Today we have the honor of interviewing Ralph Pethica , the CEO of Genetrainer, a data & personalization platform for professional sports teams.

Genetrainer builds bespoke performance software systems for professional sports teams with feature rich platforms that extend from administrative and planning functionalities, to load management and medical.

* Communication: The Genetrainer platform facilitates the acquisition, processing, and correlation of performance data to improve communication and decision making.

* Automation: Automating time consuming and repetitive processes, so that staff spend more time with athletes and less time behind a computer.

Getting the details right wins games. Genetrainer’s mission is to ensure that the right information is available to the right person, at the right time, in order to make the right decision.

No two platforms are the same, and all Genetrainer contracts include dedicated engineering time to customise the platform to your priorities and maximise impact.

Picture: Genetrainer’s dashboard

Customers / partners: Professional sports teams in rugby, soccer and basketball.

📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on his background, his company and product, the benefits of the platform and approach to sports organizations and teams. We also talked about his competitive advantage, business model, and his plans for the next 12 months.

You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Ralph located at the top of this blog post.

Here are the quotes from the interview with Ralph:

Q1. Tell me about your background.

“My background is originally in biology, computer science, and then I did a PhD in what I guess would be considered computational biology and machine learning. And really our focus was on evolution of proteins—understanding evolution on a global scale. I had already been involved with other companies that I'd set up on the way, and I ended up getting involved with Google. So I actually went to work for Google as a product manager during and after my PhD for a while. And then in 2012, I left my job at Google to start the company that I run today—Genetrainer”.

Q2. Tell me about your company and product.

“When we first started this whole project, we were looking at it maybe a bit naively from the outside and thinking, well, the problem today is that we can’t personalize very well to the individual. Coming from the background of being a geneticist and also a Google product manager, you realize the power of personalization when you understand how different people respond—how they recover, how they adapt, even what they eat. Initially, we wanted to use genetics to personalize training and recovery for athletes. But we quickly realized that genetics alone is often only 10% of the story. We are a mix of our genes and our environment. So we began incorporating connected device data, subjective inputs, and other contextual data. That’s when we realized: if personalization is the cherry on the cake, then we needed to build the cake first—which is a system to collect and process data from all relevant sources in order to make better decisions. Fast forward to today, that’s what Genetrainer does.”

Q3. What are the main use cases your solution addresses?

“The goal is always to have the right information with the right person at the right time to make the right decision. There are no silver bullets anymore in high-end sport—it’s not about getting one thing right, it’s about getting all the little details right. Each staff member needs a specific piece of information to improve their decisions. But if you measure everything and show everything to everyone, you get over-interpretation and confusion. So our job is to filter, contextualize, and deliver actionable insights. Another big theme in what we do is automation. Especially for smaller staffs or lower-budget teams, there are repetitive processes—generating reports, processing data—that consume time. We help teams identify and automate those, so practitioners can spend less time behind a screen and more time with their players. That human interaction is often more important than the data itself.”

Q4. What is the state of the AMS market? What are the main challenges?

“We’re seeing a very diverse ecosystem in the AMS space today. When we started in 2012, it was technically difficult to build these platforms. Now it’s easier, so teams can build their own, or they use generic systems, or they just stay in Excel. The problem with generic systems is that they often don’t solve the specific problems teams face. And when teams try to build something in-house, they face recruiting and retention issues, plus lack of breadth to test ideas beyond their own data. We offer something in between—we include custom development with every contract. We’ve also started supporting teams who already have internal devs but need help scaling. Some teams want to host the platform on their own servers. Others have completely white-labeled our product so it becomes part of their own brand. We’re open to sharing codebases and long-term licenses because we believe that’s where the market is going: toward greater control and ownership by teams.”

Q5. What are the benefits for teams and athletes using your AMS solution?

“Every single team has different challenges—some are technical, some are cultural, some are related to the specific demands of the sport. Our whole philosophy is built around adapting to the particular needs of each team. If you try to apply a generic system, it’s really hard to get buy-in from the staff. You lose traction because it doesn’t solve their day-to-day problems. We start every project by asking: What are the specific communication or data challenges here? Then we build around that. It doesn’t mean every team needs a fully bespoke system, but even small adaptations to meet teams where they are can make a massive difference in adoption and impact.”

Q6. What is your competitive advantage?

“One of the things we decided early on is that we would never have tech support people. Everyone talking to teams is either a founder or someone who has been with the project a long time and really understands the system. That’s because the closer you are to your users, the better your product will be. It also means when a team needs something or has a question, they’re speaking to someone who can make a decision and fix it—no bureaucracy. Of course, from a scalability perspective that makes no sense—but we chose that path on purpose. It means we’re closer to the problem, we build better solutions, and we keep improving. Also, we use our own product. I’m doing a triathlon tomorrow morning and all my training data is tracked through the same system. So when we change something, we feel it ourselves immediately.”

Q7. What do teams and customers like most about your solution?

“One of the things teams really value is that we build with them, not just for them. Every contract includes custom development time. Teams can literally say, ‘We need this feature built,’ and we’ll scope it, agree on the delivery date, and make it happen. We even bake specific features into contracts with deadlines—if we don’t deliver, there’s no contract. That level of partnership is rare. On top of that, because they’re working directly with founders and engineers, things get done quickly and they feel heard. They also know we understand the domain deeply—we know what it’s like to be on a high-performance team, to need something now, to have stakes attached to data.”

Q8. Tell me about your business model.

“It’s a classic software-as-a-service model—teams sign annual contracts. The price depends on the size of the deployment, the number of athletes, and the complexity of custom work. It usually starts around $10K for very small implementations and goes up depending on scope. What makes us different is that every contract includes development hours, which means you’re not just buying software—you’re buying access to an engineering team that will build what you need. On top of that, teams can negotiate larger feature builds into the contract with hard deadlines. So if they say, ‘We want this performance review system integrated by the start of the season,’ we’ll include that in writing and deliver. It’s collaborative, flexible, and outcome-focused.”

Q9. What are your plans for the next 12 months?

“We’re expanding internationally—working with more national teams, which is really exciting. One major priority is using AI in more impactful, rather than superficial, ways. We’re not just trying to tick the AI buzzword box. We’re exploring real use cases—like enabling staff to query their data in natural language and get precise answers: ‘Which players are trending in a certain metric?’ ‘How much training load did we accumulate this week?’ That kind of real utility is where AI can shine. We’re also revamping the athlete-facing mobile app. It’s not just about showing players their data. It’s about showing them meaningful context. For example, they log an RPE, and we show them how it compares to their last 10 sessions, what it correlates with, and what that might imply. Lastly, we’re using passive phone data—like motion sensors—to gather useful insights on sleep, background activity, even circadian rhythms. These invisible data streams can be powerful over time.”

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Today we have the honor of interviewing a group of MLB practitioners that are experts in mental performance and preparation.

* Lindsay Shaw, Director of Sport psychology for the Guardians, an MLB team.

* Zach Brandon, Head of Mental Performance and Coach Development, for the Arizona Diamondbacks, an MLB team.

* Josh Kozuch, Mental Performance Coach for the Baltimore Orioles, an MLB team.

You can watch the video interview below by clicking on the Youtube link. You can also listen to the audio interview by clicking on the link at the top of the page:

You can also read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Lindsay, Zach, and Josh located at the top of this blog post.

Here are the quotes from the interview with Lindsay, Josh and Zach:

1. How has the approach to mental performance evolved in MLB over the past 5–10 years?

Lindsay Shaw:

“MLB has a very long history of incorporating mental performance. The Guardians, for instance, had someone in my role for over 30 years. There’s this foundational recognition in baseball that hitting is extremely hard, pitching is extremely hard, and the season is incredibly long. That’s why having mental performance support has made sense for decades. It’s about helping players and coaches get through those challenges with expert guidance. And while I’ve only been in baseball for about five years—after working with the Olympic Committee for a decade—what’s been really encouraging to see is how much the sport values mental skills as part of holistic performance.”

Josh Kozuch:

“This is now my third MLB organization in the last 10 years, and the growth has been significant. What I’ve seen is that players are coming in with more exposure—they’ve either worked with someone in high school or college, so we’re not starting from scratch. And what’s really interesting is that now coaches are engaging in mental work too—they’re reading the books, listening to the podcasts, doing the work. It’s no longer just us as specialists holding that space. Coaches are bringing their own high-level playing experience and integrating mental skills into their communication and development approach. Lastly, there’s just more infrastructure—departments like ours didn’t exist in most clubs 10 years ago. Now, nearly every team has at least one dedicated mental performance practitioner, if not an entire department.”

Zach Brandon:

“One of the biggest changes I’ve seen, especially being involved in our draft process over the last several years, is that incoming players already have some experience with mental skills. They’re coming in with their own routines and perspectives—sometimes shaped by college, high school, or even private coaches. So our role has shifted. I often think of us as quality control—we’re helping ensure that what they’re doing is evidence-based, effective, and personalized. We're not just handing out one-size-fits-all tools anymore. There’s more emphasis on individualization, and the circle around players is larger than ever. They’re working with private coaches, mental skills consultants, and we try to understand those relationships and act as an extension of their support system, rather than replacing it. That shift has made the work more collaborative and nuanced.”

2. How important is mental preparation in the MLB?

Lindsay Shaw:

“When you’re playing 162 games, mental fatigue is inevitable. These athletes face unique psychological challenges: the constant travel, relentless schedule, the repetitive pressure to perform—it wears on people. So yes, mental preparation is critical. And when players are competing in an environment where hitting .300—meaning failing 70% of the time—makes you elite, the mental skill of managing failure becomes just as important as any physical skill. Our job is to help them build the emotional agility to recover, reset, and stay in the game mentally over a very long season.”

Josh Kozuch:

“Baseball is data-rich. Players are exposed to scouting reports filled with percentages—what pitch someone might swing at in a certain count, tendencies, zones—it can be overwhelming. Our role is to help them prepare mentally so they can simplify all that information into a plan and go out and compete without paralysis. That collaboration isn’t just with players—it includes hitting coaches, pitching coaches, and managers. It’s a team-wide effort to keep minds clear so bodies can perform.”

Zach Brandon:

“Baseball is unique in that it’s a competition-based sport. Guys train and compete on the same day, often with very little time in between. So our job is not just about long-term development—it’s about ensuring players are confident, focused, and mentally present when the game starts at 6:40 or 7:10. The mental demands are high, and the cognitive load is real. With so much variability—travel, back-to-back games, failures—it’s our job to help them stay mentally adaptable and grounded, night after night.”

3. What are the most effective mental preparation techniques used today?

Zach Brandon:

“We cover the core tools—breath work, meditation, visualization, routines—but to me, the key isn't about adding more techniques. It’s about helping players filter through the noise so they can consistently execute what works best for them. Especially in today’s data-heavy environment, players can get overwhelmed. Sometimes our role isn’t to teach something new, but to remove clutter. Mental performance is a lot like strength training—everyone knows the basics, but few consistently apply them under pressure. We also focus heavily on what we call ‘mental practice.’ Knowing isn’t doing. You can know how to breathe or visualize, but if you haven’t trained it under game-like stress, it won’t hold up. Just like a swing or pitch, these skills require reps. And increasingly, we’re trying to build environments—not just sessions—that reinforce these skills. That means working with coaches and strength staff to embed mental skills into the rhythm of the day.”

Josh Kozuch:

“I’ve seen success by building a mental skills curriculum across the minor league system, where players get foundational training depending on where they are in their development journey. But here’s the catch—it can’t be rigid. Players don’t all progress at the same speed. One guy may get called up before he’s completed the curriculum, and that’s okay. We speed things up or individualize. At the big league level, it’s often less about teaching something new and more about refining what's already there. Many athletes have mental routines—they just don’t label them. Maybe they’re visualizing or setting intentions without knowing it. Our job is to help them identify, strengthen, and own those routines. We’re not force-feeding techniques—we’re pulling things out of them, based on who they are and how they naturally operate under pressure.”

Lindsay Shaw:

“There’s a lot of research validating certain techniques—breath control to regulate the nervous system, cognitive reframing, mindfulness, mental imagery—but what matters most is context. These tools don’t exist in a vacuum. It’s like physical rehab: you can’t give everyone the same protocol. You have to understand the athlete’s mental makeup, experiences, background, and the specific demands of their position or role. At the highest levels, we’re working with players to develop their own philosophy of preparation. How do they prepare mentally for a tough opponent? How do they rebound from a slump? How do they stay connected to their identity when pressure mounts? My job is to help them tune into their own nervous system and develop personalized strategies that support performance, especially in unpredictable, high-stakes moments.”

4. How do you train cognitive skills during injury rehab?

Josh Kozuch:

“Injury rehab isn’t just about fixing the body—it’s about keeping the mind in the game. For long rehabs like Tommy John, we break things down into phases. In the early stages, we focus on building awareness, acceptance, and goal-setting. As recovery progresses, we start working on routines, visualization, and helping them reconnect to their competitive identity. One thing that’s critical is collaboration. I sit down with athletic trainers and strength coaches to build a holistic plan. We talk about what the player will face mentally at each stage—loneliness, fear of re-injury, frustration—and we try to get ahead of those challenges. If we don’t engage the cognitive side, we’re sending a physically-ready but mentally-unprepared player back into a high-pressure environment.”

Lindsay Shaw:

“There’s a real risk in separating mental and physical rehab. We’ve had athletes who were physically cleared but weren’t mentally ready—and the performance breakdowns were immediate. That’s why simulation is so important. We can’t always replicate live game environments, but we can get close. I’ve used video analysis, pitch recognition systems, even VR or elevated heart rate situations to help players stay cognitively connected. Watching video while riding a stationary bike—approximating game stress—is a good example. We’re not just treating anxiety or fear; we’re actively training decision-making, timing, and focus. And sometimes, we’re helping athletes stay emotionally tethered to the game, especially during long, isolating recoveries.”

Zach Brandon:

“One of the most valuable things we’ve done is integrate mental reps into game situations. We had a minor league group rehabbing at our major league facility, and we brought them into a live game to sit behind scouts, read scouting reports, and evaluate in real time. They debriefed afterward. That kind of mental engagement helps bridge the gap between rehab and performance. The other key piece? Conversation. I had a player who came in to do breath work, but ended up spending 30 minutes just talking. He left saying, ‘Hey, we don’t need to do the breathing now—I feel better.’ And I told him, ‘That was the work.’ Sometimes, letting players unload mental tension is more powerful than any technique we planned.”

5. How do you individualize strategies across different player types and cultural backgrounds?

Josh Kozuch:

“You have to be a detective. No two players are the same, so you approach each one with humility and curiosity. I ask questions like: ‘What’s your best performance memory? What helps you reset after a bad game? Who have you worked with in the past?’ Then I observe. I watch how they act in the cage, during meetings, in downtime. You gather information, then build from there. For rookies, it’s about education and exploration. For veterans, it’s more about refinement and support. They often know what works, but maybe they need a reminder or a fresh perspective. Cultural background plays a role too—some guys aren’t comfortable with the word ‘psychologist.’ So sometimes you support them indirectly—through coaches or other staff—by embedding mental work into the overall routine without calling it out.”

Lindsay Shaw:

“We have a large Latin American population, especially in the lower levels, and cultural sensitivity is critical. Some players associate psychology with weakness or trauma, not performance. That’s where relationship-building and nuance come in. Maybe they won’t talk to me directly, but I can support them through our performance team. It’s not about me needing to be the one helping—it’s about ensuring they’re getting what they need. We also need to recognize that players aren’t just athletes—they’re sons, fathers, partners. A veteran balancing career pressure with family life will have different mental needs than a 20-year-old prospect. So it’s less about creating custom programs for everyone and more about listening deeply, understanding context, and tailoring your approach accordingly.”

Zach Brandon:

“Over the years, I’ve learned that even where you have the conversation matters. I once asked a player a question in front of others—nothing sensitive—and he completely shut down. Same guy would open up one-on-one. You have to read the room and meet players where they are. For us, individualization also includes continuity. We emphasize development from rookie ball to the big leagues, and part of that is keeping relationships intact. So even as players advance, they might still check in with a coach from A-ball or spring training. We support that. Familiarity breeds trust, and trust is the currency of mental performance.”

6. Can you share a success story from working with a player?

Josh Kozuch:

“There was a AAA player I worked with who kept bouncing between the big leagues and AAA. Every time he got called up, he put immense pressure on himself to stay. I shared a story from a 15-year vet who told me, ‘I stopped thinking about surviving and started thinking about thriving—I focused on what I needed to do to have a 10-year career.’ That clicked. The AAA guy reframed his mindset. Instead of obsessing over every at-bat, he started thinking long-term. That change freed him from the paralyzing pressure of ‘I have to perform right now or I’m going back down.’ It didn’t guarantee success, but it gave him space to compete—and that’s everything.”

Lindsay Shaw:

“We had a player who believed that if he missed his first pitch or swing, the rest of the game was ruined. It was a rigid, fear-based belief—and it was sabotaging him. So I asked him to log his games over two seasons: how often did he fail on the first pitch but still have a good game? When we reviewed the data, the belief collapsed. It wasn’t about that first pitch—it was about how he responded to it. By confronting that false narrative and replacing it with evidence, we gave him back control. That shift in mindset became a turning point.”

7. How are mental coaches integrated with other departments?

Zach Brandon:

“True integration isn’t just being around—it’s having a voice in decisions. I sit in daily pitching meetings and postgame reviews. Sometimes I’m the person who notices a pattern in how a guy reacts to failure. Other times, a coach notices and asks me to follow up. We work like a basketball team—sometimes I dish the assist, other times I score. The point is, mental performance isn’t an isolated service. It should be woven into the entire development process—strength, analytics, medical, nutrition. When we align language and approach, players feel that support is consistent across the board.”

Josh Kozuch:

“It depends on the org. In Baltimore, I’m housed with the performance team, which helps a lot. But my locker is next to our coaching staff, so I’m also constantly interacting with field staff. That blend gives me eyes and ears in different spaces. Still, I have to be mindful—I can’t just hang out with pitchers and forget about position players. Or focus on rehab and skip the clubhouse. So I do self-audits. Where am I spending my time? Who haven’t I checked in with lately? Integration takes intentionality and coordination.”

Lindsay Shaw:

“In Cleveland, we’re all about marginal gains. We don’t have the biggest payroll, so we obsess over maximizing every player. That means tight collaboration. We have large interdisciplinary meetings where mental performance, strength, coaching, and analytics all sit together to create development plans. The guiding question is: how do we move the needle for this player? And when the mental side is part of that conversation from day one, it becomes just as essential as any other domain.”

8. What does the future of mental skills training in MLB look like?

Josh Kozuch:

“I could see teams experimenting with AI bots for mental performance—automated journaling prompts, chat-based coaching—but it’ll never replace people. Players don’t want to vent to a script. They want empathy, humor, connection. Tech will help us be more efficient—maybe scan game logs or identify mental fatigue trends—but it won’t replace the human relationship. That’s what makes the work stick.”

Lindsay Shaw:

“Trust doesn’t live in a server. You build it through presence, consistency, and care. I can see AI helping with research, analytics, maybe even nudging players with reminders. But in pressure moments—after a slump, before a big game—players need people. Someone who understands nuance, body language, mood, history. No chatbot can do that. So yes, we’ll evolve with tech, but the core of our work will remain human.”

Zach Brandon:

“Every year, I see our role shift. I used to think we were here to coach players directly. Now I see us as multipliers. We embed mental skills into the culture, train coaches to reinforce concepts, and shape environments that support performance. In the future, I think mental performance will be less about 1:1 sessions and more about creating systems—how do you build a dugout, a meeting, a game plan, where mental strength is a natural part of the DNA?”

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Today we have the honor of interviewing David Dunne, the CEO of Hexis, an intelligence nutrition platform to enhance performance.

Hexis is an AI-driven personalized nutrition platform designed to optimize athletic performance through its proprietary "Carb Coding™" system. Developed by experts in sports nutrition, exercise physiology, and data science, Hexis creates individualized fueling plans that adapt in real-time to an athlete's workouts, lifestyle, and goals.

By analyzing billions of variables, the platform provides minute-by-minute carbohydrate and energy recommendations, enhancing training efficiency, recovery, and body composition management. Hexis integrates with fitness tools like TrainingPeaks and Apple Health, offering features such as live energy tracking, flexible meal planning, and simplified food logging. Trusted by elite athletes and teams—including Olympic medalists, professional cycling teams, and clubs like Southampton FC—Hexis aims to make advanced, science-backed nutrition accessible to athletes at all levels

Picture: Hexis’ mobile app

Picture: Hexis’ team dashboard

Here is a video introducing Hexis’ The Coach Hub:

Here is a video about the Hexis' partnership with Q36.5 Pro Cycling team:

Customers / partners: Olympic teams, pro rugby teams, Premier League clubs, pro cycling teams, etc.

📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on his background, his company and product, the benefits for sports organizations and teams to use his nutritional platform. We also talked about his competitive advantage, business model, and his plans for the next 12 months.

You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with David located at the top of this blog post.

Here are the quotes from the interview with David:

Q1. Can you share the personal or professional journey that led you to launch Hexis, and what problem in sports nutrition you were most driven to solve?

“My background is as a sports nutrition practitioner. I was fortunate to get hands-on experience during my undergraduate years, working with elite teams like the Irish rugby team and Harlequins. From about 2012, I was immersed in elite sport—Premier League, Olympic teams—and I realized a huge problem. I was one person working with dozens of athletes, and I couldn’t provide truly personalized and periodized support at scale. There was only so much time and capacity I had. Around that same time, I noticed a shift—athletes were increasingly looking to their phones and social media for real-time answers instead of institutional guidance. That signaled a major opportunity to do things differently. I didn’t plan to build a platform right away. I just wanted to understand the gap better. So I self-funded a PhD to explore behavior change, design thinking, and tech integration. What we discovered through that research was eye-opening: a clear mismatch between what practitioners could deliver and what athletes truly needed—something scalable, continuous, and personalized in real-time. That’s the problem Hexis set out to solve—not just for athletes, but for practitioners like me who needed a better way to deliver care.”

Q2. For those unfamiliar with Hexis, what exactly does the platform do, and how does it translate the latest nutritional science into personalized, actionable guidance for athletes?

“At the core of Hexis is the principle that no two athletes—and no two training days—are the same. You can’t make a precise nutritional recommendation unless you know the type, intensity, and duration of the athlete’s training, combined with their goals, recent sessions, recovery needs, and available time to recover. We gather all that data—biometric, lifestyle, and performance—and we translate it into real-time, meal-by-meal nutrition guidance. For example, our platform adjusts carbohydrate and energy intake before, during, and after training, based on exact outputs from wearables, GPS, and training plans. It integrates with platforms like TrainingPeaks, Catapult, and more. When an athlete opens the app, they see what type of meal they need—low, medium, or high-carb—and what specific food options fit. If plans change (which they often do), the platform adapts immediately. Our goal is to give each athlete the exact guidance they need, when they need it—and to give practitioners the power to do that at scale, across full squads.”

Q3. What kinds of benefits have pro or collegiate teams seen from using Hexis, both from a performance and operational standpoint?

“The benefit of getting nutrition right is that it amplifies everything—training intensity, recovery, adaptation, long-term performance. What we’ve consistently seen is that when athletes fuel correctly before, during, and after training, they perform better and recover faster. But one of the most impactful outcomes has actually been psychological: athletes telling us they feel confident and in control for the first time. In our initial study with 963 elite athletes—54% of whom were women—we had some athletes report regaining their menstrual cycle after years without it, simply by following our fueling recommendations. That’s not just performance; that’s core physiological health. And operationally, for teams, it means less guesswork, more standardization, and far better scalability of care. Nutritionists can now deliver individualized support to dozens of athletes daily without needing hours of one-on-one planning.”

Q4. With other nutrition tracking or planning tools on the market, what’s Hexis’ biggest differentiator — and how do you think about staying ahead of the curve?

“Hexis is built on our proprietary Carb Coding™ system, which is totally unique. This system automatically analyzes training loads and maps them to real-time nutritional needs. What would typically take a nutritionist hours of planning per athlete, we can do in seconds for an entire team. It’s not just about tracking food or providing general advice—we deliver deeply personalized, periodized nutrition support that adapts with the athlete. That’s what makes us different. And we stay ahead by constantly listening. I’m a practitioner, and so are many on our team—we’re building for our peers, not just for ‘users.’ Our product roadmap is shaped by feedback from Olympic medalists, Premier League nutritionists, and collegiate sports scientists. That closeness to our community keeps us honest and innovative.”

Q5. Who are your customers?

“We serve both athletes and practitioners. On the athlete side, we have a mobile app where they receive daily, personalized, periodized fueling plans. It’s their day-to-day performance tool. On the practitioner side—nutritionists, heads of performance, sports scientists—we have a desktop platform that gives them visibility, control, and the ability to scale high-touch care across large squads. Our typical users range from Olympic teams to Premier League clubs to elite cycling squads. Whether it's a single athlete managing their own nutrition or a team staff member overseeing 30 players, our system is built to deliver impact across those use cases.”

Q6. What is your business model?

“Hexis is a subscription-based platform sold on a per-seat basis. We offer two tiers: our Essential version uses our algorithms to drive most of the recommendations, but also allows customization. Our Premium tier offers deeper controls for practitioners—more flexibility, more insight, and more ways to personalize the experience. But really, our process always starts with a conversation. We take time to understand the organization’s goals, needs, and constraints, and then we propose the best fit. I still see myself as a qualitative researcher—I want to understand the ‘why’ before we prescribe a solution.”

Q7. Looking ahead to the next 12 months, what are your key priorities — whether that’s new features, partnerships, markets, or scientific advancements?

“We’re deeply focused on product-led growth. In June, we’re launching new integrations with Catapult and STATSports—this allows teams to bring in detailed load data automatically. We’re also releasing our new Trends feature, which gives teams actionable insights on athlete behavior, nutrition adherence, and body composition over time. Between now and the end of the year, a big priority is expanding our use of AI—both to enhance the insights athletes and practitioners receive and to automate more of the manual, time-consuming work that staff currently face. On the commercial side, we’re looking to deepen our presence in UK football, expand across Europe and the MLS, and increase our footprint in pro cycling. Hexis is already in some Tour de France teams, but we want to serve the entire pro peloton.”

Q8. What is the best way to contact you?

“Anyone interested can reach out directly to us at [email protected]. We’re always happy to set up a call to understand what you're working on, what problems you’re facing, and how we can help. Whether you're a team looking to upgrade your nutrition workflows or an athlete looking for clarity and control, we’re here to support.”

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This week we have the honor to interview a group of NFL Top practitioners to talk about the latest trends in the world of sports performance in the NFL.

* Ryan Juarez, Director of rehabilitation, Washington Commanders (NFL team).

* Roderick Moore Jr, coordinator of sports science, Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL team).

📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on the following topics:

* What major shifts they have seen in how NFL teams approach in-season recovery and load management, especially with the extended regular season and increased game speed.

* How NFL teams are using data and wearables not just for performance metrics, but to make real-time decisions during adversity — like mid-season slumps, key injuries, or losing streaks.

* What the best coaching or cultural practices they have seen that actually help players stay mentally sharp and connected through the grind of a long NFL season.

* On what is often misunderstood about what it really takes to last in the NFL in terms of recovery habits, mindset, and adaptability, for young players entering the league.

* On a specific moment — either with a team or an athlete — where a setback or injury led to a breakthrough in how you approach training or recovery.

You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview located at the top of this blog post.

Here are some of the best quotes of our conversation with Ryan and Roderick:

Q1. Major shifts in in-season recovery and load management

Roderick Moore Jr.:

“With the regular season now extended and the new international games, the challenge has shifted. For example, when I was in Atlanta, we went to London in 2021 and 2023, and now in 2025, they’re going to Germany. This year with the Steelers, we’re headed to Ireland — our first international trip in a while. So it’s no longer just about recovery from weekly games, but dealing with global travel logistics. Do you leave Monday? Thursday? Most teams leave Thursday, but then you have to manage sleep on the plane, acclimation to time zones, food logistics, and even what kind of pillows or sleep kits you use. You have to prepare months in advance — sometimes starting in June — just to get nutrition and gear shipped in time. All of that impacts load management and performance. It’s not just ‘one more game’ — it’s a cascade of adjustments that can make or break a season.”

Ryan Juarez:

“We’ve really leaned into the recovery side by building infrastructure — we now have a dedicated recovery room staffed by athletic trainers. We’ve added a cryo chamber, infrared sauna, and soon we’re getting a four-person hyperbaric chamber. But what’s most interesting is how we replicate that when traveling. Last year we had a week-long road trip — from Cincinnati to Phoenix — and we worked with mobile companies to deliver hot tubs and cold tubs in each location. That kind of logistics work wasn’t even on the radar a few years ago. Now, everything’s about maximizing that 1% edge — and fitting all these moving pieces into a cohesive workflow.”

Q2. Data and wearables for real-time decision-making during adversity

Roderick Moore Jr.:

“In tough stretches — say during a losing streak or coming out of a rough game — we use GPS and internal load data to reevaluate everything. You track live data in practice and compare it to camp, Week 1, or the bye week. It might tell you, 'Hey, we’re not working hard enough,' or conversely, 'We’re overreaching.' You need that insight to decide whether to back off or push harder. But the data only helps if you’ve built a culture of transparency and trust with both players and coaches. Because even the best data means nothing if you don’t have coach buy-in — or the athletes don’t feel heard. That balance of instinct and evidence is where progress happens.”

Ryan Juarez:

“Wearables and GPS tech have opened up important conversations. If a guy comes in and says, ‘Hey, my hamstring’s a little tight,’ and the GPS shows he’s a step slower in practice — that’s your trigger. You don’t just treat symptoms anymore — you now have the data to validate or even preempt injuries. We had a couple instances last season where a dip in player metrics helped us catch things before they escalated. That ability to intervene early — that’s a game changer.”

Q3. Best coaching or cultural practices for staying mentally sharp

Ryan Juarez:

“By the time we hit the bye week last year — which was really late — everyone was just exhausted. It was like hitting a wall. That week gave us a chance to reset, and we came out stronger. That experience really emphasized the need for communication. Our staff, our performance team — we all talked with the players, adapted based on their feedback. You can have all the tools in the world, but if your players aren’t bought in mentally, the grind will wear them down. Keeping everyone aligned — physically and emotionally — makes the difference late in the season.”

Roderick Moore Jr.:

“In the NFL, especially with the Steelers, we rely on tools like Teamworks for communication, but the culture starts with leadership. Coach Tomlin always says, ‘I don’t care where an idea comes from as long as it helps the team.’ That creates room for input — from interns to veterans. If players need more sleep, we start the day later. If a week’s been brutal, we modify the schedule. Flexibility isn’t weakness — it’s survival. Especially this year — with our early bye after Ireland — we’re already planning ‘mini-byes’ to keep guys mentally and physically sharp.”

Q4. Misunderstandings young players have about lasting in the NFL

Roderick Moore Jr.:

“The biggest misconception I see in rookies is around routines. They think they have one — but they don’t. A real routine is intentional, consistent, and adaptable. Veterans will tell you — it’s not just what you do on game day. It’s how you recover, how you use your off-day, how you prepare your mind. Some guys spend Tuesdays with family for sanity. Others use it for film, lifts, or recovery work. The guys who last? They find a system and stick to it. And for rookies without big contracts yet, that means taking full advantage of in-house resources — cryo, massage, recovery tech — before they can afford anything outside.”

Ryan Juarez:

“When rookies come in, they look nervous — they don’t know where to go or what to do. Our job is to make them feel supported, but also help them build that recovery mindset. A lot of what we do is just guidance — like saying, ‘Watch how this vet does it.’ And that’s true in any profession, right? Learn from the people who’ve been there, who’ve made it. If they model good habits, those habits become part of the rookie’s DNA.”

Q5. Setback or injury that led to a breakthrough

Ryan Juarez:

“One that sticks out is hamstrings. Early in my career, I didn’t emphasize eccentric loading or full-speed sprinting enough before return-to-play. There was one case where a GPS showed an athlete at 88% — I let it slide. Then boom — game time injury. That taught me that 90%+ speed exposure in practice isn’t just a number — it’s insurance. Now I’m way more aggressive about hitting that threshold before clearing a guy.”

Roderick Moore Jr.:

“In Atlanta, I had an athlete who hadn’t hit his 90% speed in over a month. We kept encouraging him, but he kept saying he was fine. Then he pulls up with a soft tissue injury. After that, it clicked for him. Now — and I see this here too — we have guys who ask to hit their sprint thresholds. They’ll say, ‘Coach, don’t let me slide — keep me honest.’ Some even hit new top speeds in-season. That shift in accountability — from us to them — that’s when you know the culture’s working.”

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Today as part of our continued effort to bring more awareness on female athletes, teams and associated trends related to female athletes, we have the honor to interview a group of female sports performance experts:

* Megan Rottler Hattori, Associate Director of Sports Performance for Olympic Sports at Duke University. She is also the primary sports performance coach for the women’s soccer and volleyball teams.

* Andrea Hudy, PhD, Director of performance at UCONN (University of Connecticut)’s women basketball team.

* Shavini Fernando, CEO of OxiWear, Maker of the World's First Wearable Device for Continuous Real Time Monitoring of Oxygen During Motion.

* Dr Christy Fernandez-Cull, PhD, CEO, DaVinci Wearables, an AI wearable device for women athletes and teams.

You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Megan, Andrea, Shavini and Christy located at the top of this blog post.

Here are the quotes from the interview with them:

Q1. Where do you see the biggest gap in how women’s teams are supported compared to men’s?

Andrea Hudy (UConn Women’s Basketball):

“The infrastructure within women’s athletics doesn’t exist as much as it maybe does in men’s sports. That was one of the main reasons I came back to UConn—to offer and create some of the infrastructures I saw in men’s sports. I’m hoping we’re doing that now. It's not just about equipment or data; it's about integrated systems—return-to-play, athletic management, communication between departments. That type of infrastructure can be lacking even on the men’s side sometimes, but it’s even more pronounced in women’s sports, especially when budgets are tight.”

Shavini Fernando (CEO, OxiWear):

“There’s a huge gap in data-driven research and tech access for female athletes compared to male athletes. Most of the decisions about training and recovery are based on data collected from male subjects. Hormonal cycles, physiological responses, and nutritional needs in women are different, yet most protocols are just repurposed from male-focused research. Even when companies like ours try to run studies to address this, it’s hard to get buy-in from teams—especially when male coaches don’t see the value or aren’t open to change.”

Megan Rottler Hattori (Duke Olympic Sports):

“I think one of the big barriers is lifestyle and pay. Being a mom and a coach is incredibly difficult. It’s not a nine-to-five, and when you're juggling practice, training times, and home life with young kids, something has to give. The disparity in pay makes you wonder, ‘Do I work to afford daycare or stay home and be with my kids?’ It’s not just about salaries—it’s about how our industry supports women holistically.”

Christy Fernandez-Cull (CEO, DaVinci Wearables):

“Access to resources is not equitable across divisions or genders. Division I schools aren’t the same as D2 or D3, and within each division, men’s teams tend to get more support. On top of that, only about 8–9% of performance research is focused on female athletes. When you talk about true support—research, funding, training environments—women are still playing catch-up. We’re just beginning to see investment in women’s performance facilities that include family-friendly spaces, mental wellness support, and women-specific health programming, but it’s only a start.”

Q2. If you had unlimited influence, what’s one thing you’d change today about how women’s teams are trained, funded, or supported?

Christy Fernandez-Cull:

“We need to reframe how we talk about female physiology. A lot of girls drop out of sports post-puberty because they feel isolated or confused about what’s happening in their bodies. There’s been a culture of ‘no pain, no gain,’ where you're supposed to push through cramps or hormone-related fatigue. We need to stop treating these things as weaknesses and start educating girls, coaches, and staff on how to harness female physiology as a strength. Education is the first domino—once people understand, they begin to invest.”

Shavini Fernando:

“We need to drastically reduce the pay gap for female coaches and create more flexible systems that account for the realities of being a woman—like raising children or balancing other responsibilities. That means rethinking job structures, travel, scheduling, and having dual-coach models so women don’t burn out trying to do the job the same way it’s been done for men. We also need more women in coaching and leadership, because female athletes are often more comfortable discussing things like mental health or menstrual cycles with someone who understands.”

Megan Rottler Hattori:

“Exposure matters. I didn’t grow up watching women’s sports because they weren’t on TV. I watched baseball—not softball—because that’s what was available. Today, girls can go on social media and see elite female athletes and coaches doing amazing things. That kind of visibility is powerful. If you see it, you can believe it. That’s how you build the next generation—not just of athletes, but of leaders, scientists, and innovators in sport.”

Q3. What are the root causes of salary disparities among women coaches, and how do we close the gap?

Andrea Hudy:

“At the end of the day, it’s about return on investment. Until organizations start seeing—or valuing—the ROI of women’s sports, salaries won’t rise. Are we generating the same revenue? Maybe not yet. But we haven’t had the same level of support or time to build that system. If this wave of investment and visibility keeps going, then yes—things will improve. But if momentum stalls, the gap will persist.”

Shavini Fernando:

“The problem starts at the top. The decision-makers are still predominantly men. That means budgets, tech allocation, staffing—they’re often biased toward the men’s teams, intentionally or not. Until we see more women in executive roles—more female athletic directors, GMs, CEOs—we won’t see real change. The system needs female voices at the table who understand and prioritize the unique needs of women’s sports.”

Christy Fernandez-Cull:

“It takes a community—both men and women—to change the narrative. You look at someone like Steph Curry, who’s been very vocal in supporting women’s sports and even wears gear from women-led companies. Or athletes like Caitlin Clark, who bring both performance and visibility. We need more allies like that—men who amplify our stories, help elevate the platform, and build economic momentum so that closing the gap becomes an imperative, not a nice-to-have.”

Q4. Why are there fewer sports tech solutions for women, and what can be done to accelerate innovation?

Shavini Fernando:

“It’s not that companies don’t want to build for women—it’s that we can’t do it in isolation. We reach out to teams wanting to co-create, run studies, test wearables—but we often get no response. Or the players don’t want to wear the devices. And if players don’t use the product, coaches can’t act on the data. Without participation, we can’t personalize or validate the product for women. That’s the reality.”

Andrea Hudy:

“We make technology part of the culture. In our learning lab, we don’t force athletes to wear anything. We invite them in, show them what insights the device can give them—how it helps their performance. When they understand the value and feel empowered, they buy in. That’s when compliance goes up. The education piece is critical—if they don’t see how it benefits them, they won’t use it.”

Christy Fernandez-Cull:

“There’s been a historic belief in venture capital that focusing on women—a ‘mere’ 50% of the population—wasn’t worth the investment. That mindset is finally changing. But it’s not just about building women-specific products—it’s about creating personalized, evidence-based solutions that reflect real-world variation. Two female athletes might have completely different physiological needs, so tech must evolve beyond the ‘average’ user and get smarter about gender, biology, and specificity. That’s how you build tools that actually move the needle.”

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This week we had the honor to interview a group of ATP/WTA sports performance experts in pro tennis.

* Al Murphy, senior S&C coach at Tennis Australia. Al works with tennis players such as Rinky Hijikata, Emerson Jones and Aleks Vukic. He is also the head of sports science at Tennis Australia.

* Abdul Sillah, an experienced performance coach. Abdul has worked with top players such as Serena Williams, and Naomi Osaka.

* Mark Kovacs, CEO of Kovacs Institute, and Executive Director, International Tennis Performance Association.

📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on the following topics:

* With the ATP and WTA calendars more packed than ever, how top players and their teams adapting training and recovery protocols to handle the relentless travel and match load.

* In such a physically demanding and competitive era, what specific innovations in strength, conditioning, and on-court movement training are giving players an edge.

* How teams are balancing the need for recovery—sleep, nutrition, soft tissue work—with the pressures of back-to-back matches, media obligations, and constant travel.

* Given how tight the margins are in the top 100, how practitioners are helping players gain psychological and physiological resilience—especially after tough losses or during long tours.

* As the game continues to evolve—with more power, speed, and longer rallies—how training methods are adapting to meet the demands of modern tennis.

You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Abdul, Al and Mark located at the top of this blog post.

Here are some of the best quotes of our conversation with them:

1. Adapting Training and Recovery to a Packed Calendar

Al Murphy (Tennis Australia):

“For players who aren't cemented at the very top — not the seeded players at Slams — they’re often playing week in, week out to chase ranking points. For them, we’re always balancing short bursts of training with recovery between matches, especially when they only win one or two rounds. They don’t have the luxury of time. For the top players, it's a different story — they can afford to skip some 250s or even 500s to manage their load and preserve performance. But across the board, what’s really tough is the mental toll: the monotony of weekly losses, the pressure to perform, and the constant travel. That’s what adds up. That’s where you see burnout."

Mark Kovacs (Kovacs Institute):

“Unlike team sports, tennis players don’t know their schedule more than a few weeks out. It’s chaos compared to the NFL or NBA, where you get your calendar a year in advance. Here, a player might enter three tournaments hoping to qualify for just one — that unpredictability changes everything. As a coach or performance specialist, you have to be flexible and ready with different workouts based on whether your athlete wins, loses, travels last-minute, or picks up an extra match. It’s a constant adaptation game. And if you're someone who likes predictability, this environment probably isn’t for you.”

Abdul Sillah (Performance Coach):

“For me, it’s all about preparation — but not just physical. It’s about getting the mind ready for uncomfortable situations. That’s where most players fall apart — not because of physical fatigue, but because they’re mentally unprepared for the grind. When I worked with Naomi (Osaka), I knew I had to build her resilience before we built her strength. It’s exciting because you’re forced to get creative — adapting schedules, being a psychologist, sometimes just being there to calm them down and help them make sense of what’s happening.”

2. Innovations in Strength, Conditioning, and On-Court Movement Training

Abdul Sillah:

“I’ve always been a bit old school — foundational movement comes first. But one tool that’s really changed how I work is the Quick Board. It allows me to be hands-off, so I can observe. It measures cognitive response and movement quality in real time. It helps train the brain-body connection — essential in a sport like tennis where decision-making, anticipation, and precision all happen in milliseconds. That’s my go-to for building efficient movement under pressure.”

Al Murphy:

“We use Blaze Pods during travel — simple but effective for reaction and cognitive drills. On the court and in the gym, we've leaned into contraction-specific technologies like flywheels and the 1080 Quantum, which we use both for traditional resistance and for tennis-specific overload. But a real game-changer has been wearable resistance like Lila — it’s light, versatile, and allows players to train with resistance during actual tennis movement. You can place the weight to assist or resist movement patterns. It becomes a feedback tool — helping athletes feel changes and self-correct, without sacrificing speed or technique.”

Mark Kovacs:

“I still swear by heart rate. We’ve got decades of trusted data — it’s still incredibly valuable for conditioning and workload monitoring. Velocity-based training is another one — it teaches players that strength without speed is useless in tennis. The goal isn’t to deadlift more; it’s to move explosively off the mark. But here’s the issue: a lot of products out there have error rates of 20 to 30 percent. Athletes are making performance decisions off unreliable data. Sometimes I tell people — you’re better off using nothing than using something that gives you false confidence.”

3. Balancing Recovery with Travel and Obligations

Abdul Sillah:

“For me, this part — sleep, recovery, nutrition — this is the easiest to control because it’s non-negotiable. I tell every athlete: the best athlete is the one who’s available. If you’re injured or constantly rundown, you’re no use to your team or your sponsors. A lot of tennis players don't prioritize nutrition until it’s too late. They think they can out-train a poor routine. We set strict discipline early: how you eat, when you rest, how you recover — these are all foundational. Without it, you’re building on sand.”

Al Murphy:

“It really is a team game behind the scenes. The player might be the CEO, but they need to trust the advice of coaches, physios, nutritionists. At the top level, these routines are well-established. You’ll see ice baths, compression, soft tissue, meal prep — but it’s tailored to the player, the surface, match finish time, and next match day. We also focus a lot on tendon health and load management — not just what’s sexy, but what keeps athletes durable for the long haul.”

Mark Kovacs:

“Recovery is where the industry’s exploding — there are 10 new gadgets every month. The problem? Athletes start trying everything. It becomes a recovery circus — infrared this, cryo that. The best athletes keep it simple. They don’t chase fads. They find what works — low risk, high trust — and they do it religiously.In tennis especially, the issue is there’s no regulation on who can call themselves a coach or trainer. So you’ve got people giving recovery advice without the experience or science to back it up. That’s a huge risk.”

4. Helping Players Build Resilience During Long Tours or After Losses

Mark Kovacs:

“One of the most powerful traits in elite players is their short-term memory. They can lose a match and bounce back like it never happened. That’s not just genetics — that’s training. They’ve got a structure, a support team that knows what to say and when to say it. When a player starts spiraling after losses, that team can redirect their focus — emotionally, tactically, physically. The problem is, many players change coaches because that connection isn’t there. But when it is, that bond becomes a competitive advantage.”

Al Murphy:

“Our Aussie players often leave home in February and don’t return until November. That kind of travel can really wear you down. We try to create small ‘home bases’ — former colleges, family stops in Europe, apartments in the UK. Little anchors of normalcy. These stops let players reset — mentally and emotionally — so that the next tournament doesn’t feel like another brick in the wall. That’s where resilience really starts — off the court.”

Abdul Sillah:

“It’s about knowing the player — their psychological makeup, their triggers. You start by watching how they react in training. When they lose, we help them zoom out. One match doesn’t define them. We build protocols for tough stretches — that might mean bringing in family, taking a break from the team, or just getting off the grid for a few days. And from the start, we teach them that failure is part of the process. If you learn from it, it’s not a loss.”

5. Adapting Training to the Power and Speed of Modern Tennis

Abdul Sillah:

“When I started working with Naomi, people laughed when I said my goal was to create the perfect athlete — not just a tennis player, but a hybrid. I wanted the mindset of a boxer, the conditioning of a soccer player, the agility of a basketball player, the explosiveness of an NFL athlete. People said it couldn’t be done. But when she came on the scene and dominated, suddenly they understood. That’s the future of tennis — real athletes, not just skilled players. You have to go where others aren’t willing to go.”

Mark Kovacs:

“The game is evolving at breakneck speed — players are taller, faster, hitting harder. Court surfaces are grittier, rallies are longer. But here’s the problem: the faster the game, the more strain on the body. And unlike other sports, tennis has no real off-season. If you go weeks without proper training, you drop off. So you need to condition during competition, which is a nightmare puzzle for practitioners. The ones who succeed are the ones who can endure — who do the boring stuff right, every single day.”

Al Murphy:

“Taller players used to just rely on their serve. Now they’re moving like the smaller guys. So we’re solving a new set of problems: how do we prepare a 6’6” guy to slide, pivot, and change direction without blowing out his knees? The answer starts early. We need to train movement efficiency and joint resilience in the development phase — when they’re 14, not 24. By the time they hit the tour, we don’t have time to teach fundamentals anymore. That’s why we use tech like motion tracking, wearables — to build a predictive, long-term roadmap for each athlete’s body and playing style.”

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Dear colleague,This week I sat down with David Daoud, CEO of Compliance Standards to share my thoughts on the impact of trade tariffs on sports tech companies and products, on companies’ innovation and R&D. We also discussed the main hubs for sports tech startups are located, what the most innovative sports tech startups are coming from. We also touched on what the revenue and profitability profile of some of the most successful sports tech startups looks like today.

You can listen to the audio interview by clicking on the above button or just watch the full video interview by clicking on the “Watch the video interview below”. You can also check out the best quotes of my interview in the section below.

📝Show Notes: Through this interview, I touched on:

* If trade tariffs are impacting sports tech products.

* If pro teams are reporting to you an impact on pricing due to the tariffs.

* If we are seeing companies diversifying or near-shoring near the US due to the Tariffs.

* If the tariffs are impacting innovation and R&D budget of the sports tech startups yet.

* What the distribution by regions of where most of the sports tech products are coming from.

* Where we see innovation coming form in the world of sports and tech today.

* What the revenue and profitability profile of some of the most successful sports tech startups looks like today.

Best,

You can read the full transcript of the interview located at the top of this blog post. Here are below the best quotes from my interview:

Q1. Are trade tariffs impacting sports tech products?

“I think we're starting to see the early effects. The other day, I came across an ad from a performance tech vendor—it's a hardware device—and they explicitly stated in the ad, ‘Because of the tariffs, we're going to have to increase the price.’ That was the first time I saw a company so directly connect their pricing decisions to tariff policy. What’s happening is that tariffs—particularly those raised by the Trump administration on imports from China and other countries—are increasing the cost of manufacturing for a lot of these performance tech companies, especially ones producing in places like Shenzhen. Margins are tightening, and the simplest way for vendors to deal with that is to pass the increased cost on to customers. While we’re not seeing a mass shift yet, I do expect that more and more vendors will follow suit over the coming months.”

Q2. Are teams reporting to you an impact on pricing due to the tariffs?

“Interestingly, no teams have told me directly that tariffs are raising their costs, but I am seeing indirect budget pressure—especially in college sports. One major factor is NIL—Name, Image, and Likeness. I recently spoke with a vendor who sells a $35,000 machine. Historically, schools would find donors to fund this kind of tech. But in this case, the coaching staff decided to use the donor's $35K pledge to help make a $1.5 million NIL offer to a recruit instead. That tells you a lot. Athletic departments are being forced to choose between investing in tech and spending big on player recruitment. So while tariffs haven’t yet visibly impacted team spending, the overall budget environment is tightening, and sports tech investments are sometimes the first to get squeezed.”

Q3. Are you seeing companies diversifying or near-shoring due to the tariffs?

“It’s still early days for that. Most of these vendors have long-standing manufacturing relationships in China, where labor costs are still very competitive—even with the tariffs. That said, I’ve heard some companies are exploring alternatives like Mexico or even Costa Rica. The key is doing the math—if relocating production ends up costing more due to higher wages or logistics, it might not be worth it. However, there are other benefits driving these conversations too. Quality control is a big one. Some vendors complain about specs or colors being wrong when working with Chinese factories. Also, proximity matters—being able to visit a factory quickly is a huge plus. Flying to Costa Rica is easier and faster than flying halfway across the world to China. So while tariffs alone aren’t driving mass shifts yet, factors like QA and geographic access are encouraging some vendors to investigate nearshoring.”

Q4. Are the tariffs impacting innovation and R&D budgets of sports tech startups yet?

“From what I’ve seen, no. Most sports tech startups keep their R&D teams close to their headquarters—whether that’s in the U.S., Europe, or Canada. That’s because R&D is critical, and quality can’t be compromised. These companies want tight control over product design, testing, and iteration. While a few exceptions exist—some have engineering teams in Vietnam or other lower-cost countries—by and large, engineering stays local. So tariffs on components or manufacturing don’t really impact the innovation side directly. If anything, I’d say companies are trying to keep R&D shielded from cost pressures because that’s where their competitive edge lives.”

Q5. What is the distribution by regions of where most sports tech products are coming from?

“The majority of high-performance sports tech products are coming from Western Europe and North America, particularly the U.S. and Canada. There’s also significant innovation happening in Australia, and we’re seeing some solid products from Japan, South Korea, and parts of South America. But the core of the market—especially for elite teams—is dominated by vendors from the U.S. and Europe. These are the regions with strong R&D, deep ties to professional sports leagues, and the infrastructure to support product scaling. We track 450+ top performance tech products and companies from all over the world.”

Q6. Where do you see innovation coming from in the world of sports tech today?

“The U.S. continues to lead, thanks largely to its venture capital ecosystem and the influence of Silicon Valley. But Europe is very strong, too. Countries like England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Israel are producing truly innovative companies. Israel, for example, punches way above its weight. Despite its small size, it’s launched several startups that have gained traction in U.S. pro sports. France, while it has some good companies, hasn’t stood out as a top innovator. I’ve heard French teams themselves say they’re frustrated with the lack of variety—they see the same French vendors bidding on every RFP and want more international options. So the most innovative hubs right now are probably the U.S., the U.K., Israel, and Australia.”

Q7. What is the revenue and profitability profile of some of the most successful sports tech startups today?

“It really depends. Some companies are doing $10 million in annual revenue; others are north of $100 million. A lot are still break-even—$1 million in revenue, $1 million in costs. But the ones that scale successfully all tend to have a few things in common: strong R&D processes, top-tier engineering and product teams, and strong sales. Having a great product isn’t enough—you need to know how to sell it and how to support your customers well. Software companies, especially AMS platforms, tend to be more profitable than hardware-focused ones. That’s because hardware is capital intensive—manufacturing, inventory, QA all eat into your margin. The most successful companies in our space—like Teamworks and Catapult—have thousands of team customers and have built powerful ecosystems. Meanwhile, many startups start in sports for credibility but eventually pivot to other verticals—like construction, healthcare, or military—where the deals are bigger and more scalable. That’s often the real play, especially from an investor’s perspective.”

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This week we have the honor to interview again Dr. Ron Dick, associate professor of sports marketing at Duquesne University in the school of business. Ron also worked for 20 years in sports, including 15 years in the NBA with the Sixers and the Nets, and then five years in the NCAA. You can watch the full video interview by clicking on the link above or by listen to the audio podcast link above.

You can also read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Ron located at the top of this blog post.

📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on the following topics:

* The NFL, OTA’s official team activities

* The passing of Jim Irsay

* Netflix documentary “The Fall of Favre”

* The MLB standings

* The NBA playoffs, NBA draft,

* The NHL playoffs

* The MLB’s plan to invest in a pro softball league.

* Rafael Nadal gets a grand slam tribute at the French Open

* The NIL.

* TNT’s last show with Charles Barkley, Shaq. Kenny & Ernie.

Here are the best quotes from our interview with Ron:

Q1. The NFL’s OTA (Organized Team Activities)

“Right now in the NFL off-season, all the teams are in the midst of OTAs—Organized Team Activities. These sessions are voluntary, but many players show up, even if they’re not in pads or going full contact. It's a chance for new draft picks and free agents to integrate, and for coaching staff to lay foundational work. Here in Pittsburgh, for example, there’s a lot of talk on local sports radio about Aaron Rodgers. There’s this ongoing discussion—if he’s going to be part of the team, why hasn’t he signed yet? So there’s anticipation, but also excitement, especially because Pittsburgh is set to host the 2026 NFL Draft. The city is gearing up to break the attendance record set by Detroit in 2024, where over 775,000 people attended and the city brought in more than $213 million in revenue. These events bring real economic value—hotels are full, restaurants are packed—it’s fresh money into the local economy. If we can top that, it’s going to be a major win for the city.”

Q2. The Passing of Jim Irsay

“The passing of Jim Irsay really resonated throughout the NFL community. He was only 65, which is young by today’s standards. A lot of people remember his father, Robert Irsay, who infamously moved the Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis in the middle of the night back in 1984—literally packing up in Mayflower trucks. That move earned him nicknames like ‘The Mayflower Guy’ or ‘Midnight Cowboy.’ Jim inherited the team and built his own legacy, but he also carried that history. His passing is not just a loss for Indianapolis, it’s a loss for the league. The Irsay name has been tied to one of the most memorable franchise moves in NFL history, and Jim played a central role in continuing that story.”

Q3. Netflix Documentary “The Fall of Favre”

“The new Netflix documentary ‘The Fall of Favre’ is shedding light on a really unfortunate but important story. Brett Favre, who many once idolized as a blue-collar icon and legendary quarterback, has been tied to multiple controversies—including allegations of sexual harassment during his stint with the Jets and now this welfare fraud case in Mississippi. The documentary goes deep, showing texts, financial records, and public silence from Favre. It’s especially troubling considering that this involved money being siphoned away from low-income residents in one of the poorest states in the country. It’s a reminder that fame and legacy don’t give you immunity, and in today’s climate, accountability is finally catching up with stories that might’ve been brushed aside a generation ago.”

Q4. The MLB Standings

“The MLB season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent years. Here in Philadelphia, the Phillies are red hot in the NL East, while the Mets are also playing solid ball. The Cubs look great in the Central, and St. Louis is overperforming expectations. Out west, the Dodgers, Padres, and Giants are all stacked—it’s a three-way race. Over in the American League, the Yankees are leading the AL East, Detroit is unexpectedly strong, and Cleveland is holding steady. In the AL West, Seattle and Houston are neck and neck, and while the Rangers are a bit behind, they’ve got the roster to turn it around. It’s a deep field with a lot of parity, which makes for great baseball.”

Q5. The NBA Playoffs and NBA Draft

“This year’s NBA playoffs have been incredibly exciting because, for the first time in a while, it feels like nearly any of the remaining teams could win the title. OKC is making a deep run and showing that their rebuild strategy—trading away stars like Harden, Westbrook, and Durant for draft picks—has paid off. They hit on those picks and developed the talent. Look at SGA, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Originally drafted 11th overall by the Charlotte Hornets, he was traded to the Clippers and then to OKC. Now he’s the league MVP and considered one of the most efficient and selfless leaders in the NBA. That says a lot about their development system and team culture. On the Eastern side, the Knicks and Pacers are in a gritty series. The Knicks have nothing to lose, while all the pressure is on Indiana. As for the draft, it looks strong—deep with real contributors. Cooper Flagg is expected to go number one to the Mavericks, who miraculously landed that pick. He’s a generational player, and this draft could have long-term impact for several franchises.”

Q6. The NHL Playoffs

“We’ve got a thrilling rematch in this year’s Stanley Cup Final—Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers. The Panthers have made it to the Finals for the third consecutive year, which is a testament to their consistency in the Eastern Conference. But I think this time around, Edmonton has the upper hand. They learned a lot from last year’s loss, and they have the firepower and depth to take it. If they can stay disciplined and get solid goaltending, I believe they’ll finally hoist the Cup. It’s going to be a hard-fought series either way, but I’d put my money on the Oilers.”

Q7. MLB’s Plan to Invest in a Pro Softball League

“The MLB’s investment in professional women’s softball, through the new A-USL league, is a really exciting development. It reminds me of how the WNBA got off the ground in 1997. The NBA’s backing made all the difference—shared facilities, access to marketing and ticketing infrastructure, experienced coaches. That foundation helped the WNBA survive those tough early years and grow into what it is today. The A-USL could follow the same path, especially since there’s already a strong fanbase for NCAA women’s softball. MLB is planning to put real money behind this—investing in facilities, helping with television deals, leveraging their own sales and marketing staff. That kind of ecosystem can make this league sustainable. And with stars like Caitlin Clark proving the commercial viability of women’s sports, this is a smart move. If done right, A-USL could be the next big success story in women’s pro sports.”

Q8. TNT’s last show with Charles Barkley, Shaq. Kenny & Ernie.

“It is the end of an era for Inside the NBA on TNT. The chemistry of Charles, Shaq, Kenny, & Ernie is undeniable. After 35 years the NBA is making a change. The interaction between Shaq and Charles is sport TV at its best”.

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This week we have the honor to interview a group of rehab and performance experts across the NFL and NHL. We discussed concussion assessment and management, their approach to this topic, the various modalities, best practices and trends that they are seeing in the market.

* Alexi Pianosi, Head S&C coach at the Colorado Avalanche, an NHL team.

* Kim Brouzes, an experienced Canadian sports therapist and CEO of Kinmetrix which built an advanced neck strengthening device collecting data.

* Ryan Juarez, the director of rehabilitation at the Commanders, an NFL team.

📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on concussion assessment and management related topics especially:

* How concussion assessment protocols have evolved in their sports over the past few years, and which new tools or technologies (e.g., SCAT6, eye-tracking, neurocognitive platforms, and in-race or in-game monitoring) are being integrated today.

* What roles wearable technologies, video analysis, saliva analysis, connected mouth guards, sensor based helmets, or AI are playing in real-time concussion detection and post-impact evaluation across their sports (NFL, NHL).

* How sports organizations handle education and awareness for players, coaches, and staff around concussion risk, symptoms, and reporting culture.

* Looking forward, what they see as the next frontier in concussion prevention or management—whether it’s data, equipment, policy, and so on.

You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview located at the top of this blog post.

Here are some of the best quotes of our conversation with Alexi, Kim and Ryan:

1. How have concussion assessment protocols evolved, and what new tools are being integrated?

Kim Brouzes:

“In Ontario, we have something called Rowan’s Law. It came about after Rowan Stringer, a young athlete, tragically passed away from Second Impact Syndrome. This law brought in strict rules for diagnosing and managing concussions. If a concussion is suspected, the athlete must be referred to a doctor or nurse practitioner for diagnosis, and then they're put into what we call a protocol. We mandate 24 hours of brain rest, then begin aerobic activity, neck treatments, and from there we figure out what type of concussion they’re dealing with—whether it's visual, vestibular, cervicogenic, or another type. There are about six different systems we consider. This informs the specific treatment plan and helps us guide them through recovery in a structured, safe manner. It’s a highly legislated and systematic approach designed to prioritize athlete health.”

Ryan Juarez:

“When I started in the NFL as an intern in 2005, concussion protocols were pretty limited. By 2012, when I came back full time, awareness had improved, but we were still figuring a lot out. Now, things have evolved tremendously in a positive way. In the NFL, we use tools like C3 Logic as part of baseline and return-to-play screening, and we still use Impact testing. At the college level, I’ve also worked with Sway, which assesses balance. There are now spotters in the booth looking for visible signs during games, and we’ve got league- and conference-driven assessment protocols we have to follow. All of this is a far cry from when I started. We’re more structured, more evidence-driven, and far better equipped to identify and manage concussions.”

Alexi Pianosi:

“Over the last 10 years, concussion management has improved significantly, especially in pro sports. But what's also become clear is how little we still know. We’ve moved away from a one-size-fits-all approach, and now recognize that different teams, organizations, and even individual practitioners can approach concussion management differently. Some are more risk-averse, some are quicker to return players based on symptoms and initial tests. That variability isn’t necessarily bad—it allows for creativity and innovation—but it also means there’s no standardized protocol across the board. Laws like Rowan’s Law are a step toward consistency, but we’re still in the early stages of understanding how to best manage and treat concussions comprehensively.”

2. What role are wearable technologies, video analysis, saliva analysis, connected mouthguards, or AI playing? Differences across sports?

Ryan Juarez:

“I’ve had experience using sensor-based helmets and connected mouthguards, particularly at the college level. We used them to identify the type and location of impacts, which helped inform practice planning—like what drills might be causing more head contact. We also had a donor-funded saliva biomarker study with our women’s lacrosse team, which was fascinating. I’m still learning about a lot of this newer tech—AI, surface EMG, etc.—but I’m excited by it. One example Kim told me about was a Canadian researcher using EMG sensors on the knees to track the delay in brain-to-muscle signal transmission post-concussion. That’s pretty wild and really promising. But even with all the tech, I keep reminding myself and others: sometimes, good clinical judgment and knowing your athlete can be the most valuable tools.”

Kim Brouzes:

“There’s a ton of innovation right now—saliva testing for biomarkers post-concussion, surface EMG sensors showing delayed muscle responses linked to the autonomic nervous system, eye tracking, AI... But no matter how many tools you have, we can’t overlook the importance of the human element. When you know your athlete, you see mood changes, eye movement differences, or how they carry themselves. That’s something tech can’t fully replicate. It’s exciting to have all these new ways to gather data, but you’ve got to use your instincts and experience too. Impact and symptom should still equal removal from play, full stop.”

Alexi Pianosi:

“There’s a ton of promise in wearable devices, saliva testing, and other tech, but we’re not at the point where we can definitively say, ‘This metric means a concussion.’ It’s not like speeding on a highway where 65 mph is a clear threshold. You might see one guy take a massive hit and bounce back totally fine, while another barely gets touched and can’t remember who you are. The variability is massive. So we need to gather data on mouthguards, biomarkers, reaction time—all of it—but we also need to understand what those measurements mean in context. Eventually, I hope we’ll get to a point where we can say, ‘This sensor measures the vestibular response really well, this one the visual system,’ and build an integrated view of what a concussion really looks like on multiple levels.”

3. How does your organization handle education and awareness around concussions?

Alexi Pianosi:

“In the NHL, every training camp starts with a mandatory concussion education video. It features former players sharing their stories and symptoms. It’s definitely valuable, though for veterans it can get repetitive over time. That said, the cultural shift is the most important part. The old ‘play through it’ mentality is mostly gone now. Players take it seriously. If they’ve got symptoms, they speak up. And that’s a huge step forward for long-term brain health and player safety.”

Ryan Juarez:

“In both the NFL and at the college level, there’s required education at the start of every season. The biggest change I’ve seen, though, is how players look out for each other. Ten years ago, guys would hide symptoms to stay on the field. Now, you’ll hear teammates saying, ‘Go get checked out.’ That shift in peer culture is powerful. The more that happens, the more likely we are to catch injuries early and keep guys safe.”

Kim Brouzes:

“Here in Ontario, the education component is taken seriously. Athletes and coaches must complete online training at the start of the season. Anyone—coaches, trainers, even media—can pull a player out if a concussion is suspected. The messaging is improving, too. It’s less fear-based now and more about empowerment and awareness. When you tell athletes they may not feel like themselves for a while, and that’s normal, it helps. We educate all the way from preseason to post-return to play.”

4. What is the next frontier in concussion prevention or management?

Alexi Pianosi:

“Total prevention seems unlikely in collision sports like football or hockey. You’ve got big athletes moving fast—it’s part of the game. But the next big steps are better detection and better rehab. On the sideline, real-time diagnostics like mouthguards or saliva testing will be game-changers once the science catches up. And for the tougher cases—those 5 to 10% that don’t follow the normal recovery path—we’ll need better ways to address specific systems, like vestibular or visual issues. It’s going to take both technological innovation and clinical expertise.”

Ryan Juarez:

“If I could dream big, I’d love to see sideline tech that gives you an accurate, immediate read on whether a player has a concussion. That would be huge. I also believe in equipment upgrades—we’ve used Guardian Caps and saw our concussion numbers drop by half. That’s a real impact. And the more data we have—whether it’s load tracking, EMG, or reaction metrics—the more confident we can be about when a player is really ready to come back.”

Kim Brouzes:

“We might not be able to fully prevent concussions, but we can reduce their severity and improve how we manage them. That means fewer hits in practice, strengthening the neck, delaying contact sports until kids are older, and understanding things like sleep and nervous system balance. If we can build a profile on each athlete—their physiology, their normal responses—we can be more precise when something’s off. But I agree, knowing exactly when a concussion happens and acting quickly is the biggest leap we can make.”

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This week we had the honor to interview a group of NCAA sports performance experts.

* Dr. John DeWitt, director of applied sports science in the athletic department and a faculty member, Rice University (NCAA team).

* Eric Renaghan, Executive Director of Sport Performance, University of Miami (NCAA team).

* Drew Lukes, Senior PT at Duke University and the head of sports science, Duke university’s women soccer team (NCAA team).

You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Eric, Drew, and John located at the top of this blog post.

Here are some of the best quotes of our conversation with them:

Q1. How has the transfer portal reshaped team culture, leadership development, and continuity?

Eric Renaghan (University of Miami):

“The transfer portal has fundamentally changed college sports. It’s essentially turned the NCAA into a professional environment where you’re not just recruiting new talent, but you’re now also recruiting your own players to stay. That’s never really been the case before. What makes it especially tough is we don’t just have one transfer window like pro leagues. We’ve got multiple across the year. So, it’s constant—trying to build cohesion while guys are coming and going. From a physical performance standpoint, that part of our work doesn’t really change—we’re still focused on keeping everyone healthy and progressing—but now we have players coming in from different systems, different training histories, and we have to quickly assess and integrate them. It’s like mid-season trades in the pros, and that can really stress your culture if you’re not deliberate about it.”

Drew Lukes (Duke University):

“We’re in a transitional era where some athletes have been with their program for four or five years—before NIL, before the portal exploded—and they’re now seeing newcomers arrive with massive NIL deals. That dynamic creates tension. You might have a senior who’s contributed for years sitting next to a freshman transfer making more in NIL than they’ve ever seen. That forces some difficult conversations. From a support staff perspective, we’re having to adapt by accelerating onboarding. So, it’s all about tightening your processes while staying aligned with the coaches who are making those culture decisions.”

John DeWitt (Rice University):

“For me, it’s less about who’s transferring and more about where they are in their developmental arc. These players are still in their final stages of physical growth. From a sports science lens, I’m thinking: are we inheriting someone whose ceiling is still high, or someone who’s plateaued? And how do we integrate that understanding into our planning? You need to analyze their trajectory the same way a pro team would look at an investment. And because NIL has accelerated the frequency of transfers, you’re not just doing this a few times a year—you’re doing it constantly.”

Q2. How are NIL, tech budgets, and donations used to attract athletes—and are there concerns about sustainability or equity?

Drew Lukes:

“There’s no question that tech is being used as a recruiting tool, but we try not to lead with the gear. We lead with the people behind the technology. The question isn’t just ‘do you have a force plate?’ It’s ‘do you have staff who know how to analyze that data, give it context, and help the athlete apply it?’ Because it doesn’t matter how many gadgets you have if you don’t know what to do with them. On top of that, we’re in a strange spot financially. Coaches are now being asked to raise more money to fund NIL packages, while at the same time athletic departments are pulling back funding in other areas. So there’s a squeeze. You feel it across every role.”

John DeWitt:

“Athletes today are much more informed. They’re going to ask: What’s your tech setup? What are your testing protocols? How will this program make me better? The schools that can answer that clearly—and back it up with examples—will have an advantage. That’s where technology can play a recruiting role. It’s not about impressing them with flashing lights. It’s about showing them a roadmap to improve and reach their goals, whether that’s pro-level aspirations or personal development.”

Eric Renaghan:

“We emphasize the level of care we provide. That’s the differentiator. Yes, athletes want to know what tools and systems you use, but more than that, they want to know how those tools are being used to help them succeed. We make it clear: here’s how we’ll monitor you, here’s how we’ll individualize your programming, and here’s who you’ll be working with every day. The relationships are just as important—maybe more—than the hardware.”

Q3. Resistance and Strength Training Tech – Measuring Impact

John DeWitt:

“Force plates have been a total game-changer. They’re non-invasive, fast, and immediately useful. We track metrics like peak power, force at zero velocity, and eccentric duration. The athletes understand the numbers, the coaches do too. And here’s the impact: over the last year, we’ve seen consistent gains across all teams. It’s like a stock chart—everyone’s trending upward. That tells me that the training is working. We’re not mandating specific programs. We're just giving staff data they can use, and they’re making smarter choices. That’s ROI for us—not just injury reduction, but visible, measurable improvements in physical capacity.”

Eric Renaghan:

“The best technology is the one that answers the right questions. If we’re seeing performance plateaus or subtle signs of fatigue, we want tools that help us detect those issues early and adapt before injuries or performance drops occur. Force plates, velocity tracking—those are great, but we focus on how they fit together. ROI isn’t always a dollar figure—it’s the number of healthy athletes on the field, the absence of overuse injuries, and the ability to sustain peak output over a season.”

Q4. AMS: Centralizing Data for Smarter Decisions

Drew Lukes:

“We couldn’t afford a full AMS, so I built one using Power BI. It lets me integrate everything—subjective wellness scores, VO2 max, force plate outputs, injury records—in one place. It's free, flexible, and it works. It's not about flashy dashboards; it's about having a system that supports better decisions.”

Eric Renaghan:

“Most AMS platforms have gaps. One system might do monitoring well but fail on communication or visualization. That’s why we built our own. We use it not just to track performance and health but also to upskill our staff—learning analytics, data cleaning, communication. It’s become a developmental tool for our practitioners, not just a data warehouse. And yes, the pricing structure of many AMS vendors is frustrating. They charge big-name schools more for the same product, and when you find out, it damages trust. We’d rather invest in our own system that we control and customize.”

John DeWitt:

“We created a custom AMS that pulls data from Vald, MX3, and Catapult. I wanted to look at hydration, jump force, and movement speed in one place without flipping between dashboards. It’s about actionable insight, not just storage. Plus, we protect our proprietary models. I’m not giving a vendor our algorithms so they can resell it as a feature to other schools. If it’s core to our program’s success, I want to own and control it.”

Q5. Tech-Enabled Nutrition and Recovery

John DeWitt:

“Nutrition is just as important as force or GPS data. We use MX3 for hydration, BOD POD and InBody for body comp, and DEXA when needed. It’s about gathering simple, actionable data. We work closely with our dietitian—when she sees a player, she can also look at their performance trends, hydration status, or body comp. That cross-talk between departments is where the value comes in.”

Eric Renaghan:

“Nutrition is the fuel, the oil, the maintenance plan. We use thermal imaging, HRV, blood biomarkers—like vitamin D, ferritin, testosterone—to tailor interventions. We’re not throwing 5,000 IUs of vitamin D at everyone—we’re dosing based on labs. And it’s not just testing—it’s follow-through. We find out what players will actually eat consistently and build their plans around that. You miss a lift? No big deal. But skip nutrition? It shows up fast in performance and recovery.”

Drew Lukes:

“In women’s sports, RED-S and menstrual health are real concerns. We track cycles and watch for missed periods—because that’s a huge flag for energy deficiency. It’s not just about collecting data. We educate athletes, involve dietitians, and create support systems. One of the most powerful tools we’ve had is simply using questionnaires to trigger follow-up care. Tech is helpful, but the cultural support and education is just as critical.”

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