In episode 54 of Mettle Minds Podcast Sport psychologist Dr. John Heil and Sport Psychology professor Dr. Les Podlog discuss Simone Biles decision to withdraw from the Olympics, and its impact on the world of sport. They examine the underlying issues in away that is sensitive to the everyday reality of sport but informed by sport science. They discuss athlete mental health, injury risk and psychological readiness, athletes’ rights and organizational culture, and cumulative stress and critical incidents. They also touch on remarkable feats and traumatic growth, the enduring impact of the ideals of the Greek Olympics on the culture of contemporary sport, and lastly, advocacy and the importance of seizing the moment as an opportunity for change.
In Episode 53 of Mettle Minds, I speak with Kevin Luhrs, an Associate Principal Scientist at Gatorade Sport Science Institute. Kevin was also a former defensive lineman for the Nebraska Cornhuskers as well as the team dietician and assistant strength coach for 9 years at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During his time as a Cornhusker, Kevin experienced a serious knee injury that became a debilitating source of chronic pain -- one that eventually impacted his work with the Bucs, quality of life, and mental health. In this “deep dive” conversation, Kevin discusses the negative impact of injury and chronic pain on his personal and professional identity and feelings of self-worth. He candidly discusses the “high-testosterone” environment and masculine culture of football led him to try and expedite his return to the field after injury. Kevin also highlights the importance of his support network in helping him experience personal change, growth, and a new perspective on life.
Episode 52 of Mettle Minds, features Jocelyn Bonney, an NCAA champion and professional triathlete who represents the U.S. at international competitions. Bonney discusses her recent trials and tribulations dealing with a severe concussion. She provides a highly personal account of the physical and psychological impact of concussion on her mental well-being and training. Bonney highlights her use of self-talk as well as the role of hope, gratitude, and social support in facilitating concussion recovery. She suggests that adopting the mindset that injury is something that “happens for you, rather than to you” can be highly beneficial.
Episode 51 of Mettle Minds features Dr. John Heil and Dr. Les Podlog, who reflect on the “state of the art” psychological research and practical management of sport injury. Dr. Podlog highlights the need for more multidisciplinary, theory-based research, while Dr. Heil advocates a team approach to rehabilitation. Both Heil and Podlog encourage scholars to share their research findings with injury practitioners and to disseminate their work beyond traditional academic outlets.
Episode 50 of Mettle Minds features Dr. Dale Forsdyke, a Senior Lecturer in Sport injury Management at York St. John University, UK. Dr. Forsdyke is a leading sport injury researcher and head of Science and Medicine at York City Tier 1 Regional Talent Club where he oversees the athletic development of elite female soccer players. Dale discusses the role of acute and chronic stress in injury risk, the importance of athletes’ taking ownership of their recovery, and the need for athletes’ to be physically and psychologically ready to return to sport. Dr. Forsdyke discusses ways to assess psychological readiness including use of psychological assessment tools, clinical judgements of athletes’ capabilities, and informal conversations with the athlete.
In episode 49 of Mettle Minds Podcast, Dr. Rod Havriluk, a world- renown expert on swimming biomechanics, discusses prevention of shoulder injuries. Dr. Havriluk applies the latest biomechanics research and technology (e.g. force analysis and underwater video) to help athletes improve their technique, enhance performance times and reduce injury risk. Dr. Havriluk discusses the importance of performance cues and deliberate-practice training principles in optimizing performance and reducing injury risk. In his work with coaches and athletes, he attempts to overcome conventional wisdom that higher training loads equate to better performance.
In episode 48 of Mettle Minds, Dr. Les Podlog speaks with Samantha Glynn, a sport physiotherapist who runs and owns the SG Injury Clinic in Galway Ireland. She holds a masters degree and is pursuing a Ph.D in sport, exercise and performance psychology from the University of Limerick, Ireland. Samantha highlights the mind-body challenges of injury as well as the importance of patient education, managing athlete expectations, and fostering patient-practitioner rapport. Glynn also discuss the value of listening to injured athlete concerns, the role of athlete motivation, and the benefits of psychological skills in facilitating successful recovery.
Episode 47 of Mettle Minds features Jesse Phillips, an actor, coach, and former world-class sprint kayaker. Jesse was a multiple Australian National Champion in the K2-200 meter event and a 6th place finisher in the London 2012 Olympic Games. In this candid discussion, Jesse shares his perspective on the qualities that allow athletes to achieve at the highest level. He discusses some of his personal experiences with adversity having missed out on qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Mettle Minds episdode 46 features, Roger Jackucewicz, a track and field coach, who for many years coached his kids and now works with his grandkids. In 2004, his 13-year old daughter Briana ran the 5-thousand meters in a record 16:53:09 and the 10-thousand meters in 35:53:39. Roger discusses how his coaching philosophy evolved from an emphasis on performance to one focused on keeping running fun, the value of sport as a vehicle for developing life skills, and the importance of rest and recovery. He also suggests that sport can be used to help athletes learn about themselves. Roger highlights the importance of composure, focus and confidence, as key factors facilitating competitive success. He suggests that sporting success is individual and can be defined in different ways. His take on “game plans” is interesting for any coach trying to optimize athletes’ pre-game mindset.
Episode 45 of Mettle Minds features injury expert, Dr. Adam Gledhill, Course Director for Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Leeds Beckett University in the UK. Dr. Gledhill is also a Fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES), a Chartered Scientist and a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist. He discusses factors influencing female soccer players’ progression to elite levels of the sport. He also describes the impact of injury on the career trajectory of athletes and the doubts and questions that injuries typically create. Dr. Gledhill sheds light on the importance of moderating athletes’ recovery expectations, the value of an athlete-centered approach to rehabilitation, and the importance of education, communication and social support. He highlights key considerations for the return to competition after injury rehabilitation.
Dr. Cristiana Conti is an Italian sport psychologist working with youth and Olympic level athletes. Cristiana discusses her approach to enhancing athletes’ and coaches’ self-awareness and autonomy. She highlights challenges facing athletes during the pandemic as well as strategies to enhance sport performance and overcome injury. In particular, she emphasizes the value of imagery, cognitive restructuring, communication and education.
Sydney Masters is a mental skills coach at the Major League baseball club, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sydney works with baseball players, coaches and sport medicine staff to help athletes optimize their performance and deal with challenges such as injury. Sydney discusses strategies such as mindfulness that she uses to help athletes enhance their attentional focus and to gain greater awareness of how their thoughts, emotions and physical sensations impact their performance. She provides excellent strategies for enhancing athlete confidence in their injury rehabilitation and return to play. For further assistance dealing with the challenges of injury or for performance enhancement consulting visit: podlogconsulting.com
James Austin competed at the 2012 London Olympics in Judo in the 100kg weight class. He talks about his experience competing at the Olympics in his home country and discusses his personal challenges with injury in the latter part of his career. Austin describes his adversity surrounding an ACL/MCL tear that forced him to miss his final international competition, the Commonwealth Games. The injury also meant that he was unable to leave the sport on his own terms. Austin suggests that having new avenues to pursue in life facilitated his transition out of sport.
Dr. Ina Harizanova is a former elite modern pentathalete, a long-time fencing and swimming coach, and a doctor of clinical psychology. She suggests that young athletes may be reluctant to communicate pain and injury given fears about the implications of doing so. She highlights the importance of building high quality coach-athlete relationships in fostering trust and maintaining open lines of communication. Dr. Harizanova discusses numerous strategies for coping with injury adversity including: seeking social support, listening to body signals indicating further injury damage, maintaining a daily routine, and trying to optimize sleep hygiene and eating habits to promote healing. She also emphasizes the value of trying to remain focused on the present and challenging potentially irrational forms of thinking. For further assistance dealing with the challenges of injury or for performance enhancement consulting visit: podlogconsulting.com
Dr. James Dimmock (James Cook University) and Dr. Ben Jackson (University of Western Australia) are two world-leading health, sport and exercise psychology researchers. They co-lead the Psychology of Active, Healthy Living (PAHL, www.jcu.edu.au/pahl) Research group. Their research focuses on community-based programs that foster resilience, health and physically active lifestyles. Our discussion focuses on one particular program, the Growth and Resilience in Teacher Training (GRIT) program. GRIT is designed to inoculate teachers against the many stressors they face in their work. Dr. Jackson and Dimmock highlight the value of teachers connecting with one another in an effort to actual as mutual support systems. Within the GRIT program, teachers who adopt effective coping strategies such as communicating concerns with leadership, looking for productive solutions, and seeking appropriate resources, are encouraged to act as role-models for others. To help teachers integrate effective coping strategies into their daily work, Dr. Dimmock and Jackson implement a “resilience roadmap” technique. For further assistance dealing with the challenges of injury or for performance enhancement consulting visit: podlogconsulting.com
Dr. Lydia Bell is an Associate Director of Research for Academic Performance at the NCAA. Lydia discusses research demonstrating the adverse implications of Covid-19 on student-athlete mental health and well-being. She indicates that relative to pre-pandemic levels, student-athletes are showing elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. She also suggests that rates of mental health concerns appear higher among Latino and African American athletes than their Caucasian peers, among athletes whose families are experiencing economic distress as a result of the pandemic, and among varsity seniors. Dr. Bell also highlights NCAA initiatives and research focused on athlete retention, political activism, and racial justice. Dr. Bell discusses how data informs policy discussions and NCAA decisions. For further assistance dealing with the challenges of injury or for performance enhancement consulting visit: podlogconsulting.com
Dr. Ross Wadey is an Associate Professor in sport psychology at Saint Mary’s University in London, England. He talks about his recent work on the topic of growth after adversity in sport. Wadey highlights some of his research focused on the meaning of growth and interventions aimed at helping athletes experience personal growth after an injury. He suggests that growth is not only something that can occur on an individual level, but also on an interpersonal, team or organizational level. Wadey comments that the aftermath of traumatic injuries can highlight the need for positive change, policy updates or adaptations to sporting cultures and governing bodies. Wadey also discusses criticisms of popular sporting narratives promoting the idea that growth is something everyone should expect to achieve following adversity. For further assistance dealing with the challenges of injury or for performance enhancement consulting visit: podlogconsulting.com
Marco Cuniberti is a physical therapist working at Aspire Academy in Doha Qatar. Based on his substantial experience working with elite youth athletes, he talks about a range of developmental issues impacting athlete recovery. He highlights the importance of having parents “on-board” with treatment decisions; helping young athletes develop resilience and independent decision making; and education and communication that is honest and age-appropriate. He discusses techniques he uses to facilitate athlete trust and promote rehabilitation engagement, such as athlete input in decision-making processes, use of metaphors for explaining difficult concepts, and incorporation of different games to keep rehabilitation fun and interesting. Marco suggests that the ultimate goal of rehabilitation is to help athletes acquire the skills to self-manage and cope with rehabilitation and future sport-related challenges. He encourages injured athletes to adopt the mindset that they are still “in training”. Doing so, can help maintain one’s identity as an athlete and promote a structure and routine that is comparable to non-injured athletes. For further assistance dealing with the challenges of injury or for performance enhancement consulting visit: podlogconsulting.com
Heidi Armstrong was a former NCAA Division I swimmer and professional mountain bike racer. After life-changing knee injuries ̶ one of which required six separate operations over a multi-year period ̶ Heidi became interested in understanding the challenges experienced by other injured athletes. Her curiosity led her to speak with many athletes about their experiences and provided the impetus for her current work, coaching and providing support services for injured athletes. Heidi discusses her personal injury experiences, the trials and tribulations associated with injury, and the importance of athletes receiving tailored support from trusted individuals. Heidi talks about the threat injuries pose for athletes’ sense of “self” and the importance of addressing issues related to athletic identity. She also highlights indicators of poor athlete adjustment such as unrealistic expectations, perseverating thoughts, and under- or excessive engagement in rehabilitation exercises. For further assistance dealing with the challenges of injury or for performance enhancement consulting visit: podlogconsulting.com
Dr. Ulrika Tranaeus is a physiotherapist who worked with various Swedish national team athletes and Olympians competing in a variety of winter sports such as skiing, speed-skating, and ice-hockey. Helping athletes with their physical recovery, she realized that psychological factors had a huge impact on sport performance. Recognition of the importance of mental factors, led her to do her PhD at the world-renowned, Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. Her research has focused on the psychological factors associated with injury risk. Dr. Tranaeus highlights the role of psychological factors such as stress in increasing injury risk. She also discusses the importance of various strategies to manage stress – both before and after injury – such as breathing techniques, goal-setting, and relaxation and imagery. Dr. Tranaeus talks about the value of internal motivation for athlete recovery, the long-term benefits of injury, and the fact that overdoing rehabilitation exercises can delay, rather than expedite, injury recovery. For further assistance dealing with the challenges of injury or for performance enhancement consulting visit: podlogconsulting.com
