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Inform Performance

Inform Performance

By: Andy McDonald
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About this listen

The Inform Perform Podcast is an industry show focussed on Sports Performance and Sports Medicine. The show interviews thought leaders and professionals that support elite athletes and teams. The aim of the show is to deconstruct the strategies and philosophies the guests utilise in their working environment or area of expertise. Featured guests have worked across the NBA, NFL, MLB, F1, World title Boxing, EPL and more.Copyright 2019 All rights reserved. Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease
Episodes
  • Sports Science Insights - Jamie Salter: Growth, Maturation & Bio-Banding- Challenges, Insights & Solutions
    Jun 2 2025

    Episode 190: In this episode of the Sports Science Insights Podcast, powered by Inform Performance and hosted by Steve Barrett, we’re joined by Dr. Jamie Salter, a researcher and applied sport scientist currently serving as a Senior Lecturer at York St John University.

    Jamie’s work focuses on training load management in youth athletes, with a particular emphasis on growth, maturation, and injury risk. Drawing from both academic research and applied experience, he explores how practitioners can better support developing athletes through tailored strategies that align with biological age rather than chronological age.

    Topics Discussed:
    • Jamie’s background and journey into youth sport science

    • The relationship between injuries and maturation in young athletes

    • Managing training load across different maturity statuses

    • An introduction to and practical insights on Bio-Banding

    This episode is essential for coaches, practitioners, and researchers working in youth development and long-term athlete performance planning.

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    Where you can find Dave:

    •⁠ LinkedIn

    •⁠ ResearchGate

    •⁠ X

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    Sponsors

    VALD: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

    Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

    Teambuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.

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    Where to Find Us

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

    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Our Website

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    Our Team

    • Andy McDonald
    • Ben Ashworth
    • Alistair McKenzie
    • Dylan Carmody
    • Steve Barrett
    • Pete McKnight
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • Sports Science Insights - Dave Carolan: Internal & External training loads - The Evolution of Sport Science Over 30 Years
    May 26 2025

    Episode 189: In this episode of the Sports Science Insights Podcast, powered by Inform Performance and hosted by Steve Barrett, we’re joined by Dave Carolan, a highly experienced Head of Performance, strategy advisor, and entrepreneur, currently leading the first team performance program at Derby County.

    With over 30 years in elite professional sport, Dave brings a wealth of knowledge on the evolution of performance departments, athlete monitoring, and the changing landscape of sport science. From his early days pioneering innovation in football to his current strategic leadership role, Dave offers both historical context and forward-thinking insight.

    Topics Discussed:
    • The evolution of performance departments in elite sport

    • How internal and external load monitoring has changed over three decades

    • What innovation looked like in the early days of sport science

    • Why players today are playing fewer games than 10–20 years ago

    This is a must-listen for practitioners, coaches, and leaders seeking to understand the past, present, and future of performance strategy in elite sport.

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    Where you can find Dave:

    •⁠ LinkedIn

    •⁠ Website

    •⁠ X

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    Sponsors

    VALD: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

    Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

    Teambuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.

    -

    Where to Find Us

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

    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Our Website

    -

    Our Team

    • Andy McDonald
    • Ben Ashworth
    • Alistair McKenzie
    • Dylan Carmody
    • Steve Barrett
    • Pete McKnight
    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
  • Stephanie Mock Grubbs - How to Implement New Systems in Team Sports
    May 19 2025

    Episode 188: In this episode of the Inform Performance Podcast, Andy McDonald is joined by Stephanie Grubbs, a Strength & Conditioning Coach and Sport Scientist currently working with the Houston Astros in Major League Baseball. With prior experience across top-tier programs including the University of Pittsburgh, Clemson Athletics, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Stephanie brings a diverse and practical perspective on applied sport science in elite sport.

    In this conversation, Stephanie shares her journey through high-performance environments and reflects on the strategies, systems, and relationships that have shaped her approach to athlete development.

    Topics Discussed:
    • The evolution of sports science in the U.S. high-performance landscape

    • Building strong relationships and implementing impactful ideas

    • Designing effective systems and processes in sports science programs

    • The use of microdosing in strength training

    • Adapting training methods to the unique demands of baseball

    • The importance of intent and communication in daily training

    • Exploring innovative recovery strategies

    • Thoughts on career development and mentorship in elite sport

    Whether you're a coach, practitioner, or sports science student, this episode delivers valuable insights into optimizing performance support in team sports.

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    Where you can find Stephanie:

    • LinkedIn
    • X (Twitter)
    • Instagram

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    Sponsors

    VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training

    Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

    -

    Where to Find Us

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

    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Our Website

    -

    Our Team

    • Andy McDonald
    • Ben Ashworth
    • Alistair McKenzie
    • Dylan Carmody
    • Steve Barrett
    • Pete McKnight
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
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