09 05.2016

Into the Lion’s Den

Roy Hodgson on Building an Environment for Success on the International Stage Insights from the leading fi gures in Worth Knowing sports performance & beyond

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London Emirates Stadium 8 - 9 November 2016

Los Angeles Save the Date 11 March 2017

New York Save the Date 27 - 28 June 2017

Gathering the industry’s most influential practitioners to share insights and spark discussions that will help shape the future of sport.

Find out more at leadersinsport.com

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Performance Stephen Dobson Summits Executive Editor Performance Superstars, Underdogs and Talent Management

I think that treating players equally extensive travel. Named ‘Travel Management’ London is wrong because that’s not showing this review details how various teams handle Emirates Stadium enough respect to those who have the rigors of continually being on the road. earned“ and deserve it, but players must be 8 - 9 November 2016 aware that you’re not favoring certain other Beyond sport we chatted with the Chief Talent players.” Roy Hodgson. Offi cer at General Motors in Detroit. Michael J. Arena told us how his multibillion-dollar In elite sport, coaches have to provide the organization is working to adopt a startup conditions for different personalities to perform mentality that allows innovation to fl ourish. at their peak. It’s more art than science, and it’s ‘Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast’ explains how an art that Roy Hodgson has been developing a large, complex company can overcome the over a 40-year career spanning club and internal politics that prevent good ideas rising Los Angeles international soccer. to the top. Save the Date His teams have had superstars and underdogs, Another unique story in this edition is that 11 March 2017 both young and old, and as manager of of Stunt Performer Bobby Holland Hanton. England’s men’s national soccer team he now During a break in fi lming Bobby took time has one of sport’s most demanding positions. to share his experience of almost 10 years With limited time spaced across the year, it’s his working in Hollywood. ‘Living on the Edge’ job to gel disparate talents together and instill a highlights some striking parallels between team philosophy under the intense scrutiny of the preparations for dangerous stunts and the media. In our cover interview for this edition elite level sporting performance. His growth we speak with Roy about talent management, mentality drives and prepares him to face New York bridging the generation gap and handling serious injury on a daily basis. Save the Date diffi cult conversations - principles he’s put into action during a perfect run of 10 wins from 10 Elsewhere in this edition we’ll look at the 27 - 28 June 2017 games in qualifying for the upcoming European question of sleep management in sport Championships in 2016. through the work and fi ndings of Dr. Charles Samuels and Dr. Amy Bender of the Centre of We’ve also collected six longer features to Sleep and Human Performance in Calgary. They explore different aspects of performance. In discuss their gold medal strategies for ensuring ‘Keeping Older Players in the Game’, strength athletes get the quality of sleep needed to help and conditioning specialists from across the them be their best when competing. There is Gathering the industry’s most influential practitioners world discuss how they earn the trust of their also an eye catching reading list from Black to share insights and spark discussions that will help athletes and guide them toward making choices Box Thinking Author Matthew Syed. It’s a that extend their careers. collection of stories and ideas to help you look shape the future of sport. at your team, athletes and organization with We also spoke to some of the top sports teams fresh eyes. in the world to explore the ways they deal with Worth Knowing. Find out more at leadersinsport.com 3

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Contents

Credits 22 Publisher LEADERS Executive Editor Stephen Dobson Chief Content Writer John Portch Content Team Matthew Stone Luke Whitworth Matthew Thacker Design Team Matthew Sidebottom Samuel Richardson Commercial Manager Tom Worrall Performance Consultant Clive Reeves Photographic Agency Getty Images

www.leadersinsport.com

Cover Story Reading List

22 8 Into the Lion’s Den Matthew Syed Roy Hodgson on Building an The renowned Journalist and Environment for Success on the Author of Black Box Thinking International Stage suggests some of his favorite The Manager of the England men’s titles in the fields of learning national soccer team discusses his from failure, continuous work managing the talent at his improvement and how to create disposal and creating an environment a high performance culture. for his players to flourish.

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Contents

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Features

10 39 57 Keeping Older Players in Living on the Edge Optimized Sleep the Game The Mindset of a An Emerging Extending the Careers of Hollywood Stunt Performer Performance Enhancing Elite Level Athletes A Hollywood Stunt Performer Tool for Elite Athletes Athletic performance coaches discusses his growth mindset, The Medical Director and from the AFL, NBA, NFL preparations, and the ability Postdoctoral Research Fellow and English Premier League to find focus ahead of a of the Centre for Sleep & club Manchester United join dangerous stunt. Human Performance in Calgary the Director of Performance assess sleep optimization and for Canada Basketball 46 how research suggests there is and the Head Strength Travel Management a strong correlation between & Conditioning Coach of Reducing the Impact sleep quality and optimal Harlequins RFC to discuss of Continually Being on performance. their methods for keeping the Road older players in the game. Performance practitioners 63 from the MLB, English Painting a Picture 30 Premier League and the How Scouting is Done in Think Big, Start Small, England & Wales Cricket Three World Leagues Scale Fast Board join Team Sky’s Head The Assistant General How to Innovate at a Large, of Performance Science & Manager of the Baltimore Complex Organization Innovation to highlight their Ravens, Director of Scouting The Chief Talent Officer of methods of reducing the risks & Recruitment at Premier General Motors explains how and effects of constant travel. League club Southampton GM in southeast Michigan is FC and Collingwood FC’s innovating while continuing General Manager of List to create new opportunities Management explain how the for future leaders. art of scouting varies across three different continents. 5

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The Sport Andrew Fagan @Fages1 Performance Summit Plenty of insights from a lifetime in the game #DaveWohl @LAClippers The Facts & Figures #Leaders16 #LosAng

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Thought-provoking Delegate Speakers Attendees

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Sports Countries Represented Represented

47

Buyer:Seller Clubs/Franchises Ratio Represented

Scott Drawer @ScottDUK One of the best sessions I have been to @Leaders_Insight on Power of Storytelling. Great insights into Pixar. So much insight #Leaders2016 #LEADERS16

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Andrew Fagan @Fages1 Plenty of insights from a lifetime in the game #DaveWohl @LAClippers #Leaders16 #LosAng

11 104

Thought-provoking Delegate Speakers Attendees

20 7

Sports Countries Represented Represented

47

Buyer:Seller Clubs/Franchises Ratio Represented

Scott Drawer @ScottDUK One of the best sessions I have been to @Leaders_Insight on Power of Storytelling. Great insights into Pixar. So much insight #Leaders2016 #LEADERS16

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Reading List Matthew Syed The renowned Journalist and Author of Black Box Thinking shares some of his favorite books in the performance fi eld. These titles delve into topics such as learning from failure, continuous improvement and The Logic of Cracked: Why Psychiatry how to create a high Scientifi c Discovery is Doing More Harm performance culture. Karl Popper Than Good James Davies The Austrian-British Sir Karl Popper is considered to be In Cracked, James Davies, Matthew Syed one of the most infl uential a Psychological Therapist, scientifi c philosophers exposes the practice in his of the 20th Century. He business of placing money transformed contemporary and medical status above thinking on science and the wellbeing of patients. knowledge through ideas Whether it is doctors issuing such as ‘falsifi cationism’. unnecessary prescriptions Popper suggested that the for ineffective drugs, role of observations and manipulated drug trials, or experiments in science is to the fabrication of mental

Matthew Syed is an criticize and refute existing disorders, Davies paints a award-winning Author and theories because no theory bleak picture of a psychiatric Journalist; most recently can be proved beyond doubt, industry that answers to acclaimed for his book Black but a single experiment can a greedy and powerful Box Thinking. He says that contradict one. pharmaceutical industry. high achievers are linked by their ‘black box thinking’ Matthew: “Terrifi c read Matthew: “Terrifi c which means they are not on how science can exploration of the lack afraid to face up to their only improve by learning of scientifi c method in mistakes and will use failures from failure.” psychiatry, and what can be as the best way to learn. done about it.” Matthew is a regular columnist and feature writer for The Times and has won numerous prizes, including Sports Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards.

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Antifragile: Things That Safe Patients, Smart Just Culture: Balancing Gain From Disorder Hospitals: How One Safety and Accountability Nassim Nicholas Taleb Doctor’s Checklist Can Sidney Dekker Help Us Change Health Taleb coined the phrase Care from the Inside Out Just Culture starts from the ‘antifragile’ to describe a Dr. Peter Prenovost point that a ‘just culture’ state beyond resilience or protects honest people’s robustness. While resilience Dr. Prenovost is an Intensive mistakes from culpability. or robustness can enable Care Specialist Physician However, this is not always a person to emerge from and Medical Director for the case in a society of blame a situation unscathed, but the Center for Innovation in and continual litigations unchanged, antifragility Quality Patient Care. He is where it is not always clear suggests the opposite. renowned across America for where lines are crossed People can grow from their his work to improve patient or who is responsible for exposure to stressors and safety by devising a simple drawing such lines in the so a comfortable state has checklist that standardized fi rst place. Dekker explains the potential to be harmful. ICU procedures. Safe Patients, the need for openness and He explains ways in which Smart Hospitals details that acceptance of mistakes in fragility can be identifi ed, process and how he worked to cultures across a variety of measured and transformed. reduce preventable mistakes, industries, from medical to born of negligence, that placed aviation, and why these are Matthew: “Seminal patients’ lives at risk. Thanks to essential to increase safety work on the structure of the efforts detailed here lives and, ultimately, performance. progress and innovation have been saved, infections in a complex world, with reduced, and money saved. Matthew: “The defi nitive brilliant observations about take on how to create a education, heuristics and Matthew: “A brilliant high performance culture fat tails.” book on how a in safety critical industries. learning culture and Some important lessons a commitment to for corporates and sports continuous improvement teams, too.” can transform medical outcomes. This guy really gets it.”

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Keeping Older Players in the Game Extending the Careers of Elite Level Athletes

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port science is more advanced than ever but S often athletes do not understand its value to their wellbeing. To make modern monitoring, training and recovery methods effective teams need to build trust with their rosters while educating them in good living habits. Above all, players who stand the test of time are curious about their bodies and the science behind training and recovery, they are also willing to go the extra mile and made the choice early in their career to embody good habits.

Performance spoke to a number of professionals with a variety of sports science and conditioning backgrounds to discuss their methods for keeping older players in the game. They are: • Gareth Tong, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, Harlequins FC • Charlie Weingroff, Director of Performance, Canada Basketball • Rob Spurrs, Head Conditioning Coach, Sydney Swans • Tim DiFrancesco, Head what they are being told. varying depths every day, if Strength & Conditioning They need to understand the wellness questionnaire Coach, LA Lakers that a GPS tracker is being has raised some fl ags I’ll • Marty Lauzon, Director used to plan their training make sure to have a more of Sports Medicine, Atlanta and recovery with a view to in-depth conversation. Such Falcons lengthening their careers. conversations can oftentimes • Dr. Robin Thorpe, Head of That trust is built over time enlighten you to reasons for Recovery & Regeneration, in the right environment. a player’s tiredness or lack of Manchester United recovery that other metrics At Harlequins, Gareth and just wouldn’t provide such as Athletes need to feel able his staff ask the players to fi ll a newborn keeping them up to trust their coaches out a wellness questionnaire all night.” Firstly, science can be used on each training day and if to help extend careers but something stands out that is Canada Basketball has athletes need to be able their cue to talk to the player. made efforts to create an to trust the science behind “I speak to the players in environment where players 12

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Gareth Tong

Gareth is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Harlequins Rugby Football Club. He holds a BSc in Strength and Conditioning Science, receiving First Class Honors at St. Mary’s University College.

Charlie Weingroff

Charlie is the Director of Sports Performance for Canada Basketball. He has represented the organization since 2012 after holding positions with the likes of Nike and the United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command.

Rob Spurrs

Rob is the current Head Conditioning Coach for the AFL team, the Sydney Swans.

Tim DiFrancesco

Tim is the Head of Strength & Conditioning at NBA franchise the LA Lakers. Tim was named Head of S&C at the Lakers in 2011 and is also founder of TD Athletes Edge: www.tdathletesedge.com

Marty Lauzon

Marty was named the Atlanta trust its use of modern Sydney Swans, Rob and Falcons’ Director of Sports monitoring, training and his staff trialed NormaTec Medicine & Performance in 2013 recovery methods. “We’ve recovery pants with a small after three years as Head Athletic Trainer. He is responsible for created a very social group of players and soon all aspects of the club’s athletic environment when the guys expanded the initiative to training department. come in for manual therapy their entire roster. “One of our or rehab. They’re very excited staff who is actively involved to be around everybody else with a US cycling team came Dr. Robin Thorpe and we can communicate across these units, brought Robin is the Head of Recovery & with them in a very jovial way some back to the club, and Regeneration of 20 times Premier that enables us to get the it had good effects with League champion Manchester players to understand why regards to recovery. It’s nice United. He joined United in 2009 we’re doing these things.” to see the results from our and is responsible for sports science and conditioning practices objective data but players that help improve the effi ciency of With that trust, teams can were reporting that they felt player recovery. even try new things. At the better. We started those off 13

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with a small group and then expanded across the whole “We’ve created a very social club as an essential part of their recovery.” The fact is that environment when the guys the players gave them the chance to try something new come in for manual therapy or and soon saw the value. rehab. They’re very excited to With trust coaches can be around everybody else and educate players in the value of good habits we can communicate with Education is the next important thing. Good them in a very jovial way that education can extend careers, whether it is explaining a enables us to get the players treatment type advertised on to understand why we’re the internet or the benefits of good nutrition. “A lot of doing these things.” choices an athlete makes early in their career will Charlie Weingroff affect their latter career,” says Charlie. Knowledge and practice of good habits we’ve got their attention. In want to know the why more is common to athletes that these meetings we’ll address than previous generations.” stand the test of time. things that have cropped up a number of times or issues He discusses the players’ Education means pointing that we feel the players refrigerator: “Drinks on the players in the right direction. haven’t really understood.” top shelf have the least sugar Often they will hear of a new whereas drinks with the supplement or specialist The LA Lakers PRO most sugar are stacked at the doctor and ask for guidance. Nutrition Program bottom. So we don’t remove Marty at the Falcons says: The Lakers PRO Nutrition sugary drinks but we will point “I make sure they see the Program is an example of a to obvious, positive choices. right person in that field of team using the trust it has interest to make sure their developed to guide its roster “On top of that we have questions are answered in the right direction. It was signage on our refrigerators so that they’re receiving created by its Director, Dr. that illustrates how many information they can use.” Cate Shanahan, to educate teaspoons of sugar are The important thing is the the players in their own contained in the drinks at player is comfortable enough words and language about each level of the refrigerator. to approach the team with the undermining effects of We’re putting a graphic in their questions. sugar in their diets and the there and we’re putting an benefits of healthy eating. It illustration in their head Nutrition is the most crucial is not a process of dictation that makes sense because component of athlete and teams must find the nobody knows what 60 education. At Harlequins the language and visual cues grams of sugar looks like coaching staff runs what it through which to educate but everyone can picture 12 calls Nine-Minute Nutrition and communicate their teaspoons of sugar. Talks every six to nine weeks. values to their rosters. Tim of Gareth says: “These short, the Lakers says: “Millennial “Above that sign is then three snappy talks run just before athletes have a different set reasons why excess sugar is the main team meeting when of learning languages and unhelpful to an athlete and 14

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we do it that way because it’s on the menu but we strongly comment on pictures they not about wagging a finger or feel that quality food is sent him of their meals and being judged but to educate going to be your best bet for make suggestions. He will them. We say, ‘This is why this providing your body with the even visit a grocery store is potentially undermining nutrition it needs and we try with a player and his wife or your goals as an athlete’ not to guide the players toward partner to ensure that they ‘This is bad: shame on you’. making what we feel are the are buying suitable foods. right choices.” “It’s really about education. “Typically, during the course We don’t just put what we He will also ask players of the season, I get to the consider to be ‘good’ choices what they are eating or even grocery store with anywhere 16

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between five and eight of our players and if it’s the player’s “Typically, during the course wife or girlfriend then that’s the person I’ll go with.” of the season, I get to the

The veterans in particular are grocery store with anywhere feeling the benefits of the PRO Nutrition scheme. “I’ll get between five and eight of our comments from players such players and if it’s the player’s as, ‘Man, I’ve never had this much energy late in the game. wife or girlfriend then that’s I thought with the rate that my knees were getting sore the person I’ll go with.” that I thought I’d have to start wrapping it up here’.” Tim DiFrancesco

It helps when the younger players see the seniors leading most suitable training and 31-years-old. Therefore Marty the way. Tim will encourage recovery programs. They and his staff may adapt the young players to speak to will then ask for the player’s homes of veterans to increase Kobe Bryant, who has just input and come to a broad their opportunities for recovery. retired at 37, or the 36-year-old agreement. This is also done He says: “We can give them Metta World Peace: “They can on a smaller scale with when recovery pumps, compression ask, ‘What were you doing acute changes are applied pumps, game-ready cold when you were my age?’ The during the season. “There compression units. We can answer is typically, ‘I was might be initial resistance also ask a sleep doctor outworking everyone around but more often than not with to assess their sleeping me and if you’re doing that good communication they environment and they might too you’ll be just fine’ and understand that our motive suggest removing a TV or the younger player will say to is their best interest. They’ll turning down the temperature.” themselves, ‘Let me apply that tell themselves, ‘Okay, to what I’m doing and pick the maybe I didn’t need to do Ultimately older things that really sit nicely with the whole session that the players must have the my approach’.” younger guys were doing’.” right mindset For all the provisions made by Veterans must accept Rob also says that you can teams, veteran players need changes to their reduce the overall volume for to have the right mindset. training and recovery a veteran while increasing Whether it is Metta at the With education and the intensity. “We’ve found Lakers, Matt Bryant, 40, at experience, many older that whilst they’re out there Atlanta or the recently retired players know when they and we’re looking at their Adam Goodes, 36, at Sydney, need to scale back their number of accelerations, veteran athletes know their training but inevitably number of sprints that this own bodies, are curious to there is some reluctance. had a positive effect in the continue learning and will Once again trust becomes ensuing weeks afterwards. undertake extra recovery. essential. At Sydney in the We’ve even followed that on preseason, players will to the end of the season in Tim says of Metta: “Early in sit down with several key some cases.” his career he put in endless stakeholders, including amounts and durations of Rob, the physio, and often a This view is shared by Marty off-the-court work. He tells team coach, to outline what at Atlanta, who feels players himself, ‘This is what I am the club thinks will be their can still make gains at 30 or and this is what gets me 17

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“I’ve found over the course of time that the players who get the most out of themselves in terms of extending their careers are the ones who go above and beyond. They’re self-driven and prepared to do the extra things.” Rob Spurrs

here’. He has become really Robin at Manchester United skilled at saying ’I’m going says that players with the to switch over to working greatest self-awareness are on my flexibility, working on able to take advantage of my joint mobility, and doing the technology available. just enough to complete the “Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes minimum dosage of work that and now Michael Carrick I need to be prepared to do – these are players who what I need to do’. He is able understand the science to say ‘I overdid this and this and what it takes to really is how I felt. I need to turn the improve recovery and adapt volume down’.” efficiently to reduce their fatigue status and readiness Rob found Adam to be the leading into competition.” same at Sydney. He says: “I’ve found over the course of If teams can establish the time that the players who get trust and understanding of the most out of themselves their players then they can in terms of extending their demonstrate the value of careers are the ones who go sports science techniques above and beyond. They’re in extending their careers. self-driven and prepared to With that trust, teams are do the extra things. [Adam] then in a position to educate would coordinate extra yoga their rosters in good living sessions for himself, he habits beyond the field or would come into the club on the court. Veterans are a his day off to get an extra significant part of these massage, he’d also do extra processes and it is the ice baths. He’d be diligent mindsets of those who stood with his nutrition and with our the test of time, particularly recovery protocols he’d likely their discipline when it be doing them more often and comes to good habits, that for longer.” make the difference. 18

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_Performance_9.indd 21 19/05/2016 17:26 Leadership | Managing Talent

Into the Lion’s Den

Roy Hodgson on Building an Environment for Success on the International Stage

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anaging talent is a major concern for every team, M particularly international soccer teams who meet infrequently.

Roy Hodgson will lead England’s men’s national team into the European Championships this summer having guided the team through a perfect qualifying campaign in which it won 10 games out of 10. The UEFA Euro 2016 tournament in France this summer will be Roy’s third finals tournament as Manager of his homeland in a coaching career that spans four decades.

In addition to coaching some of Europe’s biggest names in FC Internazionale Milano and Liverpool FC, his experience in international competition extends back to the early 1990s when he steered the Switzerland’s men’s national team to the FIFA World Cup finals in the United States in 1994.

Performance met with Roy ahead of Euro 2016 to discuss his efforts to best manage the playing talent at his disposal as England finalize their preparations for the tournament.

“You should be coaching for their benefit, not yours”

Roy’s efforts to span the generation gap and give his players ownership of their development is shaped by his approach to leadership. He says: “It’s always the players you should have in mind. 24

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“The role of the coach is totally dependent upon the players that you’re working with, and to get the best out of them you need to provide them with an environment and a style they can relate to.”

You should be coaching for has a voice. We don’t want their benefit, not for yours. anyone to feel cowed by the The role of the coach is totally coaching environment.” dependent upon the players that you’re working with, and This can be problematic at to get the best out of them international level given you need to provide them that a roster will be drawn with an environment and a from numerous clubs where style they can relate to. players may have developed expectations that cannot be “For this to happen the met by the national team players need to be 100 percent in the limited time that the certain that they understand players spend together. their roles and any minor variations depending upon “We’re more compromised in the opponent. We make our our work so one of the main expectations clear and they tenets with our players is that have our complete support. they have to learn to wear two hats – one for their club and “It is also incumbent upon a one for the national team – and coach to exude confidence they have to be able to hang and calm over their inner the club hat on the door when concerns. Leaders need they come here and put it back to give their players the on again when they leave. confidence that everything they’ve been doing in “We will work with the training will be good enough players and their clubs to to win the game.” make it clear that we look after the players and show Everyone has a voice the same level of care as they To foster that confidence would normally receive. If and understanding in his there are any differences in squad, Roy has developed a approach we’ll listen and if player-led philosophy. “I prize we can incorporate the things player involvement and work that a player normally does to make sure that everyone then we will.” 25

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Clear favoritism must also Roy also knows that players be avoided. “Good players are influenced by each won’t put you in a position other and so the role of where they want anything senior players, such as preferential when it comes England’s all-time record to their teammates. I think goalscorer and current that treating people equally captain Wayne Rooney, is is wrong because that’s not also fundamental to bridging showing enough respect to the gap. “Often amongst those who have earned and the older ones you’ll get a deserve it, but players must level of professionalism and be aware that you’re not understanding of what being favoring certain other players.” a football player is, that can be very useful. They might Bridging the be the first to want to meet generation gap up, even though they’ve got Roy and his coaching staff more family commitments. will also ask themselves what players may want and “What Wayne Rooney might need. “I am often asking say to a younger player myself, ‘what would the coming into the group for players prefer? What would the first time will be every the players like? What would bit as important if not more the players expect from us important than what the here? What would they be coaching staff say to them, most comfortable with? If I and we accept that.” were a player, what would I be thinking?’” This can Being older than his be problematic when Roy charges gives Roy a certain is coaching players a few perspective and tolerance decades younger. that can prove useful in a locker room where Roy and his Assistant cellphones are in the hands Manager Ray Lewington of every player. “Whenever are helped to bridge the we put the board up with the generations by Assistant plans for the day the players appointments the generation Coach Gary Neville, a former take a photo of it, in the past gap is not insurmountable. Manchester United defender people would remember it. who retired from playing Get the players talking in 2011 after 19 years at Old “They are seldom separated to you Trafford. He also represented from their smartphones but The millennial athletes England on 85 occasions. I don’t find that too difficult, of the day need more I have to say, I even rather interactive feedback than “Gary brings a very recent enjoy it. It energizes me and previous generations. Roy’s view of being an England interests me. You have to make management has evolved player and being a top class sure you don’t fall into the to meet the ever-changing player. Ray and I didn’t have trap of thinking, ‘Well, I don’t needs of soccer players. the playing careers and understand how you think or When he was lifting trophies we’re so much older that do this because we never did’.” with Halmstads in the late the playing environment we 1970s he would deliver grew up in is very different With a little reflection, the use 30-40-minute pre-game team to that which exists today.” of models and some astute talks to reiterate his tactical 26

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“I prize player involvement and work to make sure that everyone has a voice. We don’t want anyone to feel cowed by the coaching environment.”

approach. This approach is much coaching. I look back from a coach-led approach less common in today’s elite and think: ‘God, how on to one that involves the soccer environment. “We earth did I do that? What was active participation of the won the league comfortably I thinking?’” squad. He developed this that year but all I was doing change in dynamic with the was wrong: we trained for The modern approach is England team in tandem too long, the sessions were to involve players in the with Psychiatrist Dr. Steve too stop-start and I’d also feedback process and Peters, who has also worked have been doing far too so Roy has moved away with Team Sky, Liverpool FC 27

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and five-time World Snooker Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan “What Wayne Rooney might among others. Roy says: “One of the first say to a younger player things Steve recognized when he watched us coming into the group for working was that the players the first time will be every were very much coach-led, that the information was bit as important if not more going from us to them. His point was: ‘However good important than what the you feel the information coaching staff say to them, is and however much you may feel that the players are and we accept that.” 28

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for you to tell us that you understand. Can you see what we’re trying to do?’ It’s an opportunity for them if they have anything to say and there will be lots of instances where that will come up, particularly if they play differently with their club teams.”

Difficult conversations Difficult conversations are a staple of international soccer management, ranging from communicating a playing style to informing players that they have not made the final 23-person roster for a finals tournament.

Roy will try to avoid potential conflict when possible but should it arise he will not shy away from it. “It’s one of the less pleasant aspects of a leadership role. In terms of difficult conversations, I think you need to choose your moments and then the way you approach it is important. What I have always found is that you have to be careful not to leave yourself open to future problems with the things that you say. So I try to keep those conversations short and frame them as positively as possible.” taking it onboard, because analyze video clips. We even you’re getting no negative experimented with players He understands that if he reactions, until such time as running pre- and post-match is to get the best from a they are talking back to you, analyses.” squad drawn from a series of you won’t be able to confirm different teams he must create that. We understood that, Roy also uses individual a coaching environment Ray, Gary and myself, even feedback in situations where that meets their needs and though it was different to clarification is needed on a encourages their participation. what we’d done in the past.” player’s role or if that player is Being tactically astute is “We went away, created to be encouraged to contribute one aspect but effective smaller groups of players more readily to the process. international soccer coaches that encouraged individuals “We would tell a player: ‘We are also able to inspire their to speak more and also want to go through these charges to commit to their encouraging them to video clips with you and national team. 29

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Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast

How to Innovate at a Large, Complex Organization

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he biggest in a continually disrupted Michigan is working to prevent organizations in industry. “Our CEO often says, that happening through sport and the automotive industry will its GM 2020 initiative and T business must change more in the next five Performance spoke to Michael continually innovate or face years than in the last 50,” says to find out how his organization being left behind. Innovation Michael J. Arena, Chief Talent is innovating by creating is crucial to a business if it is Officer at General Motors. This opportunities for new leaders. to survive and it is equally underlines the importance of important to a sports being able to innovate. GM 2020 organization if they are to stay To enable innovation at ahead of the competition. Innovation in sport tends to General Motors’ southeast relate to solving problems or Michigan operation, the General Motors reported improving processes, yet large company created an initiative revenues of $152.4billion in sports organizations can be called GM 2020. The concept 2015 and must balance the hindered and their talent stifled was created and set up at need to maintain such figures by internal politics. General General Motors’ Innovation with a desire to innovate Motors’ operation in southeast Xchange Lab in 2014. 32

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Michael J. Arena

Michael is the Chief Talent Officer at General Motors, where he has headed up the company’s recruitment process since 2012. He oversees enterprise talent management, talent analytics, leadership development and learning, and the Innovation Xchange Lab in southeast Michigan. Previously he worked for the Bank of America as its Senior Vice President of Leadership Development, as well as operating as a Visiting Scientist at the MIT Media Lab.

• Preventing good ideas being lost internally. • Cultivating great leaders. • These concerns will resonate with sports organizations looking to solve internal problems, whether it is overcoming Individuals from across the broader across the business, limited resources or center’s different functions are people who can create new looking to present digital encouraged to meet to discuss business models, people who menus to its roster. and share any ideas that may can adapt and respond to a take the company forward. Its changing environment, and What does a great goal is to unleash the untapped people who can really drive leader look like at potential of General Motors’ innovation and growth at a General Motors? employees and to ensure the whole different level from General Motors needs its right talent is coming through what we’ve seen in the past.” leaders to think big, start the company pipeline. The initiative provides a small and scale fast. Michael’s space for: team is able to identify what it “So the core challenge for considers to be a great leader GM 2020 is blending art with • Developing a culture where and it conducts 360-degree science to create a place people can be responsive, assessments to see how where culture, leadership adaptive and innovative. the company’s leaders are and innovation converge. We • Ensuring cross-functional performing. Michael knows need people that can think co-operation. what they are looking for. 33

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“In our context a great leader is someone who takes initiative, someone who is looking over the horizon and able to anticipate and make decisions moving forward. Someone who is raising the bar and doesn’t accept the status quo. They are challenging all those folks around them to be better and they are able to create an environment where people believe the leader has their best interests at heart.”

“In our context a great now then we’ve missed a leader is someone who takes moving target.” initiative, someone who is looking over the horizon and General Motors sets the able to anticipate and make strategy at the top but its decisions moving forward. functional leaders and staff Someone who is raising are tasked with executing the bar and doesn’t accept that strategy. “We’re looking the status quo. They are to develop GM 2020 and challenging all those folks challenge our folks to think around them to be better and more like a startup than For that to happen there they are able to create an a large, global, complex, needs to be a space dedicated environment where people multinational company.” to innovation if one does not believe the leader has their exist, which is often the case best interests at heart.” A space for innovation in larger organizations. “The Firstly, General Motors’ idea Innovation Xchange Lab is a GM 2020 is an ideal space of leadership harnesses creative space where we can for leaders to shine. “If we people’s natural instinct to be bring customers, hold design are only able to develop part of something bigger than thinking workshops, meetings leaders who can operate themselves. “I think people and pep talks. You cannot well in today’s environment want to be unleashed,” says enter this space to undertake but the world is completely Michael. “They want to take an activity unless it’s cross- different five years from the initiative to contribute.” functional or cross-teamed. 34

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That’s intentional because The best sports teams have environment and bring only under those parameters General Managers, Head them together to engage can innovation happen.” Coaches and support staff in business challenges. A all on the same page, but GM 2020 initiative could This sentiment will sometimes that can be take the form of a Co-Lab: a be familiar to sports difficult to achieve when 24-hour intensive event that organizations who have handling athletic, analytical, is part Shark Tank and part proven unable to compete medical, and sports science hackathon, where as many for major prizes despite the departments. as 60 individuals from across resources at their disposal. different groups, compete Too often teams can be The functional leaders as small teams and pitch hindered by silos within the driving GM 2020 take ideas to executive leaders. A coaching staff or front office. people out of their daily Co-Lab works on the premise 35

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that sometimes the best solutions emerge when you “At the end of the day, the have less time. initiative is based on the “Challenges include everything from employee premise that we don’t suffer engagement issues, from a deficit of ideas, we to customer service opportunities or product suffer from an inability to link- design ideas. Each of these are centered on the up these ideas.” customer, and we often bring customers into the actual process. A GM 2020 activity to execute a plan. That’s our someone whose job is based might also be a large-scale philosophy here and it’s in the electronics of the car event, like a 2020 Summit, taking off in a big way.” will not have the casting vote which is a catalyst event that on a decision made about includes as many as 300 Though the process has the interior design. It is more individuals using design- included significant input about leaders enabling those thinking methods to share, from younger employees around them to share ideas create and build solutions. Michael says its impact has with an eye on the future, no At the end of the day, the not been generational. “We’ve matter where they work in the initiative is based on the provided these spaces and organization. premise that we don’t suffer lots of people have engaged, from a deficit of ideas, we including some who have “All we’re doing is finding suffer from an inability to been here more than 20 years. inputs from different link up these ideas.” I’ve had some tell me that perspectives. Frequently, these are some of the most it is the heads of those Adaptive Space significant career experiences departments who are While an NFL team is they’ve ever had and these sponsoring these events. securing the services of a are people that are helping to If a group does not have free agent or a superstar drive much of this. You need leadership support we tell trade they will also be skilled practitioners who have them, ‘It’s great that you working behind the scenes done this for years as well as want to talk about this topic to ensure successful drafts fresh, young thinking. but you’ve got to engage the in upcoming years. General owner of this topic in order to Motors is similar in its need “I think we’ve integrated the move forward, ultimately, if to combine its operational two of those things, which is a we come up with a good idea system of everyday sign of the adaptive space of we need someone with the performance and efficiency GM 2020.” authority to say, ‘Yes. That’s the with an entrepreneurial best way to go forward.’ They system which is trying to Not stepping on toes don’t see it as a threat because regenerate and create future When a senior figure they have the option not to opportunities – GM 2020 fears that their position is pursue a project.” helps to bridge this gap and being challenged within create an ‘adaptive space’ for an organization it creates GM 2020 also includes leaders and their teams to a defensive perspective, opportunities for ‘pep talks’, flourish. Michael says: “The particularly in the precarious which involves experts from idea is to provide enough sports industry. GM 2020 one part of the organization adaptive space for people to removes these threats from sharing successes with think differently before going leaders by leaving key others. “Young engineers can back to their local subgroup decisions in their hands. So come together from all kinds 36

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of different disciplines and while at a social, political, looking at what’s happening really engage in whatever complex organization that’s not just with vehicle design it is that this expert has to not always true. The best but what’s happening with share but, most importantly, ideas may not get off the connectivity, urban mobility, they interact with each other. ground or get resourced. etc. We pay attention to those People are brought together In large organizations, things on a regular basis.” with the right intentionality.” innovation is as much of a social phenomenon as it is a General Motors and GM Big companies can technical one. 2020 show that the space for think like a startup innovation can be created at Michael values the startup “We want people to think big, even the biggest companies. mentality in his leaders. start small and scale fast.” Michael has overseen the “Everything we think we creation in southeast Michigan know about innovation we He and his staff will visit of a community of skilled were taught by startups places such as Silicon Valley practitioners and young, fresh suggesting that people’s and General Motors has thinkers who have created best ideas rise to the top. In established a partnership a buzz that extends up and a startup people are faced with Stanford University. “We down the organization. There with a challenge, share ideas spend time with all kinds of is something for sport to think and implement solutions startups and entrepreneurs about in an approach that that can be iterated on. In to challenge the way we encourages divisions within this environment, the best think about things. We’ve a business to interact for the ideas are usually heard, got groups that are out there greater good. 37

_Performance_9.indd 37 19/05/2016 17:27 From minus zero to hero with Whole Body Cryotherapy. Driving your performance.

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_Performance_9.indd 38 19/05/2016 17:27 09 Spring Issue

From minus zero to hero with Whole Body Cryotherapy. Driving your performance.

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_Performance_9.indd 39 19/05/2016 17:27 Preparing for Performance

portspeople regularly As with an athlete, a Stunt Bobby put their bodies on Performer’s body is the tool Holland Hanton S the line but none of their trade but it is their experience the danger that mindset that sets them apart. faces Stunt Performers on Bobby says: “There’s not too a daily basis. Whether it is many people who would take jumping out of a window it if you said, ‘You’re going or being smashed through to be a stuntman for 10 years a sheet of glass, a Stunt and in the 10th year you’re Performer’s next stunt is going to have an accident always potentially their last. and never be able to walk Then a director may yell ‘Cut!’ again’ they’d say ‘no’.” He and ask them to do it all again. accepts that risk and faces it every day at work. Bobby Holland Hanton Bobby is a professional Stunt Performer and the contracted has featured in some of Performance spoke to Bobby stunt double for Actor Chris Hollywood’s most popular to discuss his growth mindset, Hemsworth, who stars in the action film franchises. At self-talk, determination and The Avengers and Thor series. 23-years-old he got his big ability to find his focus ahead Bobby represented Great Britain break doubling for Daniel of a dangerous stunt. as a gymnast until he was 17 Craig as James Bond in and got his Hollywood break in 2008’s Quantum of Solace. A growth mindset in 2008 as Daniel Craig’s double He has since gone on to stunt training in Quantum of Solace. Bobby double for Christian Bale as Stunt training is comparable cemented his place in the Batman in The Dark Knight with British Army SAS training mainstream when he performed as Christian Bale’s double for Rises and is the contracted and Bobby refers to it as a Batman in The Dark Knight Rises stunt double for Chris ‘physical degree’. While the in 2012. Hemsworth, star of The test, which requires proficiency Avengers and Thor series. in six different areas, will deter 40

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“You’ve got to have belief in yourself that you can do this and get through it, otherwise you’ve got to step back and say, ‘Actually, I’m not comfortable doing this, I don’t feel safe’.”

most people from applying, hit times,” he says. “It was “I told also myself, ‘I’m too Bobby saw each one as an almost like going through an far down the line to pick obstacle that stood between assault course underwater. something else.’ My pure him and his dream job and You had to swim 50 meters determination got me through worked to overcome them. It in 50 seconds, touch the end, it. I told myself, ‘I’ve got to was his growth mindset that and then drop to the bottom get this finished so I can be saw him through. of the pool and hold your qualified and working on breath for 30 seconds. They films.’ When I finished the test His gymnastic background ended up taking that part out it was so emotional. That’s enabled him to pass of the test because people ticked off now.” gymnastics, 10-meter high were convulsing under water diving and trampolining with and passing out. Meticulous preparation comparative ease but he Stunt Performers risk life needed six months off work “At three months in I told and limb every day and so to prepare for the swimming myself, ‘I don’t feel like safety checks and planning exam alone. “It was hard doing this. I’m going to must be meticulous. “People because I didn’t have a lot scrap this and do something will get hurt if we aren’t of experience but you’re else’ because I found it concentrating or if things required to be proficient at so hard despite being a aren’t exactly right,” he four strokes and have to physical person. says. A stunt crew can be as 41

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“I’m just thinking about how this is going to go and how I want it to go and what I need to do to execute it in the best way I can. I feel I go into a glazed over focus of, ‘the only thing that matters to me right now is making sure this is done properly and that it works’.”

large as 25 people and work and build up until we’re ‘Actually, I’m not comfortable starts once the script arrives. happy and confident. doing this, I don’t feel safe’.” Bobby will know exactly what is needed of him by “When I’ve rehearsed a Stunt teams also have the time he starts filming. stunt I know I can do it, document folders akin “Sometimes we’ll start adapt if need be, and it’s to playbooks that detail rehearsing 12 weeks before just a case of nailing it on measurements for wire shooting because that’s the day with costumes, in stunts, rigs, distances, our 12 weeks to coordinate the presence of your double checklists and pictures of and break down the script, with no safety mats. where harnesses are attached. to run through the action “They’ll take measurements sequences, where the fights “You’ve got to have belief in of what angle a wire is at, might be, where there’s yourself that you can do this what safety mats you had, jumping about, when we’re and get through it, otherwise or what the pick points were on wires. We’ll start small you’ve got to step back and say, on a harness. One of us will 42

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take a picture and bang, it’s the same page. It gives you have fun at work but when there.” Sometimes Bobby confidence knowing you can I have to do something I and his colleagues will return refer back to it because your go into my own world to to a stunt several months pick point can change the focus on what I need to do. I into filming and the folder stunt completely.” won’t pay attention to other allows them to refresh their people. They’ll talk to me but approach quickly. Finding his inner focus I’m not really listening. I’ve With risk reduced by every always been like that even “We’ll have morning possible means, Bobby must going back to my gymnastic meetings where we’ll be then find a way to enter a days. When I was competing called in and the Coordinator mental space that allows I’d go into my little zone until will say, ‘Right, this is the him to perform. “Some that stunt is done. stunt we’re doing today so people are very loud and let’s go to our folder’ so deal with it in that way but “I’m just thinking about how everyone knows we’re on I’m completely different. We this is going to go and how 43

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I want it to go and what I This is what I’m here for.’ You While injured he did not need to do to execute it in have to put yourself at risk in lose sight of his goal the best way I can. I feel I go order to achieve your goals Bobby once suffered a back into a glazed over focus of, and you have to say, ‘I’m injury that kept him out ‘the only thing that matters prepared to do that. You can’t for 18 months. As with any to me right now is making go in half-hearted because sportsperson in a similar sure this is done properly that’s when you’ll get hurt. predicament the rehabilitation and that it works’.” By that time you’re just doing was hard and psychologically what you’re doing and you’re challenging. “The stunt team is For him, adrenaline not even really thinking supportive and you have your supersedes fear. “It could about it.” He is not dissimilar family or partner to help you be a stunt where I’m to an athlete when it comes but essentially you’ve got to smashing through glass, to executing a performance. get through it yourself. I didn’t something that I may have realize how hard it was going to been rehearsing for months “Once you’ve nailed a stunt be. The pain was excruciating but doing it for real. It’s on that feeling of euphoria is and mentally it was very tough. set, now it’s real glass, now inexplicable to people who It almost finished my career I’m hitting the ground hard. don’t have the opportunity early and there were still so It’s a real motivator for me. to go through that. Maybe many things I wanted to do.” There is a fear if I’m doing I can relate to sportspeople His growth mindset saw him a high fall from 100 feet because when things go through and he displayed grit. but it’s quickly taken over wrong they go badly wrong by adrenaline and the rush but you get that buzz when ‘Grit’ as a concept is of, ‘Come On. I can do this. you come out the other end.” discussed by American 44

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“Once you’ve nailed a stunt that feeling of euphoria is inexplicable to people who don’t have the opportunity to go through that. Maybe I can relate to sportspeople because when things go wrong they go badly wrong but you get that buzz when you come out the other end.”

Psychologist Angela little bit down and this call Bobby is able to stay at the Duckworth in her book gave me the biggest lift and top of his game because: Grit: The Power of Passion momentum. I told myself, and Perseverance. She ‘I need to get fi t now or • His growth mindset helps defi nes ‘grit’ as: “Passion otherwise I’m going to miss him to establish realistic, and perseverance for very out on the biggest job of my appealing goals that enable long-term goals. It is having career. It motivated me to get him to push through stamina, sticking with your fi t for that job.’ inevitable hardships. future, day-in, day-out, not • His preparation is just for the week, not just for “It was an incredible meticulous. Nothing the month, but for years and experience and probably is left to chance in an working hard to make that my greatest work. It goes to environment where his future a reality.” show the value of hard work safety is continually at and not giving up. When you risk and he knows exactly Bobby has that grit. “I went think you’re down you’ve got what he needs to do to to two specialists, the fi rst to come back stronger.” execute a stunt. one said to me, ‘You’ll never • He is able to fi nd the inner be able to do what you do His hunger is not sated: focus that complements his again in your career’ and I there are characters he still preparation. He eliminates went to someone else who wants to play and stunts all external distractions said, ‘I’ll get you back to full he still wants to perform. until a stunt is fi nished. fi tness’ and obviously I went His career is a process of • He continually resets his for the second guy. I wasn’t continuous learning. “I targets and looks to keep ready to give up, I wasn’t have to be humble with the learning. With one fi lm ready to quit. It was bad but fact that I’m very lucky to or character under his I knew in myself I still had so be where I am and there’s belt he looks for the next much more to achieve and always something more you challenge and applies mentally I think that’s what can keep learning, and I will himself to that. got me through.” He also keep learning. There’s always identifi ed a solid goal in the someone out there ready to shape of Batman. take your job so you’ve got Beyond the fi lm set, Bobby to stay on your toes, keep is the Ambassador for his “I got a call from a friend working hard, and I’ve not goddaughter’s charity, Poppy’s who told me that the Stunt learnt half as much as I want Path. Poppy suffers from cerebral Coordinator of The Dark to learn. palsy, a condition that most likely Knight Rises is looking at will never allow her to walk, talk you as a potential double “You just need to know that or feed by herself. To fi nd out for Christian Bale. I still when working hard you do more about Poppy’s Path please wasn’t 100% fi t and still a achieve your goals.” visit Twitter at: @Poppyspath 45

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Travel Management

Reducing the Impact of Continually Being on the Road

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revention and Dr. Andrew Barr early intervention P are crucial when Andrew is the Director of teams encounter the problems Medicine & Performance at New of continually being on the York City FC. Andy joined NYFC in 2014, after a six-year spell with road. No elite team can fully the New York Knicks where he safeguard their performance: served first as a Performance North American sides traverse Specialist and then as Director of an entire continent as a matter Performance & Rehabilitation. of course, European soccer teams have noticed dips in Simon Jones weekend performance following midweek intercontinental Simon joined Team Sky in competition, while a cycling 2014 after moving on from his team will change hotels several role as Head of Endurance at the English Institute of Sport. times a month during the He works to identify areas in season. The near-endless series which performance can be of buses, planes, hotels, cities enhanced, with a large focus and the effects of travel fatigue on technical innovation. – namely their impact upon performance and recovery – Dr. Robin Thorpe take their toll. Robin is the Head of Recovery “Travel is a load in itself. You & Regeneration of 20 times can’t control the need to travel Premier League champion Manchester United. He so let’s be smarter about the joined United in 2009 and is things we can control,” says responsible for sports science Dr. Andrew Barr, Director of and conditioning practices that Medicine & Performance at help improve the efficiency of MLS’ New York City FC and player recovery. former Director of Conditioning & Fitness at the New York Rob Ahmun Knicks. Andrew was one of several specialists Performance Rob is the England Pathways spoke to regarding their S&C coach for the ECB, a position he has held since methods for reducing the risks 2014. He is responsible for and effects of constant travel on implementing a number of elite athletes and performance. strategies to ensure all players The others were… are physically prepared for the demands of international cricket. • Simon Jones, Head of Performance Science and Geoff Miller Innovation, Team Sky • Dr. Robin Thorpe, Head of Geoff currently operates as Recovery and Regeneration, a Mental Skills Coach for MLB’s LA Angels of Anaheim. Manchester United FC He is one of North America’s • Rob Ahmun, Strength & top experts in developing Conditioning Coach, England psychological skills in & Wales Cricket Board athletes, and has spent years • Geoff Miller, Mental Skills helping them improve their Coach, the Los Angeles mental resilience. Angels of Anaheim 49

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They identified six key areas where they are working to be “We also provide our recovery smarter in the things they can control when on the road. session in the hotel so we look 1. On-flight recovery for hotels with pools, cold An NBA team travels in excess of 35,000 miles during any baths and spa facilities. If the given season and takes around players are awake they can also six or seven flights per month during the regular season. come in for another recovery Teams must guard against conditions such as deep vein session in the morning.” thrombosis, sleep disturbance, or urinary tract infections. Dr. Robin Thorpe

Planes and buses are modified where possible. That opposed to the usual three. there’s so much travel involved might mean changing the size There were also fewer rows of you don’t want to lose any of seats or even altering them seats, which meant they could time so you make the process for individuals with specific recline fully. Once again, these as slick as possible.” postural issues by increasing seats were wider than those lumbar support and ensuring normally found on planes. 2. Post-flight recovery extra space around the legs Post-flight recovery is crucial to accommodate recovery “The next section was a for teams such as Manchester equipment. This equipment lounge area where a variety United. A midweek European could include game readies, of foods were provided. There game might mean a 3,370- NormaTecs, ice packs and were couches and tables facing mile round trip to Moscow decompressions. Teams can each other and players were or a 3,202-mile round trip to also add treatment beds able to wander in, grab some Istanbul ahead of a weekend should they wish. Time spent food, and fully relax. The final game back in England, in the air is fully used as a section was another series of potentially less than 72 hours recovery period. larger seats in rows of two.” later, against opponents who have had the benefit of seven Andrew, who worked at the Either side of the flight the days’ rest. Mid-week travel can New York Knicks between Knicks would use two buses: put a European soccer team at 2009 and 2013, says that one for staff and one for the significant disadvantage. during his tenure at Madison players. Each player would Square Garden the team used have two spaces to themselves To reduce the impact, the club an adapted Boeing 737. “There and the buses would be spends the night after the were four sections on the waiting on the tarmac once game at its destination. “We plane. The front section had a the plane had landed. Andrew can return to the hotel, ensure series of tables around which says: “Your bag was then good nutrition and a player the coaches and executives delivered straight to your can then catch up to 10 hours sat on seats that were much room – you didn’t see it in of nocturnal sleep and then wider than the normal ones between.” Upon their return be guaranteed a nutritious found on planes. They would to New York a valet would be breakfast before we fly back in sit facing each other. waiting on the tarmac at the the midmorning,” says Robin. airport with each player’s car “We also provide our recovery “The players sat in the next engine running. Bags would be session in the hotel so we look section where there were transferred directly to the trunk for hotels with pools, cold rows of two and two, as from the plane’s hold. “When baths and spa facilities. If the 50

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potentially infected surfaces: doors, desks, desktops, “We ensure that they’re eating security trays and people the right things because we passing through them at any given time of the day. “It isn’t don’t want them to be in a like a normal gel, ours kills germs for up to eight hours,” carbohydrate deficient state says Simon. “The hand gels work instantly but as soon as because they’ve missed a meal.” you touch a door handle you Simon Jones are exposed again. Our lads have these little handheld sprays that will kill between players are awake they can also to use an antibacterial hand 91 and 95 percent of bugs come in for another recovery spray to prevent infection during an eight-hour period.” session in the morning.” when they are passing through airports. Transport The use of the hand pumps United learnt from experience. hubs have innumerable is encouraged through gentle “If you travel back immediately a player will typically get back to their bed at about two or three in the morning and they’ve missed that initial nutrition hit and their sleep is affected too.”

On flights of more than 10 hours dehydration becomes a major concern. If an England team is traveling to New Delhi or Sydney to begin a cricket tour, the flight will be far longer than those most often encountered by a European soccer team. Rob says: “Dehydration needs to be monitored for three or four days after a flight and we will conduct tests, such as urine osmolality.”

The England and Wales Cricket Board also picks centrally located hotels to simplify travel to different training locations as well as games. “We don’t want to enforce unnecessary travel on the lads before they come to training.”

3. Protection against infection Team Sky mostly uses buses to travel, but it asks its riders 52

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reminders, such as having they’ve missed a meal.” cooking environment for the them lined up on the table Manchester United has its team chef and the truck includes a when the riders eat so that it is chef travel to the destination dining area which resembles difficult to miss them. Infection hotel the day before a game in a pleasant restaurant with is an ever-present risk and so European competition. “It’s just seating for 12. This also are Team Sky’s hand sprays. to make sure the chefs at the permits easy monitoring of hotel are aware of our needs. riders’ nutritional intake. 4. Nutrition The hotel chefs will do the Nutrition can be disrupted cooking but our chef services 5. Sleep by constant travel. All elite the operation,” says Robin. Sleep deprivation can be a key teams provide their own food factor in underperformance. and Team Sky provides food Team Sky travels with a Team Sky has to manage its bags for its riders. Simon kitchen truck that prepares all riders during Grand Tours, explains: “We ensure that its meals. Riders need only such as the Tour de France. they’re eating the right things take a short walk from their During a three-week Grand because we don’t want them hotel to reach the onboard Tour competitors may stay in to be in a carbohydrate- dining area every mealtime. a different hotel every night deficient state because It is a guaranteed high quality and need to be ready to race

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again the next day. The team In English cricket, overseas “If you travel westwards attempts to reduce disruption touring parties adjust their you want to be seeking light to its riders’ sleeping patterns clocks to the destination time exposure as that will help by supporting them with a upon setting out and promote the body clock adjust to team of carers who sterilize practices such as reduced the destination time zone. their rooms, insert their beds usage of electronic devices, You need to look for light and mattresses – which are stripping down on caffeine exposure more in the evening transported from hotel to and using the eye masks that and try to avoid it more in the hotel – ensuring the use of many airlines provide. morning. Whereas when you hypoallergenic bed sheets travel eastwards you reverse and a preselected pillow of Rob is also mindful of the that process, looking for light choice. Depending upon the significant sleep disruption exposure in the morning and conditions of the room Team of traveling westwards and reducing it in the evening.” Sky will also install its own air eastwards given that English He will also encourage the conditioning and dehumidifier cricket teams will often tour players to set their alarms units to improve sleeping countries as far-flung as India, to remind them to get up to conditions. Australia and Bangladesh. walk and stretch. 54

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“I recommend a simple process where all a player is doing is thinking about what they want to accomplish that day. It doesn’t have to be fancy and it doesn’t have to be meditation. Just something to blow off the cobwebs.” Geoff Miller

games or maybe even a in one hand or throwing it round of golf.” from one hand to another – something that can be done Major League Baseball players in front of the locker both at face 162 games during the home and on the road. regular season. The LA Angels traveled the fifth-largest “It doesn’t have to be fancy, it distance of any MLB team in doesn’t have to be meditation, 2015, clocking up 36,568 miles and it doesn’t have to be and could play on as many as visualization,” says Geoff. “And six out of seven days. that simple preparation will help shake off those cobwebs Geoff explains that it is not and the jetlag and the marks uncommon for players’ on your face from sleeping bodies and minds to hit a on the bus. It’s accepting wall two-thirds to three- that there will be fatigue and quarters into the season. failures and dealing with those 6. Mental strain He promotes what he calls as opposed to preventing Beyond the physical are the ‘healthy maintenance’ so them in the first place.” mental demands placed upon that mental conditioning is athletes to perform under an ongoing process. Geoff These teams have all pressure in ever-changing will visit the team every two adopted structured pre- cities while being away from to three weeks, sometimes flight, in-flight and post-flight their families. International at home and sometimes on models that reduce some cricket teams can be away the road, and checks in with of the risks associated with from home for up to 300 them and will discuss any travel. Their meticulous nights a year. Rob says: “We emerging issues. preparation and constant let players choose who they monitoring ensures that share rooms with and we’ll He recommends a simple coaches and their support also use team activities to process where all they are staff are able to address break up the monotony of doing is thinking about what problems, limit their effects, being away from home for they want to accomplish that and maintain performance in extended periods of time. day. It could be five minutes spite of the demands placed These could include video repeatedly catching a ball on their athletes. 55

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Optimized Sleep An Emerging Performance Enhancing Tool for Elite Athletes

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_Performance_9.indd 57 19/05/2016 17:29 Human Performance

r. Charles Samuels the general population we and stay asleep. There may and Dr. Amy Bender would expect elite athletes to also be constraints upon D of the Centre of have better sleep. training times based upon the Sleep & Human Performance availability of the venue (e.g. in Calgary discuss the However, there are many pool, ice times, etc.). To top it problems that stem from characteristics unique to elite all off athletes have to adapt athletes not getting optimal athletes that could impact the to difficult travel schedules. sleep. They say that evidence quality of their sleep. Athletes Jet lag from transmeridian suggests that poor sleep push both their body and travel is prevalent depending quality can have a detrimental mind to the limit during on the sport and travel effect on athletes and present a training and competition. They fatigue from multiple trips series of gold medal strategies have unique physical demands can accumulate across a that can help professionals that can create stressors on season. All of these factors gain the necessary sleep to the body including soreness, influence the quality of sleep boost elite performance: pain, and inflammation. in elite athletes which makes it imperative to assess their Optimal sleep is essential In addition, they have unique sleep patterns. for elite athletes to maximize mental demands including performance. Given elite the stress and anxiety to There are many ways in which athletes are typically younger, perform well which may athletes can monitor and more fit, and healthier than affect the ability to fall asleep optimize their sleep and if they 58

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Dr. Charles Samuels

Dr. Charles Samuels is the Medical Director of the Centre for Sleep & Human Performance in Alberta, Canada. Part of his work focuses on the relationship of sleep on recovery and performance in elite Canadian athletes. Charles has served as a sleep and performance consultant for the Calgary Flames.

Dr. Amy Bender

are struggling to do so on heighten alertness, increase their own, they can seek help concentration, and enhance from a sleep professional. motor performance and mood. Research has shown The 4 Keys to Optimal that those who take a nap are more productive than those Sleep in Athletes Amy works at both the who don’t snooze during Centre for Sleep & Human 1. Quantity – Athletes the day. For those who are Performance and in the Faculty generally need about 7.5-9.5 getting between 7.5-9.5 hours of Kinesiology at the University hours of sleep per night. This of nighttime sleep we would of Calgary. Her current research number is not fixed but can recommend a daily 20-minute focuses on the relationship fluctuate across a season nap. For those who are not of sleep to recovery and depending on the training able to get a big enough performance in elite athletes. load. Because of the time it chunk of nighttime sleep (for takes to fall asleep and the example, a swimmer with brief awakenings throughout early training times), they Gold medal sleep strategy: the night, athletes should be would need to supplement it Think in terms of weekly in bed for at least 8-10 hours. with a longer nap. For more sleep quantity rather than information on napping read daily sleep in order to allow Napping has been shown Take a Nap! Change your Life some flexibility. For an athlete to reduce sleepiness, By Sara C. Mednick. needing 8.5 hours of daily 59

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sleep (including naps) they 3. Timing – We are research has shown that would aim to get around 60 biologically driven to be both electronic devices and hours of sleep across the week. “early birds”, “night owls” bright light can impact your “Banking” (getting more) sleep or somewhere in between. sleep quality and delay your a few nights prior to a big event This changes across the biological rhythm the next day will not allow a bad night’s lifespan as well. Adolescents making it harder to fall asleep. sleep the night before an event and young adults are driven to affect performance. to stay up later and sleep in Gold medal sleep strategy: later because their circadian Set a technology and bright 2. Quality – An athlete rhythm has been shown to be light curfew one hour before could get 10 hours of sleep longer than the average adult. bed. This might include per night but if it’s not good The good news is that our brushing your teeth in the quality then no amount environment (particularly light dark if the bathroom lights of sleep can compensate. exposure) can influence when are bright. Keep technology There are two main types of we feel sleepy at night and out of reach so you are not complaints for poor sleep alert in the morning. tempted to check it in the quality: 1) Non-restorative middle of the night. sleep – which is the perception Gold medal sleep strategy: of getting enough sleep but If you are struggling to go Caffeine – Can take up to the sleep is not refreshing and to bed before midnight you 12 hours to be metabolized 2) Disturbed sleep – having may need early morning light and can increase time to fall restless, light, or fragmented exposure to help advance asleep and middle of the sleep. Impacting factors your biological rhythm night arousals if taken too can include primary sleep to be sleepier earlier. We close to bedtime. disorders, environmental recommend that athletes who disturbance, and mood are evening types but can’t Gold medal sleep strategy: disorders. The most common stay on that schedule get If you find yourself having sleep disorder that we see in 20-30 minutes of daily bright problems falling asleep athletes is insomnia, which is light therapy upon awakening. think about your caffeine not just about the inability to consumption and if that fall asleep within 30 minutes, 4. Sleep Hygiene – Sleep could be the culprit. If so, set but can include the inability to hygiene are the habits a caffeine curfew of 11am stay asleep. Many athletes we conducive to optimal sleep. and avoid food with hidden see have no problem falling Here are some tips that can caffeine in the evening, such asleep but wake up in the help everyone sleep better. as dark chocolate. middle of the night and have a hard time going back to sleep. What to Avoid Bedtime and wake time consistency – Gold medal sleep strategy: Alcohol – Helps you fall Sleep is regulated by two Feeling refreshed within 30 asleep more easily, but as it processes - the homeostatic minutes of awakening and is metabolized you wake up process (longer you are not needing an alarm clock more often. awake = more pressure for are both a good sign that sleep) and the circadian the athlete is getting both Gold medal sleep strategy: process (24h biological the quantity and quality of Limit alcohol to no more than rhythm of alertness/ sleep that they need. If an one drink with dinner (four drowsiness). Fluctuating athlete does not feel like their hours before bed). bedtimes and wake times sleep is restorative and is can affect both of these dissatisfied with the quality of Blue/Bright Light – processes. For example, if their sleep it would likely be Sends a signal to the brain you sleep in two hours on beneficial to seek help from a to wake up which we do not the weekend both processes sleep professional. want before bed! Recent will be delayed by about two 60

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hours, making it harder to cool prior to bedtime. A timing of sleep in athletes. fall asleep that evening. warm bath or shower will • If an athlete is unable to temporarily increase our resolve a sleep issue on Gold medal sleep strategy: body temperature but, their own, it is important If you have to vary your sleep surprisingly, it also quickly to seek help from a sleep schedule occasionally opt plummets so it is a nice professional. for a variation in bedtime. precursor to sleep. Both light • Teams and individual A consistent wake time is and sound can impact our athletes can make simple important as it is the anchor sleep quality as well. adjustments like avoiding point for sleep. Try to get early morning training bright light in the morning to Gold medal sleep strategy: times and providing set your biological rhythm to Use blackout shades, an eye athletes nap opportunities. that wake-up time. mask, and earplugs to aid in The New York Yankees, better quality sleep. Ideally the Toronto Raptors, and Cave – Keep your sleep room temperature should be Swansea City Football environment like a cave. between 17-20 °C (62-68°F). Club have all done this. Cool, dark, and quiet. Our body temperature Summary: Copyright © 2016. The Centre drops as we fall asleep • It is important to assess the for Sleep & Human Performance making it important to be sleep quantity, quality, and Inc. All rights reserved. 61

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_Performance_9.indd 62 19/05/2016 17:30 09 Spring Issue

SPEED WILL CHANGE THE GAME Only Keiser Strength Equipment has the versatility that allows training with any resistance, safely, at any speed. If you’re looking for ways to help your athletes move forward quickly, Painting visit Keiser.com, fast. Keiser Functional Trainer a Picture How Scouting is Done in Three World Leagues keiser.com © 2016 Keiser. All Rights Reserved

_Performance_9.indd 63 19/05/2016 17:30 Talent ID & Evaluation

64

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couting is a critical While their approaches are players they will be looking at part of a team’s guided by whether or not their during their senior year. S recruitment strategy respective league has a draft and Performance takes a look system, it is clear that elite “We would have one scout at the NFL, English Premier teams are continually looking at any given game, maybe League and the Australian to improve their methods for two, but in terms of overall Football League to highlight assessing the person behind exposure to the player we’d both the differences and the the athlete. There is also a clear get four or five scouting commonality that exists in emphasis on a team’s culture reports filed on that player. three different sports in three when it comes to finding Some guys will go into a different continents. players who are the right fit. college on any given day and we may send a scout to We spoke to: Eric DeCosta look at that player later in the • Eric DeCosta, Assistant The Baltimore Ravens college season. General Manager, have been one of the most Baltimore Ravens competitive franchises in the “Then in August through • Ross Wilson, Director of NFL for almost two decades December we begin the formal Scouting at Recruitment, and won the Super Bowl evaluation period. Scouts Southampton FC in 2000 and 2012. From its essentially go for the entire • Derek Hine, General Manager headquarters at Owings Mills fall to watch these college of List Management, in Maryland, Baltimore makes players at length. They spend Collingwood FC its plans for the annual April a couple of days at the school, NFL Draft. watch the players practice, again talking to different Eric DeCosta The Ravens have 10 fulltime sources and comparing the staff working out of Baltimore notes that they made back in Eric is the Assistant General Manager of the NFL franchise with a further seven or eight May with what they are getting the Baltimore Ravens. Eric personnel continually moving now and seeing how their first joined the Ravens back in around the country. Those opinion has changed. 1996 moving through the ranks roving scouts will return to where he held the position of headquarters several times “The scouts will begin to check Director of College Scouting per year and they take a lead back with me, letting me know before becoming Assistant on college scouting, with the who they like, really giving General Manager in 2012. homebased staff focusing on me a sense of who the best NFL scouting and free agency. players in the country are at Ross Wilson that point in the senior class. The college scouting process Ross is the Director of Scouting & Recruitment at English Premier begins in May, 11 months “At that point I may go to League side Southampton. prior to the Draft, when watch them play or practice Ross joined the Saints in 2015 Baltimore sends its scouts and then we have cross from Football League outfit to look at players who are checkers. We ask scouts to Huddersfield Town where he about to enter their senior compare players from their served as the Director of Football year at college. Eric says: different areas. The final Operations. “The scouts do that over an piece is that each scout has eight-week period and they a different position that they Derek Hine begin to make phone calls, specialize in each year and talking to sources about so they will watch every Derek is the General Manager of List Management at AFL side the players, their coaches, single player in that position Collingwood FC. Derek first academic advisors, doctors in the Draft and rank them joined Collingwood back in 2003 and people surrounding the accordingly. That’s when I and has been described as one player. They are trying to build begin to plan my strategy for of the AFL’s premier recruiters. a comprehensive profile of the the Draft.” 65

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The scouts are also crucial for “After the Combine we begin other teams and our scouts helping Eric and Baltimore meeting as staff with coaches. understand that. establish some of the Our scouts will talk about prospects’ more intangible the players’ personalities, “We have continuity in our qualities. “We challenge our leadership skills, ability and front office and our scouts scouts to develop a network intelligence. The idea is to have been around a long time of sources that they can talk whittle a pool of 2,500 players and know what our General to at any time. We find that down to 150 and we would Manager and Head Coach want. information very helpful as look to draft from those 150.” I think the teams that struggle those people can give you with culture are the ones that really good information about Cultural fit is important for change at the top. It’s hard to players in terms of personality, Baltimore. “We have to build an identity that way.” work ethic, leadership, understand who we are as motivation, all those different an organization in terms Once the primary targets have things you can’t always get by of fan base, our brand and been identified, Eric and his watching a player play. understanding the schemes our staff will begin to interview coaches want to utilize. There prospects. “That is the final “We begin formal meetings are loads of talented players piece of the puzzle,” he says. in January, meeting several but we look for guys like us. “Five or six of us have the times a week. There is also chance to interview players in the NFL Scouting Combine, “Baltimore is a very blue various settings, asking them which is a very good tool for collar city and we are tough questions, gaining an us as we can see 400-500 historically known for our idea of their ability to answer players doing the same drills defense here. We are a big, questions, their body language at the same time, whether it’s physical team and we play and personality. Things like that. a big school player or a small a lot of bad weather games, school player. It gives us an so we want players who are “In some instances we have objective look at players on experienced in bad weather. the opportunity to visit them the same stage. We play a different defense to in their colleges, and after a 66

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certain time we can interview them in their hometown. Around 60 interviews will “Each scout has a different take place at the Combine in position that they specialize a formal setting and as many as we choose in an informal in each year and so they will setting. The max is about four times but we rarely do that. watch every single player in Typically we’ll speak to a player two times at most. that position in the Draft and rank them accordingly. That’s “We also have the chance to bring 30 players to Baltimore when I begin to plan my to spend a day with us. These would be players we are strategy for the Draft.” strongly considering drafting or players that we have Eric DeCosta questions about. We will bring these guys in, they have the information is collated on ago. We’re constantly building opportunity to spend time with prospective players. an archive of every useful the coaches and we take them piece of information we can to dinner and spend the entire There is never a down time in find. We’re asking ourselves if day with them in an attempt to Premier League scouting. It is he can play for Southampton answer as many questions as an ongoing process as Ross in the style we want to play. possible. They will meet six or Wilson and his staff make seven people but typically only recruiting decisions long “We don’t operate a model one at a time. before a gap appears on their that’s 100% from traditional roster so that they are ready scouting or 100% from the “Legally we are prohibited from to fill it in the case of a trade. technical side or data. We answering certain questions always combine both. We’ll by the NFL and there are He says: “A player could be never come away from guidelines. We cannot perform tracked by the club for two having scouts on the ground any physical testing, just to three years before we in a country. medical tests and interviews approach their current club. and we can only keep the We’ve got scouts strategically “Based on the findings of player for one night, unless that placed around the map that that we would then send player is considered to be local correspond to where we one of our head scouts to player, essentially from the expect to find potential talent look at that player. Thereafter State of Maryland.” to play for Southampton in the he’ll be someone we’re Premier League. Once a player seriously targeting or not. If Ross Wilson has been recommended by a he is someone we’re seriously Southampton is renowned specific scout in whichever part considering then we’ll start in the English Premier of the world, we’d then gather looking at everything again, League for the quality of as many scouting reports as bringing together everything its national and European- possible and look at all the we possibly can to help us wide recruitment and its existing video footage of that compare that players against development of young talent player centrally in our training other players in his position. to fill its roster. The club’s new ground, as well as the statistics We will never sign a player training complex opened in we think will be relevant to his based on just statistics or November 2014 at Marchwood position. There’s a whole host watching them solely on video, in Hampshire and includes of statistical opportunities that we will watch him live and then its ‘Black Box’ facility where weren’t there even five years other tools are plugged in. 67

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“It’s about starting with a blank canvas and then slowly starting to paint the picture and it doesn’t take too long before we’ve got a very clear picture and then a very clear understanding of how the athlete will work within our system.” Derek Hine

“We will keep track of other character. We’ll talk to as many then we’d get our goalkeeping players constantly even if people as we can under the coach, Dave Watson, involved. they are not serious targets at player’s radar: people they have Ronald is involved in the the specific moment in time. worked with before, players and process all the way through We just make sure that our physios. It might be director and when we get to the very market intelligence is high so level position. Anyone and end we want four or five that if we need to act in the everything we can pull together players in each position that market then we’re ready. Even to make an informed decision. we’re comfortable that we’ve if we sign a midfielder for the We’re constantly monitoring researched. He then makes the senior team we’ll still keep the media in other countries of final decision on which one we our finger on the pulse to see interest to us, what they’ve seen go with but to reach that point which options will potentially about players, what information there are a larger number of fit Southampton next. is coming out of those people involved. countries, what the players “We’ve created a distinctive might be saying themselves. “There’s nothing to say that culture here and we operate 10 people will be involved and by it. It’s the same with any “We use everything we can it varies from case to case. business and we make sure to try to find an edge within It’s an ongoing process and a that when we bring people the marketplace.” moving pool. There might be in that they fit all of that. Southampton’s scouting some information that comes There’s no point us bringing in structure is based in the UK to me in the morning that’s somebody that fits half of it and and Europe, with 20 scouts completely different from not the other half because it’s operating in each respectively information I got last week and probably not going to work. and reporting back to Ross we’ve got to react and prepare and his staff. for any sudden changes.” “There are plenty of tools in the marketplace that are available “The club will identify a Derek Hine to all clubs and it comes down number of players in any given Collingwood makes to the people we have here position and we will eventually recruitment decisions at its working within our club to help whittle that down to five or six ‘War Room’ at the Westpac us make informed decisions.” and at that point there might be Centre training complex three or four additional scouts. in Melbourne, Australia. Once a prospect has been Before that, we get to a point “It’s probably more of a identified Southampton will where we are comfortable boardroom where we have send as many as five or six shortlisting four or five players all our data and we hold all scouts to his games and for a position and then we’ll of our meetings. Data and that will be matched with talk to Les Reed, our Executive scouting reports will be data. “Equally, we’ll be using Director, Ronald Koeman, assessed and we’ll devise social media and finding out our First Team Coach, and his our strategy in terms of list about their backgrounds and staff. If it were a goalkeeper management, player retention 68

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and potential opportunities. What we’ve also got, which is most important to me, is the depth chart of where our list is so we can instantly move players into certain positions and assess the risk and how it will potentially look.

“At the start of each week our four fulltime staff in Melbourne will meet with our six State Managers and the Team Managers, and on the back of that meeting we’ll send our targets to our scouts.” Information is then fed back to the War Room for the following week.

“The War Room is a one-stop shop as we have all of our information there and need it because things can change constantly. Our strategic priority will quite often change and that may be because a succession player has developed a lot quicker than we might have anticipated or an established player may have been struck down with a serious injury.”

The scouting process starts at under 16 level and continues into Australia’s Under 18 As with Baltimore and a psychologist who then forms tournaments. “Quite often Southampton, a player’s a framework for the next two we’ll have two different scouts psychological and cultural fi t interviews. The third interview go to one game and assess is important at Collingwood. is generally done a month or different areas of a player’s It uses a three-stage two after the national draft. game. We’ll assess an athlete interview process that begins a minimum of 15 or 20 times in the December before the “If we’re still not satisfi ed the in one year to build a whole draft and concludes one psychologist will go and meet range of reports. It’s about month afterwards. the player one on one and starting with a blank canvas even his parents. He may only and then slowly starting to “We try to get in front of the ask two or three questions but paint the picture and it doesn’t athletes as early as possible. it’s a matter of covering any take too long before we’ve got The fi rst interview must follow potential concerns that we a very clear picture and then AFL approved guidelines may need to address. a very clear understanding detailing what can be asked of how the athlete will work and then on the back of that “What’s important in terms within our system.” the interviewee is assessed by of our off-fi eld assessment is 69

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how the athlete is going to cope within our system, how “We just make sure that our The Sport they are going to handle the pressures that come with being market intelligence is high Performance a professional athlete day in and day out, his adherence to so that if we need to act in Summit a nutritional program, all these little things. Not everyone can the market then we’re ready.” thrive in a program and we’ve Ross Wilson seen plenty of athletes with the ability to play at this level but who have lacked the mental week out. Succession players and forge a sound career. It’s scope to sustain a position on may not be ready for the been evolving in Ireland and our list.” senior level but we can bring America as these athletes them in at the same time and consider another avenue to In order to ensure that they will progress to become their sporting career.” Collingwood is able to pick the a senior player in time. Then best-fitting players, the club’s we have depth players who The art behind recruitment scouts need to be educated may be contracted for three or remains paramount, with Reach New in its culture. “We bring in four games.” data used to complement all the relevant coaches and subjective assessments. “For expertise and have them Collingwood and other AFL us, analysis is a small but speak to and educate our teams look not only at foreign critical piece of the picture and scouts as much as we possibly players, but athletes who have we will use that to confirm a Heights can so that they have a very been playing other sports. decision or an opinion. What clear understanding of what is “We are able to retain players is most important for us is required when a player comes outside of our 38-man senior having people on the ground into the organization.” list and international players when the competition is at enter our B List and can its toughest. Then we can be in High As with all major American play in the reserves.” These very confident that a player sports, the AFL has an annual players, who do not enter the is going to be able to play the draft, which takes place in draft and cannot have played way we want him to play.” November, and conducts both Australian rules football in national and international the previous three years, Commonalities Performance combines. Players are eligible represent a low risk strategy • The importance of cultural to be drafted from the age of and can reap dividends. Half- fit – every practice within the 18 once they have completed back Marty Clark, an Irishman, scouting process is informed their high school exams. The went on to play 73 games for by a prospect’s suitability for players will be three or four Collingwood across two spells the interested team. years younger than the seniors between 2007 and 2014 having • Scouts’ networks extend and underclassmen that can switched from Gaelic football. well beyond the playing field be drafted into the NFL. as they seek to establish a “We’ve now got an American complete picture. “The draft is clearly an from Dallas, who has a • The interview process is Date accumulation of months and basketball background, and vital because teams are 8 - 9 November 2016 months of work. We need an Australian basketballer looking for the right person — to set out our key strategic who played football at a beyond the athlete. Venue priorities. We will have a list young age but then moved • Coaching staff will be Emirates Stadium of established, succession and to America and hadn’t played included when the process London depth players. Established for 10 or 12 years. Players reaches an advanced stage. players are bona fide AFL from abroad or expats have Joining up scouting and players, ready to play week in a great chance to get on a list coaches’ perceptions Find out more at leadersinsport.com 70

_Performance_9.indd 70 19/05/2016 17:31 The Sport Performance Summit

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