his curre...
Mar 03, 2025•31 min•Ep. 257
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 decis...
Feb 24, 2025•35 min•Ep. 256
From Elite Athletes to Weekend Warriors: The Science of Sports Nutrition with Dan Richardson Join host Richard Graves as he sits down with sports nutritionist Dan Richardson, who shares his expertise from working with Leeds United Academy and Leicestershire County Cricket. In this eye-opening episode, Dan breaks down the myths and misconceptions around sports nutrition, revealing why your post-workout nutrition might be more about fruits and vegetables than protein shakes. Discover: Why the 'foo...
Feb 17, 2025•29 min•Ep. 255
From NFL Kicker to Diabetes Advocate: Brayden Narveson's Inspiring Journey In this captivating episode of the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves sits down with NFL kicker Brayden Narveson during Super Bowl week to share an extraordinary story of perseverance and athletic excellence. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes during his junior year of high school, Narveson didn't let this life-changing diagnosis derail his NFL dreams. Discover how cutting-edge technology, including the Omnipod in...
Feb 10, 2025•24 min•Ep. 254
