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Pete is one of the leading sports physiotherapist and medical service managers in Australia. Having spent over 2 decades as part of an incredible sports medicine team at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) during its glory years, Pete has also gone on to work in leading roles with Cricket Australia, Swimming Australia and as Head Physiotherapist/Head of Medical Services for 2 different AFL clubs with the Essendon Bombers and the Brisbane Lions. This is a rare and insightful conversation with an often understated yet exceptional sports medicine practitioner with over 40 years experience at the pinnacle of high performance sports in Australia. 

Highlights from the episode…

• Growing up in rural Queensland how Pete was able to get his first role in sport with the Geelong Cats FC in the VFL.
• How Pete secured a role with the AIS alongside Australia's pioneers in sports medicine, including Craig Purdum who arguably was the first full time physio working in sport in Australia.
• What the early days at the AIS were like. Pete describes the team as being a bunch of “Cowboys” who’s work in sports science and sports medicine went on to be world renowned.
• “Noggins” ’it’s significance when it comes to injury prevention and what the hell is a Noggin!
• Even though he has a background in biomechanics, why Pete says biomechanics may not be as important as we thought when it comes to injury risk profiling and prevention.
• “Resting a player is not a decision that doesn’t come with consequences”. Why resting players may be detrimental to injury prevention.
• How Pete transitioned from the AIS to Cricket Australia and what he learnt during his time with Australia’s number 1 sport.
• How Pete got a role with Essendon Bombers on the back of the clubs drug controversy.
• “Players don’t get better laying on beds”. An alternative approach to injury management that him and his team used at the Brisbane Lions that is widely adopted across the AFL today.
• The cardinal sin in sports medicine is injuries, Pete discusses why you shouldn't fear injuries when working in professional sport.
• In an industry filled with uncertainty around injuries, wins/losses, performances etc. how Pete was able to portray certainty when communicating with players, high performance staff and coaches.
• “It’s easy to sell fear!” Contrarian thinking and how as practitioners we should question our approach to injury management. 
• “What happens on the field is not mutually exclusive to what happens off the field”. How variables detached from an injury can impact the success of return to sport.
• Outside of Pete’s clinical skills what other attributes has Pete found essential when working with elite athletes.

People mentioned:

• Craig Purdam: https://www.ersportsphysio.com.au/staff/craig-purdam/
• Justin Crow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justincrow/
• Selwyn Griffith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selwyn-griffith-83466439/
• Andrew Crowell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcrowelllions/?originalSubdomain=au

Peter Blanch contact details: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-blanch-50900b106/

Host: Luis Resa

Contact me on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
• Email: [email protected]

Thanks for listening and please leave a review. If you would like more information on anything mentioned in this episode simply send me an email.