Episode 194: In this episode of the Sports Performance Leadership Podcast, hosted by Pete McKnight, we are joined by Mark Adamoulas — a performance leader whose 20-year career has spanned across sport, education, and the corporate world.
Mark’s track record is both diverse and exceptional: he has worked with Manchester United, the FA, Red Bull, and numerous global corporates, supporting C-suite leaders, Premier League managers, Olympic gold medalists, and VC/PE companies. His mixed heritage and multilingual background allow him to connect authentically with people from varied cultures and contexts, bridging high-performance environments across industries and geographies.
As co-founder of coachup, Mark leads on coach development, bringing the latest behavioural science into the world of sports coaching. Where traditional coaching development often focuses on skills, drills, and tactics, Mark and his team shine a spotlight on the most critical driver of sustained success: the team environment.
Mark’s background — Greek heritage, move to the UK, and path into sports psychologyProfessional experience — Work with Manchester United, the FA, Rugby League, Red Bull, and moreCoachUp — Neuroscience-based psychometric tools for team functionThe Infinity Model — Core pillars for building high-performance environmentsPractical applications — Lessons from the Crusaders and elite teams worldwideBenefits for leaders — Improving team alignment, collaboration, and performanceBarriers — Overcoming skepticism, poor prior assessment experiences, ego and fear of feedbackEvidence base — Validation by Oxford and Harvard neuroscientistsLeadership ecosystems — Why building systems matters more than hiring experts aloneFuture trends — Rising pressures on athletes and staff, and the urgent need for better psychological environmentsCall to action — How leaders can engage with CoachUp in both sport and corporate settingsThis conversation delivers a rare insight into the science and practice of team performance, blending psychology, neuroscience, and leadership to show how high-performing cultures are built — and sustained — in today’s most demanding environments.
LinkedInCoachUpResearch GateVALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training
Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.
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InstagramTwitterOur WebsiteAndy McDonaldBen AshworthAlistair McKenzieDylan CarmodySteve Barrett Pete McKnight