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Darcy is the Director of High Performance with Chicago Fire FC (MLS) and has been operating at the highest level of soccer for nearly three decades. His career spans some of the biggest stages in the game, with roles at European giants Bayern Munich and AS Roma, as well as extensive experience in international soccer. Darcy spent six years with the US Men’s national team and was part of the German national team staff that made history winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Alongside his work in elite soccer, Darcy has also held performance leadership and consultancy roles with Exos and Kitman Labs. His depth of experience, perspective, and knowledge is second to none and in this conversation, Darcy reflects on a career defined by highs, lows, and a lifetime of lessons, both professional and personal, which all began on the rural slopes of Canada far from the packed stadiums and bright lights of the world game.

Highlights from the episode…

• What it was like being part of the beginnings of “Athlete's Performance” the organisation that went on to be commonly known today as the world renowned performance company, Exos.
• Working at Exos, the revolutionary ideas, structures, systems, personnel etc. that Darcy still leverages to this day in the high performance programs he’s involved in.
• How Darcy, admittingly "having no clue about soccer” secured a role with one of the biggest clubs in world soccer, Bayern Munich (Bundesliga).
• The "Power Formula" that Darcy has refined to facilitate performance in his players across all the environments his worked in.
• The "Trust Equation". How to get buy in from your athletes…and keep it!
• How Darcy was able to maintain professionalism and perform at the highest level in amongst the uncertainty and volatility that comes with abrupt coaching changes.
• When accepting roles abroad what considerations he makes to ensure that the move works both professionally and personally.
• Conflict resolution. Having difficult conversations in challenging times with staff, players, media etc.
• How Darcy got a better understanding of human performance by reviewing an unexpected source in the "Supply Change Council of America’s" website.
• “Linking your thinking”. Structuring his thoughts and tools he uses to develop the frameworks and models that he implements around RTS, performance enhancement, injury prevention, management etc.
• Being a part of the 2014 World Cup with the German national team, what it was like to win it and a humbling story post winning the World Cup.
• We discuss the ever-expanding use of technology and whether we are obligated to use it when the data exists. What are we not considering when being a slave to technology.
• With a World Cup being held in the US and all the work he is doing with the Chicago Fire FC, what is Darcy is excited about?

People mentioned:

• Shad Forsythe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shad-forsythe-b94757237/?originalSubdomain=uk
• Craig Friedman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigfriedman/
• Mark Verstegen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Verstegen

Darcy Norman contact details:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darcy-norman-1705496/
• X: https://x.com/DarcyNorman
• Website: https://www.darcynormanconsulting.com/contact

Host: Luis Resa

Contact me on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
• Email: luis.resa@outlook.com

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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From international rugby to Major League Baseball and back again, Alex’s journey in elite sport is truly unique. He has made significant contributions to the game of rugby across four countries: in New Zealand as Sport Science Manager with the The Blues (Super Rugby); in Argentina as Physical Performance Manager across all levels of their national rugby program; in the United States as Head of Performance for USA Rugby; and currently overseeing multiple levels of the national program with Scottish Rugby. Beyond rugby, Alex has also held senior leadership roles in Major League Baseball with the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins. This conversation explores the story of someone who grew up immersed in a sport that held relative obscurity in his own country, yet went on to make a global impact shaped by the experiences his gained from multiple high performance environments, research, and a deep commitment to the game he loves.

Highlights from the episode…

• Alex describes the early days of being involved in Rugby in the US where the sport was relatively unknown and considered more recreational than professional.
• Alex spoke about his move to New Zealand and the challenges of eventually breaking into pro Rugby as an American in a Rugby obsessed nation.
• What Alex learnt about the high performance landscape during his time in NZ and chats about the similarities/differences he experienced in high performance settings in the US and the world.
• With no experience in running an international Rugby program, living in a non-English speaking country and not being able to speak the local language, how Alex courageously secured a role with Argentina as Physical Performance Manager across all levels.
• Now stepping into a role with Argentina and admittingly having limited experience, what did Alex pulled from as a guide for implementing systems, setting up structures, decision making etc?
• What's it like trying to transition into new country and new way of living?
• After rapid success in Rugby, why Alex chose to move into a new sport in Baseball joining the world renowned New York Mets (MLB).
• Alex provides an insight of what it’s like to work in a 162 game MLB season. The resources, staffing, training schedule, daily/weekly plan, load management, periodising strength training etc.
• “Individual development plans”...what are they? And what Alex has gained from Baseball that could assist with rugby athletes.
• With an increase in data collection and ability to monitor more in sport, how do you choose what to measure?
• When dealing with multimillion dollar contracted athletes, how do you get players to do things, that they may not want to do, because you feel strongly that it will benefit them?
• Are you more data informed or intuition informed when it comes to decision making? You'll be surprised by the answer...
• You have experienced an exceptional career that has also come with its challenges…Has it been worth it?

People mentioned:

• John (Mitch) Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mitchell-48041722a/
• Peter Bendix: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Bendix
• Scott Lawrence: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-lawrence-rugby/

Alex Ross contact details:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexsross15/

Host: Luis Resa

Contact me on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
• Email: luis.resa@outlook.com

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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Justin is an Australian sports physiotherapist who has worked at the pinnacle of football in Australia in both the round ball game and Aussie rules football. He has been the Head Physio for 3 separate A-League clubs including the Newcastle Jets FC, Melbourne Victory FC and Macarthur Bulls FC, as well as spending 5 years as Rehabilitation Physio for the Syndey Swans (AFL). What’s most fascinating about Justin is not only has he been able to transition successfully across different sports, but he has also uniquely been able to transition between being a “generalist physio” to a “specialist physio”. In this conversation we chat all things rehab, including who should be involved, general milestones and the specifics of developing, implementing and evaluating a comprehensive and successful rehab plan, in amongst his own personal journey from starting in Hunter region of Newcastle, moving interstate, working in the AFL and returning full circle to where it all began.

Highlights from the episode…

• What a Match day +1 entails and discusses the recovery protocols, top up drills for players and triaging of injured players that currently occur at the club.
• He talks about the steps that opened the door to his first opportunity in professional sport, including helping out and observing for over a year unpaid before ever being presented with a role at the club.
• How Justin deals with complex cases and the process he uses to manage injuries where he may not have extensive experience and knowledge around.
• After being on a rollercoaster of results with the Jets, Justin shares the lead up to the historic 2018 home grand final in Newcastle.
• How Justin received a job offer from one of the power houses of Australian football (Melbourne Victory FC) and the things he had to consider moving away from Newcastle to Melbourne.
• Justin shares his time at the Melbourne Victory and meeting world renowned sport scientist Ryan Timmins.
• Why Justin chose to leave one of the biggest and established A-league clubs to join one of the smallest and less developed clubs in the A-League.
• After only a few months at Macarthur Bulls FC, how Justin was offered a role in a different sport, in a different role with a different club with the Sydney Swans.
• What is involved in a specialised rehab physio role and how the medical/performance team was structured at the Swans.
• "With increase personnel comes with the risk of decrease integration”. With larger medical/performance teams in the AFL, can there be too many people in department?
• If things don’t go according to plan, what’s the evaluation process you use when assessing the outcome of a return to play scenario.
• When developing and implementing a comprehensive rehab plan, how do you know what exercises, tests, milestones matter most?
• Justin shares why he left the Sydney Swans to go back and join the Newcastle Jets as Head Physio.

People mentioned:

• Anthony Crea: https://open.spotify.com/episode/61NEsihgoSiiw5qDRl812x
• Damian Raper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damian-raper-5b212b23/
• Ryan Timmins: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Bt1GdDjwWiXNcCmjU2jBq

Justin Dougherty contact details:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-dougherty-185a0739/

Host: Luis Resa

Contact me on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
• Email: luis.resa@outlook.com

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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James in one of the most lateral and deep thinkers I know in the industry and has the expertise and experience to match. He has worked across a diverse range of sports and athletes at the highest level including, Olympic sports where he was deputy Chef de Mission for the 2016 Rio Olympic games, professional tennis where he was responsible for the health and wellbeing of former world number 1 Andy Murray and Basketball as Head of Performance Therapies with Brooklyn Nets (NBA), to only name a few. Currently he is back in the sport of Rugby where he once worked for England Rugby and Saracens and is now Head of Physio & Rehab for Scottish Rugby. This is an all encompassing conversation where we dive into the technical aspects of injury management, decision making and learning strategies for practitioners at the highest level of sport all while James shares an unguarded personal journey of the highs and lows of working with the elite of high performance sport.

Highlights from the episode…

• Being in the midst of his new role with Scottish Rugby, James shares his current approach to transitioning into a new sport and a new team.
• What often separates the good practitioners from the great practitioners is the non-technical skills and James shares how one can best identify and acquire these skills.
• What is your learning strategy? And what 3 questions you should ask yourself when reading and evaluating research and information.
• In an industry filled with an abundance of information, approaches and opinions, at its core Physio is quite simply “all you have to do is keep people moving and get them stronger”…or is it that simple?
• After being on a path for medicine James decided to pursue physio and move to Indianapolis USA, before moving again to Brisbane Australia to do his Masters and finally returning to the UK for his first role in sport.
• With a chance encounter through a presentation he did, how he was able to secure a role with England Rugby with no prior experience working in Rugby.
• James talks about his transition to the Brooklyn Nets and what it’s like to work with NBA superstars James Harden, Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons.
• Moving for roles. What James had to consider when moving his entire family to the other side of the world, the tough decisions that were made and the benefits that can come with embracing change.
• Working with some of the biggest names in Rugby, Tennis, NBA and Olympic sports what has been the cost of the career you’ve chosen? What other practitioners may need to consider when pursuing a role in sport.
• With all his experience, accomplished and the reputation he’s earnt…What is James solving for in the long term?

People mentioned:

• Mark Young: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-young-b2aaa520/
• Dave Collins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/performanceuk/
• Mark England: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_England
• Chris Spice: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Spice
• Bill Vicenzino: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Vicenzino
• Fionn MacPartlin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionnmacpartlin/

James Moore contact details:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-moore-4a412814/
• HDPN Website: https://www.hd-pn.com
• Marylebone Health Group Website: https://marylebonehealthgroup.com/team-member/james-moore/

Host: Luis Resa

Contact me on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
• Email: luis.resa@outlook.com

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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Mick has founded, grown and sold several successful health care businesses all while having an impact in the world of high performance sport. He’s worked for over a decade in women’s Rugby League as a physio for the NSW Origin team and as Director of Medical & Performance for the St George Illawarra Dragons (NRLW). What he is probably most well known for is his work in the sport of MMA where for close to a decade has worked with some of the world’s best fighters in the UFCs most notably with future hall of famer Alexander Volkanovski. In addition, through his clinics Mick has helped drive the careers of many practitioners who have gone on to work in the NBA, A-League, NRL, Summer and Winter Olympic games. This is a fascinating story of someone who has uniquely been able to find the balance of building several profitable businesses all while traveling the world and working with some of the world’s most ferocious and elite athletes.

Highlights from the episode…

• On the back of poor experiences in private practice, Mick went out on a limb and started his own practice with an emphasis on providing an environment that staff can thrive in.
• Building relationships and the importance of putting yourself out of your comfort zones to reach out to people, share ideas and most importantly add value to others.
• Mick shares the realities of running a private clinic in the sporting landscape and what he is doing to try curate an environment for his staff to learn, get exposure and still be able to pay the bills that come with running a small business.
• Mick has contributed to the success of many practitioners who have gone on to hold prestige roles in sport and shares the number one characteristic in those who gone on to work at the highest level.
• With no background in MMA how Mick caught the eye of the UFC Champion Alexander Volkanovski.
• How Mick got famous after being mentioned on the Joe Rogan Podcast by chucking a pen at Volkanovski in the attempt to teach him what many don’t understand about "Pain".
• How Mick was invited to spend a week with 2023 NBA Champions the Denver Nuggets and provide workshops to their world class medical/performance team.
• Where does manual therapy sit in current practice?
• What is the difference between placebo effect and being misleading?
• Mick gets candid about his own journey in sport and the tension that exists with certain dogmas, decisions and whether it’s worth the ongoing pursuit to work in sport.
• How Mick is changing the game for so many practitioners to scratch their itch in sport without needing to deal with the volatility, long hours, poor remuneration etc. that can often be associated with sport.
• What is entailed in a UFC fight week. Mick gives us an unprecedent insight into the week leading in Championship fight in the UFC.

People mentioned:

• Dan Lawson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-lawson-00946661/?originalSubdomain=au
• Alex Volkanovski: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Volkanovski
• Tim Brennan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-brennan-bb916497/details/experience/
• Chris Jaffrey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR4P27SNi3k

Mick Baines contact details:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-baines-36170b153/
• Website: https://mickbaines.com.au
• South Coast Health Hub: https://healthhubsc.com.au

Host: Luis Resa

Contact me on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
• Email: luis.resa@outlook.com

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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David has spent several decades immersed in English football, working at the highest level of performance across both the Championship and the English Premier League. He’s played a key role in the success of some of the game’s most iconic managers David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, and the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, and spent over a decade with one of the biggest clubs in world football, Manchester United. What makes David’s story truly remarkable is how it began. Entering professional football in his mid-30s, an age when most would consider it too late, he defied the odds to carve out a career built on persistence, loyalty, and a relentless work ethic. In this episode, David opens up about the highs and lows of life in elite football and shares powerful lessons on what it really takes to reach and stay at the top.

Highlights from the episode…

• How David started his career volunteering as a coach for over 5 years and soon found passion for Sport Science in football.
• In the early days David had to travel over 90 miles every day to attend university all while holding a part time role at a Championship club academy program.
• How at the age of 35 David obtained his first full time role as a Head of Sport Science in professional football and the unconventional circumstances that surrounded the appointment.
• “I was not ready!” How David was able to successfully navigate being swiftly thrusted into a leadership role with no prior experience and ability to prepare for what was ahead of him.
• Is it better to become a coach first and then refine your skills in physiology, human movement, strength & conditioning or do it the other way around?
• Is the landscape of high performance sport less tolerant of mistakes than it once was?
• David shares what it felt to be sacked from his job at age 40, with a family, mortgage and no other job prospects, in the one of the most competitive environments in world sport.
• David shares how he received a cold call to come into Carrington that led to him securing a role with Sir Alex Furguson and Manchester United.
• David’s first encounter with Sir Alex Ferguson and what it was like to work with him, his personality, leadership and the culture he created at the club.
• David shares the events from inside the club of that infamous day their cross town rivals won the 2011/12 Premier League title and Sir Alex Ferguson’s remarkable response as he addressed everyone in the club.
• Post Sir Alex Ferguson and the transition of new management with David Moyes, Ryan Giggs and Louis Van Gaal. What it was like to work across different methodologies when it came to sport science.
• After spending several years with the first team, David moved to the academy system implementing strategies across a wider range of players throughout the club.
• David shares the foundational elements to consider when it comes to Return-to-Play decision making.

People mentioned:

• Simon Davey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-davey-6403b517/
• Tony Strudwick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-strudwick-61641031/?originalSubdomain=uk
• Sir Alex Ferguson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Ferguson
• Anthony Crea: https://open.spotify.com/episode/61NEsihgoSiiw5qDRl812x

David Kelly contact details:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-david-m-kelly-2b7a0328/

Host: Luis Resa

Contact me on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
• Email: luis.resa@outlook.com

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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Leigh's resume in sport is one of Australia’s most impressive having held leadership roles in some of Australia’s largest sports. This has included General Manager positions with the AFL players association, GC Suns and Essendon Bombers (AFL), CEO of Netball Victoria and Melbourne Vixens (Super Netball) and CEO of Australia’s most successful Olympic sport, Swimming Australia. What’s unique is in amongst a successful career she has also had to navigate an era where barriers around the perceptions of women in sport existed, as well as maintaining a thriving 25 year+ strong family network while working in the top echelon of sport. If you have ever had the thought of pursuing something outside of your reach, Leigh is an example of with someone who grew up as a young girl in a working class suburbs of Melbourne who through a lot of hard work, resilience and immense courage to step outside of her proverbial lane, went on to exercise her unselfish passion to help get the best out of others!

Highlights from the episode…

• How we can we curate environments to maximise passion in young athletes to continue to pursue a lifelong career in sport?
• Leigh shares how her career being one of the first female leaders in the world of AFL started at her kitchen table.
• Having been a pioneer in her time, how Leigh has been able to break down barriers and position herself so that she can make a meaningful impact all while constantly needing to prove herself.
• "Sport is described as being a merit-based system that rewards those who do the work. However, this only works if in the beginning everything was equal". What are we not considering when choosing the right candidates for roles?
• We discuss how Leigh continues to summon the courage to pursue roles, what would be perceived, is being outside her circle of competence.
• CEO recruitment process, what's involved and how she successfully navigated this process to become CEO of Swimming Australia.
• What a CEO does, what are the KPIs, who sets the KPIs, the day-to-day workings, personal goals etc.
• During one of the darkest and unforeseen periods in Australian Swimming, Leigh candidly shares how she personally navigated the Shayna Jack scandal.
• Who do you turn too in a crisis? We discuss how leadership can often be lonely and why it’s important to have people around who you can depend on and trust.
• In an industry that is not conducive to a family network, how Leigh and her husband have been able to build a beautiful family together for over 25 years while both working in elite sport.
• How Leigh has been able to recreate and redefine her career pathway time and time again.
• What Leigh looks for when recruiting top talent, maintaining a strong sense of purpose throughout an organisation and how to dismiss those who choose not to be part of the culture.

People mentioned:

• Kate Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-palmer-5874b110/?originalSubdomain=au
• Laura Johnston: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurajohnstonpl/
• Andrew Russell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elitehumans/
• Shayna Jack: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shayna_Jack

Leigh Russell contact details:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leighrussell/
• Website Russell Performance Co: https://www.russellperformance.co

Host: Luis Resa

Contact me on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
• Email: luis.resa@outlook.com

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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Dan is a high performance coach and mentor who’s coaching career has spanned across the likes of US Ski & Snowboard team, English Institute of Sport, England Rugby, Wasps Rugby and as Head Strength & Conditioning Coordinator in Baseball for the Houston Astros. Dan has now swapped coaching athletes to coaching coaches and works with sports performance practitioners, including S&C coaches, physiotherapists and sports scientists not just to get into the world of elite sport but excel in their roles. If you have ever wanted to work in elite sport or are currently embedded within a high performance team, then this conversation is one not to miss as Dan shares what you need to know about navigating one of the most competitive, volatile and high demanding industry and still have a meaningful impact and most importantly be fulfilled with what you chose to do.

Highlights from the episode…

• Being disillusioned by not having a specific role after finishing his undergrad degree this led to Dan asking some deep questions about his future that he now asks practitioners to this day.
• How Dan joined the US national Ski and Snowboarding team having no prior experience in winter sports and how this became a pivotal component to his career development.
• When moving from one role into the next with a lack of direction this is the one advice Dan wished he received when he was navigating his own journey in elite sport.
• Is there a risk of being too pragmatic around your needs and wants at the result that you position yourself out of a role in an already competitive market?
• The “one-way and "two-way" doors and how this concept can streamline decision making when deliberating over the pros and cons of situation.
• When the opportunities aren’t coming, you’re struggling financially and you are still working at a level you feel you have out grown, when do you give up on the dream of working in sport?
• How he secured a role with the Houston Astros and some practical steps for any practitioners going through an interview process should know.
• The “Rapport Entry” technique and how this can assist when you’re unsure of an answer to a question you’ve been asked.
• The importance of developing soft skills (communication, teamwork, problem solving etc) in parallel with hard skills (professional expertise) can seperate you from the competition.
• “Career Periodisation” and how it can help practitioners when navigating through the stages of their career of “Thriving”, “Surviving” or “Redefining”.
• Dan shares his personal transition from the “surviving” stage (coaching athletes) into a “redefining” stage (coaching coaches) and the challenges and fulfilment that came with this transition.

People mentioned:

• Per Lundstam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/per-lundstam-29016322/
• Zach Weatherford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-weatherford-b67a009/
• George Petrakos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgepetrakos/
• Josh Fletcher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-fletcher-36151623/

Dan Howells contact details:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howellsdan/?originalSubdomain=uk
• Twitter: https://x.com/howellsdan?lang=en
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collaborate_sports/
• Collaborate Sports: www.collaboratesports.com/thegroupmentorships

Host: Luis Resa

Contact me on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
• Email: luis.resa@outlook.com

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.