Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Discover the art of transitioning from a specialist role to leading a high-performance department with insights inspired by the timeless wisdom of Sun Tzu. As Darren explores Europe, I take the reins to share personal experiences and practical advice on navigating this challenging professional journey. We begin with a deep dive into the importance of self-awareness, introspection, and defining your personal philosophy. Prepare your...
Oct 08, 2024•39 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Can public criticism impact a football club's performance? Join us on "Two Coaches and a Coffee" where we tackle the intricate world of managing training loads in professional soccer. Sparked by Paul Scholes' recent comments on Manchester United's fitness, we unpack the ripple effects such critiques have on performance directors and their teams. Drawing from our own rich experiences in top football clubs, we navigate the challengin...
Oct 01, 2024•25 min•Season 2Ep. 32
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! What goes through a coach's mind when deciding if an injured player should compete in a high-stakes game? Join us as we explore this critical question with Darren Burgess and Jason Weber, delving into real-life examples like Callum Mills' fitness dilemma and historical cases involving Phil Davis and Stephen May. We'll discuss the fine line between player readiness and long-term health, drawing from our own experiences with grand fi...
Sep 27, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 31
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Can you imagine a world where managing player fatigue could significantly reduce injuries in professional sports? Today, we're tackling this critical issue head-on with insights from Darren Burgess and Jason Webber. We'll start by dissecting the AFL's off-season buzz, including player trades and how the Adelaide Crows are handling the tumultuous "silly season." Then, we shift gears to the NFL, scrutinizing the early rounds marred b...
Sep 24, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 30
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Ever wondered what goes into a detailed post-season review for an AFL team? This episode provides an inside look at the Adelaide Crows' meticulous three-week evaluation process, comparing it to how other leagues, like the EPL, manage transitions. We'll take you through the thorough job interview process for key positions at the Crows, including the head of sports science role that Alec Buttfield secured due to his outstanding crede...
Sep 12, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Ever wondered how to keep your athletes in top shape without pushing them to the brink? Join us as we welcome back Darren on Two Coaches and a Coffee, where we unpack the significance of maintaining an average speed of 80 meters per minute during training sessions. You'll discover the origins of this metric and its practical applications in sports like AFL and soccer, gaining insights into how it helps build aerobic capacity. We al...
Sep 05, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Can meticulous training strategies really make or break a team’s season? Join me, Jason Webber, as I navigate the fine line between fitness and fatigue in the realm of elite athletics. With Darren Burgess temporarily away, I dive deep into the critical aspects of athlete preparation, particularly as the season reaches its climax. Learn how the science of training impulse can predict and manage fitness gains, and discover why recove...
Aug 29, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! What if your team's late-season surge could be the key to clinching a top spot? This week on Two Coaches and a Coffee, we promise to unravel the secrets behind the Hawthorne Hawks' unexpected rise and explore the crucial tactics that are shaping the AFL's final round. From high-speed sprints to strategic player management, we dig into the game data and decision-making that are keeping fans on the edge of their seats. We'll also shi...
Aug 24, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Unlock the secrets of elite athletic performance as we journey through the world of Australian sports. We promise you'll gain valuable insights into the rigorous training regimens that keep athletes at the top of their game. Featuring a captivating conversation with Damien Marsh, head of strength and conditioning for the Wallabies, we compare the grueling demands faced by rugby and rugby league players. Get a firsthand account of t...
Aug 18, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Ever wondered how top-tier sports teams maintain their edge? Discover the secrets behind cohesive staffing and unified team direction in our latest episode of Two Coaches and a Coffee. We kick off by sharing lessons from our visits to various football and rugby clubs, revealing why money isn't always the key to success. Instead, it's the skilled and context-aware practitioners who make the difference. Listen as we unpack the challe...
Aug 08, 2024•20 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Are you ready to unlock the secrets to staying ahead in sports science and strength conditioning? This episode is your key to understanding the importance of continuous learning and skill development. As I journey through the UK, I reflect on how younger professionals may fall into complacency, risking their growth. Drawing inspiration from legends like Charlie Francis and Derek Hansen, I underline the necessity of blending academi...
Jul 30, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Ever wondered how top-down leadership can sculpt an environment for elite performance, whether on the field or in the military? Join me, Jason Webber, on One Coach and a Coffee as I recount my recent consulting adventures with a military group and my exciting engagements with multiple football teams, including an upcoming session with Liverpool's women's team. You'll hear about the critical influence of leadership on culture and hi...
Jul 25, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Ever wondered how elite athletes manage to stay at peak performance right before the most crucial matches of their careers? Join us on "Two Coaches and a Coffee" as we uncover the secrets behind the English football team's advance to the European finals. We share insights from our personal experiences in the Rugby World Cup 2003 and AFL finals, offering a rich discussion on the balancing act of training intensity and recovery. Disc...
Jul 11, 2024•23 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! What's the secret behind the electrifying performances of Cirque du Soleil's gravity-defying artists? Explore the fascinating world of elite athletic training with us as we focus on Alexei, a young contortionist, and his journey from childhood dedication to mastering incredible body-weight strength. Our conversation bridges this unique artistry to high-demand sports like AFL, emphasizing how athletes manage intense schedules and ba...
Jul 03, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Ever wondered how contrasting training methods shape athletes? Join us on Two Coaches and a Coffee as we unpack the secrets behind strength training approaches in sports with exclusive insights from Dave Tenney. In this episode, we compare the unstructured, resilience-building play styles of South American footballers with the precision-focused, structured training models in Australia. Hear firsthand experiences from the MLS and di...
Jun 26, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Ever wondered how the Boston Celtics maintain their dominance on the court? Uncover the secrets behind their success as we dissect how Coach Coles and performance expert Jace Delaney have crafted a system rooted in consistency and process. Drawing insightful parallels with the Sydney Swans in the AFL, we explore why stability triumphs over constant upheaval in coaching. Our discussion highlights how establishing sustainable systems...
Jun 20, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! What happens when the high-performance manager of an AFL team faces the relentless pressures of a turbulent season? Join us on this gripping episode of Two Coaches and a Coffee as we sit down with Darren Burgess from Adelaide Crows. Darren, with his wealth of experience from top EPL clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal, opens up about navigating the stressful landscape of media scrutiny, critical injuries, and the departure of key staf...
Jun 14, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Ever wondered who holds the key to a successful athlete's comeback from injury? Join us as we bring Darren Burgess and Jason Weber to the table to dissect this pressing question. You'll learn why they believe the ultimate rehab experts are those who blend medical acumen with strength and conditioning prowess. From amusing anecdotes to a deep dive into running mechanics, this episode promises a holistic view on getting athletes back...
Jun 06, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Is sports science keeping pace with the evolving demands of modern football? With Darren Burgess in the UK, Jason Weber flies solo to explore how sports science must continuously adapt to the game's changing nature. This episode bridges conversations from the EPL, AFL, and NFL, offering a comprehensive look at how different seasons and leagues impact gameplay and injury rates. Jason also shares his latest research on analyzing oppo...
May 30, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Could shortening AFL games be the key to reducing player injuries? Tune in as Darren and I dissect the current AFL injury epidemic, weighing the merits of a controversial proposal to decrease game time. Amid the intense physical demands akin to those in NFL, we examine the surge in load-related injuries and concussions, and the potential impact of shorter games. Pivotal to our debate is the conundrum performance coaches face juggli...
May 22, 2024•19 min
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Sipping a gin from Western Australia, I couldn't help but think of the glamor versus the reality of work travel, a theme that surfaces throughout our chat. Co-host Darren Burgess joins me, fresh from a Singaporean encounter, to dissect both the visible and behind-the-scenes intricacies of sports—ranging from player performance to the holistic methods shaping modern sports medicine. As we unpack the delicate matter of Connor Rozee's...
May 10, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Can shunning the weight room actually shield athletes from injury, or does it rob them of peak performance? Newcastle's Anthony Gordon seems to think so, but this episode digs deeper into the complex world of strength training in professional sports. We tackle the debate head-on, contrasting Gordon's weightlifting aversion with insights from industry giants like Chelsea's former manager, who champion a more natural approach to fitn...
May 02, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Dive into the world of athletic excellence with Darren and I as we dissect the nuanced science of periodization in athletic training. We discuss the dynamic interplay between competitive sports schedules and strategic training adaptations. We'll uncover how the preordained sports calendar can both facilitate and hinder an athlete's journey to peak performance, especially in the grueling run-up to an AFL season. Darren's firsthand e...
Apr 25, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Ever wondered who's really at the helm when it comes to managing the wellbeing of top-tier athletes? Alongside the esteemed Darren Burgess, we peel back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes drama and the intricate tapestry of responsibilities that high-performance teams juggle in the AFL. Facing a storm of injuries and public scrutiny, we candidly share the heat that comes with the territory and argue the case for broader accountab...
Apr 17, 2024•30 min
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Darren and Jason explore the delicate dance between peak conditioning and injury prevention, taking cues from Giannis Antetokounmpo's calf scare, shedding light on the deceptive nature of low-intensity activities. We discuss on the critical speeds that place undue stress on an athlete's calf musculature, and understand why knowing each athlete's response to training is foundational for crafting injury prevention strategies. There i...
Apr 11, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! Embark with me, Jason Weber, on a solo flight where we'll unravel the intricacies of creating a training philosophy that's as resilient as it is dynamic. With Darren Burgess away at an AFL event, I dissect the core of what makes us tick professionally across strength and conditioning, rehab, and physiotherapy arenas. As we traverse the nuances of cultivating a successful approach to professional growth, I'll share personal anecdote...
Apr 05, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! In this episode we discuss some real-life decision making around ACL return to play, the day-to-day interactions and challenges of staff in a high performance environment and offer a few insights on developing rehabilitation skills for young practitioners. SpeedSig Intro Sponsored by SPEEDSIG.com
Mar 28, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! We're back! Time has been pretty tight for both of us, but Darren and I are back on deck. In this episode we have a recap on the tendon issues across multiple sports and Darren puts me under the microscope for how I might manage a challenging tendon in-season. We also discuss bringing a team "up" in-season and the way to manage it in context to the season, and touch on a few areas of development for young coaches. SpeedSig Intro Sp...
Mar 20, 2024•27 min
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! This is a special episode of Two Coaches & a Coffee. While Darren deals with Round 1 of AFL, Jason has a brew with Terrance Kennell, Director of Football Science and Speed from the University of South Florida. Standby for something a little different. For the video version check out https://vimeo.com/showcase/speedsig. SpeedSig Intro Sponsored by SPEEDSIG.com...
Mar 19, 2024•39 min
Drop us a message and let us know what you'd like us to discuss! The catch-up session. SpeedSig Intro Sponsored by SPEEDSIG.com
Mar 12, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 4
