Ian is currently the Head of High Performance at Port Adelaide FC where he leads an impressive group of sports medicine, sports science and strength and conditioning professionals. Ian is now heading into his 8th season within the AFL at Port Adelaide having previously worked as the Head of Athletic Development. Originally from Northern Ireland where he worked as a strength and conditioning coach for the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland he headed to Australia in 2009 to coach at the Australian Institute of Sport and ACTAS, and to complete his PhD. His areas of interest in research include the assessment of athletic development and movement ability and epitomise Ian’s passion for coaching and ensuring the rigour of performance science is utilised within daily practices to improve athleticism and on-field performance.

QUOTES

“My coaching career started along time before I started strength & conditioning with coaching junior sport”

“I couldn’t give a toss about a 3RM or vertical jump going up before I give a toss about how well they move”

“You coach your best when you’ve thought of it yourself rather just being mindlessly lead down a path”

“My elevator speech for being athletic would be move well and lift the shit out of things”

SHOW NOTES

1) Ian’s journey from Northern Ireland to ACTAS/AIS to Port Adelaide

2) Applying a science to how well athletes move – the genesis of the Athletic Ability Assessment

3) The athletic progression of AFL players at Port Adelaide FC

4) A game week in Port Adelaide FC

5) The management of performance staff and the importance of being vulnerable and honest

6) On the bookshelf

7) Dribbles - Macker's A-HA moment!

PEOPLE MENTIONED

Phil Moreland

Julian Jones

Kelvin Giles

David Pyne

David Martin

Nick Richardson