The PAADS Athlete Development Podcast

A conversation with Francesca Del Monte of Major League Soccer.  Newer to the world of athlete development and with a unique multicultural perspective on working with professional athletes.  We discuss her experiences breaking into sport and helping professional athletes from a range of international backgrounds.

A conversation with the founders of the Wellbeing Science Institute (WSI), Steve and Alison Johnson.  The WSI developed the world’s first holistic elite athlete wellbeing management qualification which currently runs in both the UK and Australia.  They have extensive experience advising some of the world’s premier sporting leagues on implementing effective wellbeing strategies for athletes, coaches, and officials.  Steve and Alison have a unique perspective on what it takes to address mental health and wellbeing in a manner that is beneficial to athletes and leagues.  We hope you enjoy our conversation today!

A conversation with Premier League athlete development specialist Kristian Thomas.  Kristian is a former Olympic medallist in gymnastics.  We talk about Kristian's experiences as an athlete and the transition out of elite sport.  We also discussed working in professional athletics, the challenges associated with professional soccer players (football) and where he thinks the field may be going.  We hope you enjoy it!

A conversation with Shelley Lyle of the University of Florida about athlete development education for athlete development specialists. Learn more about educational options, including a master's or certificate programs: https://sm.hhp.ufl.edu/specializations/athlete-development/.

Welcome back! Today we talk with Brian Phelan and Peter Robinson who with the Melbourne Storm. Based in Melbourne, Australia the Melbourne Storm participates in the National Rugby League (NRL). The club play their home games at AAMI Park. The Storm have won four premierships since their inception, in 1999, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017 and 2020, and have contested several more grand finals. In short, the Storm win.  Moreover, they are an organization with a long history of incorporating athlete development into their culture to drive performance-related outcomes. Enjoy the conversation.

Dr. Janice Hilliard is the founder of Hilliard Solutions and long-time leader in the field of athlete development.  Dr. Hilliard previously worked for the National Basketball Association.  She is a published author and an adjunct professor as well as a nationally recognized workshop presenter and the founder of the annual Women in Athlete Development Symposium & Networking Event. She holds a Doctorate degree in Educational Administration and a Master’s degree in Urban Counseling from Michigan State University and a Bachelors in Education from the University of Houston.

What role should agents play in supporting athlete development initiatives? Is there a role within an agency environment?  A conversation with Yves Btoba who currently works with an agency and previously worked in athlete development at the NFL club level and the NCAA.  Enjoy a unique perspective on the industry.

Stephanie and Duncan break down what to expect at the 2023 Athlete Development Summit and Research Symposium taking place in New York City May, 24, 25 & 26.

Learn more about the speakers and topics to be covered!  Tell your friends and join us in the Big Apple along with the leading thinkers in the field of athlete development.

Learn more: www.athdevsummit.com

Athlete development in non-team sports present different challenges and opportunities. Enjoy our conversation with Blake Henderson who manages the athlete development services and resources for the LPGA. Learn more about LPGA programs, initiatives and resources and how Blake and his team seek to engage female professional golfers.

Having worked at MSG, the National Football League and now Major League Soccer, Chidozie Ibeabuchi has experienced a great deal working the athlete development space.  Listen to our conversation as we discuss his journey through the field, the lessons he has learned and where he thinks the industry is headed.  It is a great conversation, we hope you enjoy it.

A very interesting conversation with legendary coach, Becky Burleigh about her experiences as a young coach and how she perceives interacting, influencing and developing athletes both on and off the playing surface.  Undeniably successful, in 26 seasons at the helm of the University of Florida soccer team, Burleigh, led UF to an NCAA Championship, two NCAA College Cup appearances, 14 Southeastern Conference titles and 22 NCAA Championships berths. Along the way, Burleigh picked up National (1998) and SEC Coach of the Year (2012, ‘10, ‘08, ‘00 & '96) honors. One of two females (and only in DI) in NCAA soccer history with 500 career wins, Burleigh finished her 31-season coaching career in the top 10 on two NCAA Division I Winningest Coaches charts.

Currently, she is a professor at the University of Florida and is involved in the What Drives Winning project.

Learn more about PAADS visit, www.athdevsummit.com.

A discussion with Dr. Timothy Fong on the impact of cannabis on athletes. There are both potential benefits and negative impacts on performance. Dr. Fong is a Professor of Psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and

Human Behavior at UCLA and he is board certified in adult and addiction psychiatry. Dr. Fong is also part of the Steering Committee of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative whose mission is to address the most pressing questions related to the impact of cannabis legalization through rigorous scientific study and discourse across disciplines.

A really interesting conversation with Lindsey Long about how Iowa State approaches athlete development, how their approach is different than most major NCAA institutions and why it may be the new face of 'total' student-athlete development. We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Carrie White has had a unique career. Injured as a gymnast in college, she migrated into working with collegiate athletes after completing her degree. Carrie then joined AthLife where she worked with both collegiate and major professional athletes. Now starting on a new adventure with the USOPC, her perspectives on athlete development are beneficial to any new or long-serving professional.