Inform Performance

Sports Performance Leadership - Jeremy Sheppard: Character First: Leading Beyond the Hierarchy


Listen Later

Episode 201: In this episode of the Sports Performance Leadership Podcast, hosted by Pete McKnight, we are joined by Jeremy Sheppard — an internationally respected performance coach, sport scientist, and leader in athlete development.

Jeremy has spent over two decades working at the highest levels of sport, from the Australian Institute of Sport to Canada Snowboard, where he currently serves as Performance Coach within the Slopestyle program. His work integrates movement, mindset, and medicine, creating high-performing environments where athletes thrive.

Across his career, Jeremy has held key roles with Surfing Australia, Australian Volleyball, and consulted with organisations including the New York Jets, Newcastle United FC, and Melbourne Storm. Having contributed to athlete success at eight Olympic Games, multiple X Games, and World Championships, his experience spans continents, cultures, and disciplines.

In this conversation, Jeremy offers deep reflections on leadership, authenticity, and performance — exploring how character, creativity, and relationships drive sustainable achievement in sport and beyond.

Topics Discussed:
  • Background & Career Journey — From athlete to sports scientist/coach, working at Australian Institute of Sport and Canada Snowboard
  • Character as Leadership Foundation — Character drives behaviour and sustainable achievement; contrasting childhood influences shaped this philosophy
  • Anti-Hierarchical Leadership — Dynamic team structures, circular decision-making, “captain in the dressing room” approach, leadership shifts based on context
  • Personal Before Team Leadership — Self-development and authentic identity required before effectively leading others
  • Team Development — Empowering autonomy, creating belonging, working with limited resources through creativity and relationships
  • Redefining Success — Success as behaviours matching values rather than outcomes; process over results focus
  • Where you can find Jeremy:

    • LinkedIn

    • Instagram

    • X
    • Sponsors

      VALD 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. 

      Where to Find Us

      Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

      • Instagram
      • Twitter
      • Our Website
      • -

        Our Team

        • Andy McDonald
        • Ben Ashworth
        • Alistair McKenzie
        • Dylan Carmody
        • Steve Barrett 
        • Pete McKnight
        • ...more
          View all episodesView all episodes
          Download on the App Store

          Inform PerformanceBy Andy McDonald

          • 5
          • 5
          • 5
          • 5
          • 5

          5

          40 ratings


          More shows like Inform Performance

          View all
          The Strength Coach Podcast by Anthony Renna

          The Strength Coach Podcast

          238 Listeners

          Pacey Performance Podcast by Robert Pacey

          Pacey Performance Podcast

          63 Listeners

          The Rugby Pod by The Ringer

          The Rugby Pod

          342 Listeners

          Just Fly Performance Podcast by Joel Smith, Just-Fly-Sports.com

          Just Fly Performance Podcast

          370 Listeners

          Founders by David Senra

          Founders

          2,161 Listeners

          WHOOP Podcast by WHOOP

          WHOOP Podcast

          650 Listeners

          The High Performance Podcast by High Performance

          The High Performance Podcast

          604 Listeners

          JOSPT Insights by JOSPT

          JOSPT Insights

          81 Listeners

          The Good, The Bad & The Rugby by Folding Pocket

          The Good, The Bad & The Rugby

          235 Listeners

          Physio Network by Physio Network

          Physio Network

          33 Listeners

          Rio Ferdinand Presents by Rio Ferdinand Presents

          Rio Ferdinand Presents

          86 Listeners

          Two Coaches & a Coffee by Darren Burgess & Jason Weber

          Two Coaches & a Coffee

          2 Listeners

          Coach Em Up Podcast by Tim Riley

          Coach Em Up Podcast

          61 Listeners

          The Energy Equation by High Performance

          The Energy Equation

          2 Listeners

          The Room Where It Happened by High Performance

          The Room Where It Happened

          6 Listeners