The Sport Psych Show

I have the pleasure of being joined by sport and performance scientist Elliott Newell on this episode. Elliot is currently Senior Performance Pathway Scientist at the English Institute of Sport. Specialising in psychological support, Elliott works in high performance sport with an emphasis on talent development. We speak about considering the performer, the athlete, and the person; balancing learning, well-being and performance; and the importance of integrating sport psychology into the environment.

I speak with The Wall Street Journal’s leadership columnist Sam Walker on this episode. Sam founded WSJ’s prizewinning daily sports coverage and is a former reporter, sports columnist, and sports editor. Sam also consults with companies and teams about building better leadership cultures and has authored the hugely popular book "The Captain Class" which looks at the link between the 17 most dominant teams in sports history. And it’s this book that we mainly focus on during our chat.

In this episode I’m joined by basketball coach, consultant, and clinician Brian McCormick. Brian has coached professionally in Denmark, Ireland, and in Sweden's Damligan All-Star Game. Brian completed his PhD in Exercise and Sports Science and has authored several books including ‘The 21st Century Basketball Practice’. And it’s this book we mainly focus on. Specifically we talk about, keeping the game fun and enjoyable at all levels; educative vs training environment and reducing mistakes v improvin

I have the pleasure of being joined by Shaun Larkin, Coordinator of Skill Development for the LA Dodgers on this episode. Previously Shaun played professional baseball and then moved into coaching before completing a Master’s degree in performance psychology. In his current role Shaun oversees how practices are designed for players and how players are developed in terms of skill acquisition, motor learning and mental skills. We speak about player development & helping young players make their own decision

I speak with Jason Severiano Lampkin & Alex Billington, two ex-professional soccer players who were both forced to stop playing due to career-ending injuries in this episode. Jason played at the Manchester United Academy and then completed his apprenticeship at Aston Villa, while Alex attended the Blackburn Academy and then earned a professional contract at Preston. We speak about having your identity taken away when you stop playing sport competitively; injury; the need for psychological support in sport.

I’m lucky enough to be joined by Frank "The Legend" Shamrock in this episode. Frank is an American MMA fighter (retired), entrepreneur, motivational speaker and philanthropist. He was the 1st to hold the UFC Middleweight Championship and retired as the 4-time defending undefeated champion and the #1 ranked UFC fighter in the world. We speak about Frank’s early fights and the unique approach he took to them; using emotion and intelligence in sport; visualisation and defining your dreams and taking acti

In this episode I’m joined by Steve Sallis. Steve currently works with the England u15's and supports several Premier League players with mental conditioning support. He is founder of solutionsmindset.com which specialises in athlete mentorship, sport psychology, coach development, business leadership, teacher training & school CPD. Steve has just released the brilliant book Educating Football - and that is primarily what focus on. We also speak about changing behaviour; helping people develop & resilienc

In this episode I speak with world-renowned coach, author and keynote speaker Alan Stein Jr. Alan has spent 15+ years working with the highest performing basketball players on the planet and now teaches audiences how to utilise the same strategies that elite athletes use to perform at a world-class level. Alan and I speak about high performance; deliberate practice; Kevin Durant; Kobe Bryant; mastery; giving players the opportunity to make decisions and putting the team first.

I have the pleasure of being joined by James Claffey in this episode. James is a Sport Psychology consultant, professional lecturer, and coach in both clinical, exercise, sport and performance psychology, specialising in creating pathways for athletes to reach peak performance. James is currently chief consultant for the PFA of Ireland. In this episode we speak about the stigma sometimes attached to Sport Psychology; Guided Discovery; the power of sleep; introspection; and P.R.I.D.E psychology.

I’m delighted to be joined by Dr Len Zaichkowsky and Dan Peterson in this episode. Len and Dan have written the ground-breaking book The Playmakers Advantage: How to Raise Your Mental Game to the Next Level which uses cognitive science research to reveal the elusive qualities playmakers possess - that winning combination of anticipation, perception, and decision-making skills. We mainly speak about this fantastic book, specifically: what makes a playmaker; growth mindset; choking under pressure.

In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Levett, Head of Talent and Performance at UK Coaching. Nick and his team help develop coaches who work in the Olympic pathway. Nick previously worked in a variety of roles at the FA for 14 years and has coached from grassroots all the way through to Category 1 teams. We speak about the changes in coaching over the years; involving players in decision making; developing leaders and the importance of coaches focusing on developing people not just soccer players.

In this episode, I speak with professional golfer and Sky Sports commentator Andrew Coltart. Andrew turned professional in 1991 and was a member of the European Tour from 1993 to 2012. He had two wins on the European Tour and his best finishes in the Order of Merit were 7th place in 1996 and 8th in 1998. He was a member of the European 1999 Ryder Cup team playing in the singles against Tiger Woods. Andrew now commentates for Sky Sports and is the perfect person to talk about the current golfing landscape

I have the pleasure of being joined by Shameema Yousuf in this episode. Shameema is a certified mental performance consultant of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. She also has a private practice working with youth athletes all the way up to elite athletes and is lead of the women and girls psychology programme and delivery at Brighton and Hove Albion FC. We speak about; integrating sport psychology and mental skills into a sports club; driving focus of attention and relationship building.

I’m delighted to have Nick Winkelman on this episode. Nick is Head of Athletic Performance and Science for Irish Rugby. Previously, Nick worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach for 10 years working with elite military and NFL athletes and running coach education at Exos. We speak about the power of language; helping athletes learn better; internal and external cueing; what shapes movement; direct and indirect coaching; heuristics; opportunities for improvement and feedback loops.

I have the pleasure of being joined by Cody Royle in this episode. Cody is Head Coach of Canada’s AFL (Australian Football League) programme. He has also written “Where Others Won’t” a fantastic book about high performance in sport and in the corporate world. During our discussion, we break down Cody’s book chapter by chapter. We speak about coaching elite players; the importance of good communication; creating emotional bonds with individuals; Cognitive Entrenchment and cultural alignment.