How did you get into sport?

Tim Parham – From Adelaide to Arsenal. Head of Player Health and Performance Rehabilitation at Adelaide Football Club (AFL)

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Tim Parham is the Head of Player Health and Performance Rehabilitation at Adelaide Football Club who compete in the AFL, Australia. Tim has worked predominately in the AFL having worked as a Physio for Sturt FC (SANFL), Rehab Physio for Greater Western Sydney (GWS) (AFL), Head of Rehab for Port Adelaide (AFL) and has also uniquely spent over 2 years as Rehab Coordinator and won a FA Cup with one of the world’s biggest sporting clubs, Arsenal FC in the English Premier League (EPL). Tim started his career wanting to be a PE teacher but soon discovered both his passion and strengths lied in helping athletes get back to doing what they love doing at the highest level. So, listen to this great conversation of someone who admittedly was unsuccessful at being athlete but who was exceedingly successful at managing athletes at the highest level of sport.


Highlights from the episode…

  • Tim was initially inspired by a physio where at first he was a patient and eventually became a respected colleague.  
  • The unique skills Tim learnt while working in a pub which he still finds valuable to this day working in sport. 
  • Tim shares his first role with Sturt FC and how this opportunity was a pivotal steppingstone for the rest of his career despite the minimal pay, late nights, long hours, all while working an additional full-time job.
  • Now being in a hiring role for an AFL team, Tim shares what he looks for in potential candidates.
  • Tim shares how he was unsuccessful in securing a role with the Adelaide Crows but this fortuitously led him securing a role with the newest appointed club to the AFL the GWS Giants. 
  • Tim provides a fascinating and unprecedented insight into the unorthodox integration of GWS into the AFL. 
  • Having spent over 3 years with GWS, Tim moved back to Adelaide and took the role of Head of Rehab for the Port Adelaide FC. 
  • We dive into the topic of how Tim manages the tension between having an "athlete centered care", when at times there may be competing interests from his employer, the club. 
  • The risks and rewards of being innovative in your approach with injury management vs. simply doing what everyone else is doing, just a little bit better.
  • How Tim went from Adelaide to London and secured a role with one of UKs most successful football club’s in Arsenal.
  • What it’s like to work in the Premier League and what he learnt personally and professionally. 
  • While at Arsenal there were 3 different Head Coaches in less than 2 years, and how this impacted both the club and himself. 
  • After an incredible time at the club including winning the FA Cup, Tim decided to move back to Adelaide now with rival club Adelaide Crows.


People mentioned: 

  • Scott Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-smith-1a67b22a/?originalSubdomain=au
  • Stephen Schwerdt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenschwerdt/?originalSubdomain=au
  • Darren Burgess: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-burgess-a1580628/?originalSubdomain=au

 
Tim Parham contact details:

Host: Luis Resa

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

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How did you get into sport?By Luis Resa