Science for Sport Podcast

• 289: What Sport Teaches Us About Leadership, Culture & the Human Mind

  This week, host Richard Graves welcomes David Mead, former professional rugby league star turned business leader, to discuss one of the most challenging transitions in sport, life after professional competition. Over a 14-year professional career, David represented the Gold Coast Titans, Brisbane Broncos, and Catalan Dragons, as well as Papua New Guinea on the international stage. Today, he channels the lessons learned from elite sport into helping corporate teams and organisations build courage, respect, and accountability. In this episode, David offers a deeply personal and insightful look at the highs and lows of professional sport, the mental and emotional adjustment that comes with retirement, and how athletes can successfully navigate the shift to a new identity beyond the game. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: * What it takes to transition successfully from professional sport to life after competition * How to find identity and purpose once the playing days are over * The emotional and psychological challenges of retirement, and how to handle them * The importance of structure, support networks, and mindset for post-career success * Lessons from sport that translate directly into leadership and team performance in business * Why maintaining community, health, and balance is vital for long-term wellbeing ** About David Mead** David Mead is a former NRL and Super League player who represented Papua New Guinea, the Gold Coast Titans, Brisbane Broncos, and Catalan Dragons over a decorated 16-year career. Since retiring, David has become a business owner and performance coach, working with corporate and sporting organisations to instil the values of courage, respect, and accountability. SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 * ​ 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

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• 288: How Scotland Built a Fitter, Faster, Stronger Rugby Team

  This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Stuart Yule, Head of Physical Performance with the Scotland national rugby team. Stuart’s career has spanned elite roles in football, hockey, and judo, before moving into rugby where he’s been a driving force behind Glasgow Warriors’ success and Scotland’s rise on the international stage. Drawing on his unique background as a Commonwealth Games athlete, physiotherapist, and S&C coach, Stuart shares powerful insights into developing players who can thrive at the very highest level. This episode gives a rare behind-the-scenes look at how Scottish Rugby has evolved over the past decade and what it takes to prepare athletes to perform on the international stage. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How Stuart’s unique journey, from weightlifting in his dad’s garage to competing for Scotland – shaped his approach to performance. * The key differences between preparing players at club vs. international level. * Why alignment across national pathways has been critical to Scotland’s success. * How Scottish Rugby has raised physical standards and created a culture of continual improvement. * Lessons from other sports (including judo, athletics, and AFL) that are now embedded in rugby performance. * The importance of technical mastery, co-created training programmes, and athlete ownership in achieving world-class results. * How Scotland are preparing physically to compete with the best rugby nations in the world. About Stuart Yule Stuart Yule is Head of Physical Performance with the Scotland national rugby team. A two-time Commonwealth Games competitor in weightlifting, Stuart’s career spans physiotherapy, strength & conditioning, and high-performance coaching. He has worked across football, hockey, and judo before joining Glasgow Warriors, where he played a pivotal role in their domestic and European success. Since 2017, Stuart has been a cornerstone of the Scotland national setup under Head Coach Gregor Townsend, helping raise performance standards and prepare players for the demands of test rugby. SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 * ​ 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

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• 287: Data With Purpose: How the Houston Texans Use Sports Science to Drive Performance

  This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Marc Lewis, Director of Applied Sports Science at the Houston Texans. Marc’s journey is anything but conventional. From a childhood in foster care, to serving as an airborne infantry soldier in the U.S. Army, to becoming one of the leading voices in applied sports science in the NFL. He shares how his military discipline shaped his academic career, how he built his own sports science role from the ground up, and what it’s like to apply evidence-based practice in one of the world’s most demanding sporting environments. For practitioners working in professional sport, this episode offers practical insights into building effective systems, working collaboratively across disciplines, and making better decisions with data. *** In this episode, you’ll learn:** * How Marc transitioned from the U.S. Army into academia and ultimately the NFL. * Why strong foundations in research methods, measurement, and statistics are critical for sports scientists. * How to build sports science systems that connect data collection directly to decision-making. * The importance of collaboration across strength & conditioning, athletic training, and coaching. * How subjective monitoring can sometimes outweigh objective data when it comes to understanding athletes. * Why effective communication—and translating data into a language coaches understand—is essential for buy-in. * The role of culture, systems, and people in making technology truly effective. * Where Marc sees the next big leap in sports science, including the impact of artificial intelligence. About Marc Lewis Marc Lewis, PhD, is the Director of Applied Sports Science at the Houston Texans. His career spans military service, academia, and professional sport: * Former airborne infantry soldier in the U.S. Army. * Earned a PhD in Exercise Physiology at Virginia Tech, where he pioneered one of the university’s first applied sports science roles. * Held leadership positions at Virginia Tech football and Penn State University in applied health and performance science. * Joined the Houston Texans in 2023, where he leads the sports science department, developing integrated systems to support athlete performance and recovery. * Co-author of The Sports Science Handbook: A Blueprint for Better Decision-Making in Sport, written with Adam Virgil (Los Angeles Clippers). Marc is passionate about connecting research with practice, building systems that enhance decision-making, and pushing the boundaries of sports science in high-performance environments. SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 * ​ 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

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• 286: NFL’s Digital Athlete – How Data is Transforming Player Health & Safety

  This week, host Richard Graves is joined by two leading figures driving innovation in sport: Dr Mackenzie Herzog, VP of Player Health & Safety and Strategic Innovation at the NFL Julie Souza, Global Head of Sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS) Together, they explore the groundbreaking NFL Digital Athlete, a data-driven platform reshaping how the league prevents injuries, enhances performance, and safeguards the long-term health of its players. This episode offers a rare look behind the scenes at how one of the world’s biggest sports organisations is using advanced analytics, computer vision, and machine learning to transform player welfare. In this episode, you’ll learn: How the NFL Digital Athlete creates a 360° view of every player by combining wearable, video, and performance data The role of AWS in processing 500 million+ data points per week to power injury prevention and performance insights How data modelling led to rule changes like the dynamic kickoff and banning hip-drop tackles to reduce injuries How computer vision is used to track player pose and limb position to identify mechanisms of injury How concussion risk has dropped thanks to position-specific helmets and guardian caps Why player and coach buy-in has been crucial for the success of data-driven safety initiatives How the Digital Athlete model is now influencing college football, global sport, and even other industries About Dr Mackenzie Herzog Dr Mackenzie Herzog is the Vice President of Player Health & Safety and Strategic Innovation at the NFL. She leads the league’s efforts to reduce injuries, improve player health outcomes, and integrate cutting-edge technology and analytics into performance and safety strategies. Mackenzie has overseen the creation and implementation of the NFL Digital Athlete, spearheading collaborations with partners such as AWS to harness data for player health and safety advancements across the league. About Julie Souza Julie Souza is the Global Head of Sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where she partners with leading sports organisations to leverage cloud technology, machine learning, and data analytics to transform athlete performance, fan engagement, and operational efficiency. Julie has played a pivotal role in AWS’s collaboration with the NFL, powering the Digital Athlete platform and pioneering innovations like next-gen stats, optical tracking, and large-scale injury risk modelling. SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ 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

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

  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. SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ 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

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