Tom and I discuss the pillars that make up a successful team/organisation (Hard work, trust, hard training, and leadership) and how they all work together. We discuss how he find his own confidence through preparation and planning within an ever-demanding industry. In an industry where identity is defined by your skill, Tom has created his identity around his own personal core values. Tom’s work as a coach is represented through his core principles in how he programs on the field and in the gym, how he presents himself as a professional, and even through all the administration work he is responsible for.

Tom touches on the topic of trust. Tom is very passionate about sticking to his work, and he demands the same from everyone he works with. If he cannot trust his athletes, or fellow staff member, then he cannot do his job to the best potential. This can be a vital point in making a successful culture within a team or workplace.

Tom reveals how is struggles with being away from family during long tours and away trip. And dealing with fixture changes and quarantine over the last year has made is even harder. But Tom shares how he finds the ocean as a method of therapy to help him deal with being away from family. Being able to walk to the beach and dip his legs in every day or so goes a long way.

Furthermore, we talk about the importance of maintaining your own physical training as a practitioner within the high-performance sports industry. Even on away trips, Tom works hard to keep himself fit. Tom is not one to take the easy option, regarding both his work and his own training.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-reddin-663a4336/

This weeks episode is the content from the Athletes Authority ON AIR podcast, talking to Christian Woodford and Kerryn Melissa of Woodford Sports Science Consulting. This episode details the rise, fall and rebirth of Woodford Sports Science Consulting in an extremely powerful, raw and open conversation on how Christian quickly rose as a figurehead in the Private Sector in Australia to 4 facilities within a few years to ultimately quitting the industry while in rehab, to the rebirth of Woodford.

Athletes Authority

- @athletesauthority

- https://athletesauthority.com.au

Christian Woodford

- https://christianwoodford.com

- @coachwoodford, @woodfordssc

Michael details how mental health is related to performance. Not just for the clients and athletes he deals with, but also for himself. Michael mentions how important identity is with regards to performance and mental health. The identity of an athlete is to perform, and sometime when performed is hindered for whatever reason, the mental health of the athlete may be at risk. This can be linked with any profession, especially that within the high-performance industry. Physios, S+C coaches, and even sports psychologists link their profession to their identity, and when being made redundant, or when good results aren’t coming through, this identity can be question, which is hard for some practitioners to have to deal with.

Michael and I discuss the issue of speaking out about mental health for athletes and practitioners within high performance sport, and why this is still such  an issue. It has since improved over the years, but society still has a long way to go. We link this to the recent high-profile stories of Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles. Michael mentions the idea of ‘mental breaks’ being incorporated in professional athletes’ routines, which I believe to be very necessary.

Additionally, we touch on the idea that confidence in oneself is derived from the effort and practice you put in. Simple tools and techniques to get a ‘quick-fix’ of confidence may not be ideal. Where true confidence is built up over time through practice.

And finally, Michael reveals how he tries to be as present as possible when at work. He puts all his energy and effort into his clients and employees, without any other outside factors intruding on that. This trait is very commendable and shows how Michael has built his own wellness system to help him deal with his own pressures, so that he can give the best service possible.

https://themindroom.com.au

https://instagram.com/themindroom?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelinglis/

In this episode, John shares his struggles as he battled through a personal issue and a health tragedy that took him away from his work. John was very open and honest for this chat in which I am very grateful.

John was told to experience the world first before becoming a teacher. He is from a small town that knew nothing about AFL, and yet his ended up being a high-performance manager for a top AFL team under Kevin Sheedy. John highlighted the fact that Sheedy didn’t want him there because of his knowledge on AFL, but on how to get the players fit and strong. The Bombers dominance in 2000 spoke for itself. Years later he found himself in starting up a new AFL team back in NSW.

John talks about his experiences setting up the GWS giants. He was honoured to be a part of history, setting a culture, and working among other very talented practitioners. They were going up against teams that have decades of history, while John and the boys were having meetings in the local RSL and trained on half decent fields. But look at the club now!

John is incredibly candid about his battle through his autoimmune disease, which took him away from work for some time. After an emotional trip to Tokyo having overcome the unthinkable, he promised himself a set of goals to achieve. Now having a chat with me, in quarantine, after returned to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics as a coach, he has achieved one of his many goals. John asserts that he has never worked a day in his life. He loves what he does and views his work as enjoyment more than anything else. John is a very well-spoken and influential figure within the industry, and I hope you get a lot out of this episode.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-quinn-b9915235/?originalSubdomain=au

https://www.quinnelitesports.com.au

https://twitter.com/JQuinn_01?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Nathan and I talk about the issue of being present and productive while working at home. So many practitioners within the high-performance industry are obviously used to going into a facility for their day-to-day work activities. Combining your home and work environments can be a bit of a struggle for some, especially for those who have families. Nathan touches on the fact that his daughter and family are the most important thing to him. But because of the current circumstance, his productive mind acts as a voice in his head that constantly pressure him to be doing work instead of spending quality time with his family.

Nathan was vulnerable and honest about his present state of mind. He is a coach that would do anything for his athletes, while also making decisions that are best for his family. Nathan discusses a situation where he turned down a NBL job after initially accepting the job.

Nathans experience as a collegiate athlete has helped him become the coach he is today. He has learned from his own coaches over in America and has built his own core coaching values surrounding enjoyment of the game of basketball.

Being productive and finding a mentor is something that Nathan highly recommends for up-and-coming coaches. Nathan has had amazing mentors throughout his time as a coach. Building a network within any industry is paramount for growth, and doing it early is key to success.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-cooper-brown-711011b8/

https://twitter.com/coachncb?lang=en

https://basketballvictoria.com.au/team_member/nathan-cooper-brown/

Ever had a bad day? When you think everything just isn’t going your way and the whole world is out to get you. You had an argument at home, work isn’t going smoothly, or maybe you spilt your morning coffee on the carpet. Danny and I discuss what exactly defines a bad day, and how a bad day for us could be the best day ever for someone else in the world.

Danny and I discussed the topic of time vs reward and how university degrees have become at times become a simple ticket to get a foot in the door with some professional club/teams/organisations. Internships as a necessity outside of university. A University degree is invaluable, but Danny asserts that it is what you do after the degree and the experiences you have that really cement your spot in an organisation. Danny talks about how things have changed and admits that it is harder these days to be able to make it in the industry. The mindset where we think we should be rewarded for our time is now rare. Danny talks about how it’s so much important to be rewarded for what you do with that time.

Danny has this deep passion of helping people, which is becoming a common trait among support personnel and practitioners within high-performance sport. Aside from his love for th game, this passion for helping people is the fundamental reason why Danny is a professional football coach.

Danny shares his views on educating young athletes early in order to keep them accountable, get them used to senior football, but more importantly, to fall in love with the game at a young age.

The mental aspects to make it at the top level have changed and Danny believed that preparing them to be mentally resilient is a key component in development football.

We also discuss the topic of having difficult conversations. Danny admits that he has once tried to avoid these but has since learnt how avoiding them will only have a knock-on effect. Having tough conversations with athletes and important figures can be tough, but it’s part of the role and takes experience and a strong character to address these ethically and efficiently.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-graystone-36709934/

Sam shares his own path through self-development and self-learning as he progresses through his career. He’s a big advocate of continued learning within the industry and believes that anyone should ‘enjoy the process’ as they progress through their own learning.

We discuss the benefits of conscious breathing. Sam operates a program down in Mornington called ‘The Monkey Movement’ which is an exercise and wellness program to help benefit the health and wellbeing of the local community. As part of this program, they include breathing practices down by the beach, which are accompanied by meditation and hydrotherapy techniques. Sam and his crew have had an amazing response and I would recommend getting down to one of his sessions by the beach.

Additionally, we touch on the typical ‘blokes’ attitude’ where men believe they can overcome anxious feelings by simply getting over it, or letting it bottle up inside. We talk about how this is a toxic way to go about dealing with mental health issues, and how seeking support from family and friends is so important.

https://www.facebook.com/The-Monkey-Movement-105603981146268/

https://instagram.com/crawfrat32?utm_medium=copy_link

https://instagram.com/themonkeymovement?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.themonkeymovement.com

Jerome and I touch on the topic of confidence. To operate successfully within the physio industry, practitioners such as Jerome need to have confidence in themselves to effectively provide a service. Jerome also shares the differences and similarities of the confidence he takes into his practice as well as his own training as a sprint athlete.

Furthermore, we go on to talk about empathy burnout. This is a common type of burnout for support personnel within the sport and exercise industry. Putting others before themselves is a common trait, but at times it can come at the risk of the practitioners own health. From past episodes we have learnt the importance of saying no, now Jerome adds to that and discusses his point of view on this specific type of burnout.

Jerome also mentions his experience with the imposter syndrome when he first started in the industry. Are we ever good enough? Do we set our own expectations too high? These questions can cause stress and anxiety for some practitioners, which is not ideal when trying to work within a high-performance setting. Jerome discusses how to delt with his anxiety regarding the imposter syndrome.

And finally, Jerome provides some excellent advice for some up-and-coming practitioners/students, but his advice on journaling is a highlight. Jerome provides details on why he uses a journal, how he uses it effectively, and how it can be used by everyone to suit their own needs.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerome-lugo-2168bb190/?trk=public_profile_browsemap_mini-profile_title&originalSubdomain=au

https://www.srspc.com.au/about-us

https://instagram.com/jerome.lugo?utm_medium=copy_link

Dr Mckay and I discuss the topic of Mental toughness within the practice of physiotherapy. This surrounds the themes of being strong while performing the tasks involved with the job, but also being tough and resilient when away from home and family for quite some time. Dr Mckay has recently returned home from the Tokyo Olympic games with the Australia Women’ Basketball team. And after a prolonged period in isolation, she describes how being resilient has never been more important.

We also discuss the role women play in the industry. Dr Mckay shared her thoughts on what she considers a female dominated industry, now trying to make it within male sports. Throughout her career, she has had no issues getting female mentors or getting jobs, but now she admits that it can be hard for young female physios who are trying to get in men’s sports such as the AFL. They must work doubly hard to be accepted. The WNBL, WAFL and women’s soccer are coming as an evolution so will eventually bridge this gap within the industry.

Adding onto her time with the Opals, Dr Mckay stresses the point that she is there to support the athletes without question. Her role might not be to coach or mentally support the athletes, but she understands that she always needs to be ready to talk and be another support network. Especially away on tours. Dr Mckay high advocates the necessity of a sports psychologist to be a part of a high-performance team. Throughout her journey with the Opals and in the WNBL, she has been able to recognise signs and symptoms of mental deterioration within the athletes as they battle to perform. So, the need for a sports psychologist is paramount.

https://www.alphingtonsportsmed.com.au/category/tags/gaylene-mckay

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylene-mckay-8374bb86/?originalSubdomain=au

Michael and I discuss his experience of being made redundant at a young age and how he overcame the struggles during that time. Now in the education sector within a well-known sporting organisation in Australia, Michael shares how never giving up can lead to success.

Michael also shares some important information regarding performance psychology, as he walks me through the link between physical and psychological functioning, and how its hard to perform optimally when you’re struggling internally.

Michael and I also discuss the ever-troubling topic of the pursuit for perfection. Both as an athlete and as a practitioner within the high-performance industry. He suggests regular necessary breaks from everyone trying to be perfect, as we tend to neglect the small wins of the past and forget to celebrate many achievements.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-chiovitti-b98817125/

https://richmondinstitute.com.au/our-team/michael-chiovitti/