One Track Mind
75 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingForget last night’s game or who made the team – what are the real issues, forces and innovations shaping the future of sport? Join Professor Sam Robertson as he explores sport’s most compelling questions alongside expert guests from across the globe. The science, the technology, the economics, the politics. We’re tackling it all to find out – what is the future of sport? Brought to you by Track and Victoria University.
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Episodes
61. The state of concussion management
April 24, 2024 06:00 - 50 minutes - 34.4 MBConcussion is one of the hottest current topics in sport, impacting medical, safety, training and even adjudication discussions. But is there even consensus on the definition of concussion? Are current assessment protocols aligned with this definition? How effective are current management processes in accelerating speed of return to play? Professor Mike Loosemore, chief medical officer for the Great Britain boxing team and Professor at University College London, joins David and Sam to answ...
60. The future of talent identification in sport
April 11, 2024 06:00 - 53 minutes - 36.9 MBThis episode welcomes back to One Track Mind the renowned sports science and talent researcher Dr Joe Baker. Building on the previous episode, Joe, Sam and David discuss current research, practices, challenges and opportunities for talent identification along with some of the commonly used terminology and definitions. Joe and colleague's paper referred to on the show can be found here and his most recent book 'The Tyranny of Talent' here - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/track-...
59. The state of Talent Identification in Sport
March 27, 2024 02:00 - 45 minutes - 31.3 MBEpisode 59 marks the first in a new format for the show, moving to dual episodes examining the current 'state' and 'future' of some of sports biggest issues. On this show, Sam and David discuss current research, practices, challenges and opportunities for talent identification along with some of the commonly used terminology and definitions. Episode 60 will involve a special guest and focus on what the future may hold for this well-ingrained global practice. - LinkedIn: https://www.linked...
58. MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference: 2024 Recap
March 13, 2024 02:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBThe annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference in Boston, USA is one of the biggest conferences on the sports calendar. Bringing together thousands of analysts, executives and leading researchers to discuss the increasing role of analytics in the sports industry, the conference covers everything from social media to high performance, to athlete evaluation to ticketing. Join co-hosts David Joyce and Sam Robertson on this episode of One Track Mind where they unpack some of the hot topics a...
57. Ten big opportunities & challenges for sport in 2024
February 27, 2024 21:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBEpisode 57 marks two major changes for One Track Mind. David Joyce joins the show as host for the coming season. It also signals the start of a variety of new formats for the show. This episode sets the scene for the 2024 season, providing a snapshot of the ten big opportunities and challenges for sports in 2024. What do you think? Tell us on our socials: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/track-consulting-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-joyce01/ https://www.linkedi...
56. Leveraging the power of sports data
February 14, 2024 02:00 - 38 minutes - 26.4 MBIts often been said that sport is a mirror to society. And never has that adage been more true than when talking about data. But just how valuable is data really, particularly without context or a specific end goal in mind? On this episode, Sam sits down with Sportradar's Senior Vice President of Automated Content, Luka Pataky, where he discusses finding that value for fans, governing bodies, media and teams. The episode also discusses the current state of play in computer vision and auto...
55. Designing learning environments
January 22, 2024 23:00 - 37 minutes - 25.7 MBHow hard should training be? How much variety should athletes experience? How does one balance quantity vs quality of practice? Many of these types of questions which have fascinated coaches for years are presently being reinvigorated, fuelled by new data sources and a growing access to the expertise of applied practitioners from motor learning, psychology, biomechanics and data science. On this episode host Sam Robertson is joined by Harjiv Singh from the Orlando Magic to discuss how thes...
54. Performing under pressure
January 02, 2024 23:00 - 36 minutes - 25.2 MBWhether it’s nailing the perfect routine, taking a winning penalty or making that championship winning putt - we all have our favourite example of an athlete performing under pressure. On this episode host Sam Robertson is joined by Davie Gray from Flow State and Hurricanes. They take a closer look at the characteristics of high-performing pressure athletes as well as some of the strategies and tools they utilise to remain at the top of their game. Davie had a distinguished rugby career ...
53. The importance of creativity in sport
December 05, 2023 03:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBCreative athletes have always captured the imagination of the sports fan. We each have our own ideas about what creativity means us in the sporting context, whether it is dancing with grace and flow, a new skateboarding trick or that almost inconceivable incisive pass to break open a defensive line. Globally in many sports there is a growing recognition of the importance of creativity to understanding and developing sporting performance. But is there actually consensus on how creativity is...
52. Maximising impact as a sports performance practitioner
November 15, 2023 00:00 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MBThe characteristics of high performing athletes are relatively constant. Skill, endurance, power, resilience, dedication are all traits that will never go out of fashion. But the environment around high performance sport has arguably never been more fluid than it is right now. With more touch points to the athlete and more ways in which to measure them, what does this dynamic environment mean for the sports performance practitioner? Are these changes merely a distraction or do they provid...
51. The future sports coach
August 22, 2023 00:00 - 57 minutes - 39.6 MBThe sports coach of 2023 sure has a lot on their plate. They’re required to be an expert leader, tactician, communicator, relationship builder, media personality, as well as in many cases a spouse and parent. At the same time, they’re also expected to manage the ever-expanding needs of athletes, staff, media, owners and boards along with the changing environment brought about by new frontiers in professionalism, technology and AI. So what does all of this change mean for the future of spo...
50. Computer vision in sport
August 02, 2023 03:00 - 53 minutes - 36.6 MBOver the past three years, One Track Mind has been fortunate enough to host some of sport’s leading practitioners, academics, executives and entrepreneurs. To celebrate the 50th episode, this show was recorded live on the 29th June 2023 onsite at the Queensland University of Technology, as part of the Queensland Academy of Sport IGNITE 2032 Deep Dive Event in Brisbane. It features a summary conversation of the day with two of the world's leading computer vision experts in sport: Patrick Luc...
49. What does 'good' technology look like?
July 02, 2023 06:00 - 45 minutes - 31.1 MBIn 2022, a global network of like-minded individuals came together to develop a standardized, evidence-based framework which could be adopted by any sports stakeholder to assess the value, usability, and quality of technology. The Framework consists of 25 measurable features grouped under five quality “pillars”: Quality Assurance & Measurement, Established Benefit, Ethics & Security, User Experience, and Data Management. It can be used to help design and refine existing sports technology, ...
48. How could Artificial Intelligence impact sports?
May 23, 2023 00:00 - 48 minutes - 33.2 MBArtificial intelligence is undoubtedly one of the world’s biggest current hot topics. Two and a half years on from our first ever episode of One Track Mind, where we discussed whether sports should even adopt AI, and the landscape is now completely different. So different in fact that we’re no longer asking questions relating to if and when for AI, we’ve now moved on to questions of how and where to use it in our organisations and our daily lives. As a result it seemed high time to return to...
47. The importance of science communication in sport
March 30, 2023 00:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MBIn the age of social media and around the clock content accessibility, we’ve never had more quality information at our fingertips. But the same can also be said for misinformation. Extracting real signal from the noise has become one of contemporary science’s great challenges - not only in preventing negative impact through debunking potentially dangerous pseudoscience, but also in ensuring the right messages reach the right people at the right time, all in a format which they can comprehen...
46. Can subject matter experts make good leaders?
February 09, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBOn this episode of One Track Mind, host Sam Robertson is joined by regular guest of the show, David Joyce, to discuss: What makes a good leader? Why do subject matter experts so often end up in leadership roles? Whether it’s possible to be an expert and a good leader at the same time? What are the best tools that individuals and organisations can adopt to assist them with their own leadership challenges? What do you think? Tell us on our socials: - LinkedIn: @trackvu - Instagram: @track...
45. How does environment impact athlete development?
January 23, 2023 01:00 - 44 minutes - 30.9 MBIt’s often said that a champion team will beat a team of champions. But what is it about a team's culture, habits, levels of support, that makes them successful? And how can it be developed sustainably? To kick off 2023, host Sam Robertson sits down with the NBA's Elite Basketball Performance & Operations Advisor, Dr Jon Bartlett to discuss current best practice for environment development, as well as future directions. What do you think? Tell us on our socials: - LinkedIn: @trackvu - In...
44. Creating safe sporting environments for junior participants
November 30, 2022 04:00 - 35 minutes - 24.3 MBEvery child should have the opportunity to participate in sport without being subjected to violence. However, research has shown that in reality the opposite is true, with more junior participants experiencing psychological, physical or sexual violence in sporting environments, than not. Join host Sam Robertson as he speaks with researcher Dr Mary Woessner on some of the reasons behind these numbers, along with the work that is currently being done to actively address this problem. What...
43. Seven musings & observations from 2022
November 09, 2022 21:00 - 24 minutes - 17 MBWhat’s the latest training product or method taking the sporting world by storm? On which problems should organisations be trying to get ahead of their competition now? Join host Sam Robertson as he provides his observations on seven of the most common themes that have emerged on his journeys and interactions in 2022. Topic 1: Learning: the next competitive advantage? Topic 2: A matter of principle Topic 3: Death to data science Topic 4: Sports tech start ups: missing impact? Topic 5: Hu...
42. What's next in football (soccer) performance? (Part 2)
October 11, 2022 22:00 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MBFootball (soccer) is making a change. Long criticized for being slower to innovate in performance practice than other sports, the emergence of new data sources is leading to the creation of new roles and responsibilities in the game. These roles, combined with an influx of staff talent from other sports is helping to break down silos between coaching, physical performance and analytics. On part 1, we spoke with Inter Miami FC Analytics Director Sam Gregory and this week part 2 features Aja...
41. What's next in football (soccer) performance? (Part 1)
September 19, 2022 14:00 - 36 minutes - 25.2 MBFootball (soccer) is making a change. Long criticized for being slower to innovate in performance practice than other sports, the emergence of new data sources is leading to the creation of new roles and responsibilities in the game. These roles, combined with an influx of staff talent from other sports is helping to break down silos between coaching, physical performance and analytics. On this two part episode we talk to Inter Miami FC Analytics Director Sam Gregory and Head of Sport Sc...
41. What's next in football (soccer) performance?
September 19, 2022 14:00 - 36 minutes - 25.2 MBFootball (soccer) is making a change. Long criticized for being slower to innovate in performance practice than other sports, the emergence of new data sources is leading to the creation of new roles and responsibilities in the game. These roles, combined with an influx of staff talent from other sports is helping to break down silos between coaching, physical performance and analytics. On this two part episode we talk to Inter Miami FC Analytics Director Sam Gregory and Head of Sport Sc...
40. What's next in Australian football performance?
August 23, 2022 02:00 - 35 minutes - 24.1 MBAustralian football has a long-standing reputation as a leader in high performance. So which new areas are clubs focusing on in order to drive performance to never before seen heights? And with increased challenges to resourcing in the wake of a global pandemic, how exactly will they bring new ideas to fruition? To find out, host Sam Robertson sits down with the high performance leaders from the Australian Football League, Mathew Inness and Robert Inness, from the Western Bulldogs and Sydne...
39. Sport & the Entrepreneur (Part 2: Ventures)
August 03, 2022 03:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBWhen it comes to successful sports start ups, we’ve probably all got our favourite example or story. But for each one of these successes, there are many more examples of companies not thriving or even surviving. So what is it about a start up that signals this potential reward is high enough to warrant the significant risk? Is it the idea, the founding team, the stage of the company or all of the above? On this Part 2 of our series into sports entrepreneurship, we take a look at the speci...
38. Sport & the Entrepreneur (Part 1: Founders)
July 05, 2022 01:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MBIt’s an understatement to say that entrepreneurship in sport is exploding. Franchises across the globe are making considerable investments, the start up scene is burgeoning, university courses have emerged to train the next generation, and even some professional athletes have turned part-time entrepreneur. Of course none of the success of entrepreneurs can be achieved without the support of sports themselves. The first episode of this two part series on entrepreneurship in sport focuses on...
37. How injury prediction actually could work (Part 2)
June 13, 2022 23:00 - 29 minutes - 20.1 MBSome of the many issues with injury prediction modelling have been discussed on multiple occasions on One Track Mind. But what if we could reach this 'Holy Grail'? How far away would we be from this scenario eventuating? What would need to happen in order to get there? And is it even a world that athletes want? On Part 2 of this series on injury prediction, host Sam Robertson talks about some of the practical considerations around this area including what developments are needed in Data,...
36. How injury prediction actually could work (Part 1)
May 23, 2022 05:00 - 26 minutes - 17.9 MBSome of the many issues with injury prediction modelling have been discussed on multiple occasions on One Track Mind. But what if we could reach this 'Holy Grail'? How far away would we be from this scenario eventuating? What would need to happen in order to get there? And is it even a world that athletes want? On this first of a two-part episode, host Sam Robertson talks about some of the philosophical and overarching questions facing practitioners and organisations in the space, before...
Genetic testing in sport: science or snake oil?
April 26, 2022 04:00 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MBGenetic testing in sport has emerged as a cost-effective and accessible tool to identify an individual's potential for sporting performance, trainability, optimal exercise selection, recovery strategies and injury risks. But just how strong is the evidence behind this practice? What are the risks and rewards? And to what extent is this growing industry being regulated - if at all? On this episode, host Sam Robertson is joined by Professor Nir Eynon and Dr Shanie Landen to discuss the mer...
35. Genetic testing in sport: science or snake oil?
April 26, 2022 04:00 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MBGenetic testing in sport has emerged as a cost-effective and accessible tool to identify an individual's potential for sporting performance, trainability, optimal exercise selection, recovery strategies and injury risks. But just how strong is the evidence behind this practice? What are the risks and rewards? And to what extent is this growing industry being regulated - if at all? On this episode, host Sam Robertson is joined by Professor Nir Eynon and Dr Shanie Landen to discuss the mer...
34. Wearable technology for athlete monitoring
April 05, 2022 04:00 - 45 minutes - 31.4 MBWearable technology is proliferating at a rate of knots - from smart watches to heart rate monitors, posture-correcting sensors and even our mobile phones, almost anyone you talk to is using some personal health data from at least one of these devices. But despite the obvious performance benefits, are we creating an over-reliance on the information we gather from wearable tech? Do we really have the time to assess the quality of each device, when a new offering becomes available just about...
33. Skill acquisition: sport's untapped performance frontier?
March 15, 2022 05:00 - 46 minutes - 31.6 MBSkill is the defining feature of a successful athlete in many of the sports we play and love. Yet, it remains one of the most controversial areas of high performance methodology. How much practice is optimal? How variable do we need to make it? How hard should it be? And how do we know when what is learnt in practice has actually transferred to competition? On this episode, host Sam Robertson is joined by Professor Rob Gray to discuss skill acquisition's place as one of sports largely unta...
32. What's next in baseball performance?
February 28, 2022 23:00 - 1 hour - 44.9 MBBaseball is often viewed as one of the more traditional team sports. However, it’s recently been at the forefront of the analytics revolution in sport and is one of the most data rich, technology adoptive sports out there. This week’s episode has something for everyone – whether they're a baseball fan or not. Host Sam Robertson is joined by New York Yankees Director of Performance Science, David Whiteside and Kansas City Royals Senior Director of Performance Science, Austin Driggers. Amon...
31. Improving the talent pathway
February 15, 2022 01:00 - 57 minutes - 39.7 MBWe’re all familiar with examples of child sporting prodigies - social media posts of a four year old footballer masterfully dribbling past opponents or videos of a young Tiger Woods come readily to mind. But the reality is, these examples are anomalies - far from the norm and the pathway to getting there perhaps not desirable even if it was attainable for more children. The enhancement of talent identification and the ensuing development programs is understandably pursued by most organised...
Improving the talent pathway
February 15, 2022 01:00 - 57 minutes - 39.7 MBWe’re all familiar with examples of child sporting prodigies - social media posts of a four year old footballer masterfully dribbling past opponents or videos of a young Tiger Woods come readily to mind. But the reality is, these examples are anomalies - far from the norm and the pathway to getting there perhaps not desirable even if it was attainable for more children. The enhancement of talent identification and the ensuing development programs is understandably pursued by most organised...
Is light the future of fast?
December 21, 2021 10:00 - 46 minutes - 31.6 MBOn the last episode of One Track Mind for 2021, host Sam Robertson is joined by New Zealand strength and conditioning legend Professor John Cronin (JC) The topic? Wearable resistance training. Lightweight wearable resistance training involves external micro-loads, sometimes as little as 0.5% of the users body mass, being applied to different segments of the body - such as the legs or arms. These loads are worn during sport specific movement training and allow for technique to remain relat...
30. Is light the future of fast?
December 21, 2021 10:00 - 46 minutes - 31.6 MBOn the last episode of One Track Mind for 2021, host Sam Robertson is joined by New Zealand strength and conditioning legend Professor John Cronin (JC) The topic? Wearable resistance training. Lightweight wearable resistance training involves external micro-loads, sometimes as little as 0.5% of the users body mass, being applied to different segments of the body - such as the legs or arms. These loads are worn during sport specific movement training and allow for technique to remain relat...
29. Developing the high performance coach
December 08, 2021 02:00 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MBOn this episode, host Sam Robertson is joined by high-performance coach Neil Craig and skill acquisition expert Professor Damian Farrow in a general discussion covering all things high performance coaching. Topics include: - The new skill sets required by the modern coach - Areas for improvement in training and practice - Structuring coaching departments around the head coach, and - Future innovations in coaching and athlete development What do you think? Tell us on our socials: - Instag...
Developing the high performance coach
December 08, 2021 02:00 - 47 minutes - 32.6 MBOn this episode, host Sam Robertson is joined by high-performance coach Neil Craig and skill acquisition expert Professor Damian Farrow in a general discussion covering all things high performance coaching. Topics include: - The new skill sets required by the modern coach - Areas for improvement in training and practice - Structuring coaching departments around the head coach, and - Future innovations in coaching and athlete development What do you think? Tell us on our socials: - Instag...
Engaging the sports fan
November 25, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 43.5 MBIn the blink of an eye, the volume and type of options available to the sports fan has exploded. The digital age has seen not only the battles for hearts and minds, but also eyeballs on screens, extend to other forms of entertainment, from live streaming to online gaming. The digital age has also meant that it’s a lot easier for sport businesses, broadcasters and organisations to measure what their fans are consuming. But is increased viewership or clicks on websites actually telling us tha...
28. Engaging the sports fan
November 25, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 43.5 MBIn the blink of an eye, the volume and type of options available to the sports fan has exploded. The digital age has seen not only the battles for hearts and minds, but also eyeballs on screens, extend to other forms of entertainment, from live streaming to online gaming. The digital age has also meant that it’s a lot easier for sport businesses, broadcasters and organisations to measure what their fans are consuming. But is increased viewership or clicks on websites actually telling us tha...
Is academic publishing broken?
November 10, 2021 03:00 - 1 hour - 41.3 MBNone of the latest breakthroughs in science come into mainstream practice without academic publishing - submission of a manuscript based on a study or experiment, which is then peer reviewed to assess its quality. Although this might not seem like an issue for sport, much of what goes on in the gymnasiums, playing fields and even front offices of sporting organisations has its roots in something that was once published in a journal somewhere. But talk to just about any researcher or jour...
27. Is academic publishing broken?
November 10, 2021 03:00 - 1 hour - 41.3 MBNone of the latest breakthroughs in science come into mainstream practice without academic publishing - submission of a manuscript based on a study or experiment, which is then peer reviewed to assess its quality. Although this might not seem like an issue for sport, much of what goes on in the gymnasiums, playing fields and even front offices of sporting organisations has its roots in something that was once published in a journal somewhere. But talk to just about any researcher or jour...
How can we level the playing field?
October 27, 2021 03:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBIt is often said that sport is the great leveller - that once participants enter the track, court or field of play, their background, beliefs and even the fiercest conflicts all become temporarily irrelevant. But in many aspects, the gap between the conditions and privileges afforded to certain sports and athletes but not others, is as large as it’s ever been. However, there is an increasingly louder voice coming from those that are keen to change it. So how do we achieve this level play...
26. How can we level the playing field?
October 27, 2021 03:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBIt is often said that sport is the great leveller - that once participants enter the track, court or field of play, their background, beliefs and even the fiercest conflicts all become temporarily irrelevant. But in many aspects, the gap between the conditions and privileges afforded to certain sports and athletes but not others, is as large as it’s ever been. However, there is an increasingly louder voice coming from those that are keen to change it. So how do we achieve this level play...
26. How can we level the playing field?
October 27, 2021 03:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBIt is often said that sport is the great leveller - that once participants enter the track, court or field of play, their background, beliefs and even the fiercest conflicts all become temporarily irrelevant. But in many aspects, the gap between the conditions and privileges afforded to certain sports and athletes but not others, is as large as it’s ever been. However, there is an increasingly louder voice coming from those that are keen to change it. So how do we achieve this level play...
When should we trust our gut?
October 20, 2021 18:00 - 41 minutes - 28.4 MBIntuition, gut instinct, educated hunch. Whether its contemplating who to select in an upcoming football match or hesitating to travel down that inner city, darkened alleyway, we all use our gut instincts every day. But it’s in our workplaces, where we often consider ourselves at our most organised and objective that an over-reliance on intuition has the potential to create problems. So how do we know when trusting our gut instinct is the right thing to do? What are the potential downside...
A user's guide to decision-making hygiene
October 13, 2021 18:00 - 49 minutes - 33.9 MBConsider some of the big decisions that you make in your job? Whether it’s setting a yearly plan, deciding what technology or infrastructure to invest in, or even hiring and firing staff, chances are there will be a lot to contemplate before settling on the final choice. Questions like ‘How long do I have to make the decision? How much information do I need to collect? What don’t I know? And who else do I need to involve? are just a few that come immediately to mind. But with such a long l...
Biases: flaws or features?
October 04, 2021 18:00 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MBWe all have them and a lot of the time, they’re influence is unavoidable. Biases are quite simply, part of the human condition. But despite considerable exposure in the media, research and even popular culture, much of the discussion has centred on viewing biases as flaws of the human condition. In this second episode of our four part series into decision-making, we look at what biases mean for individuals and organisations working in sport. We discuss how heuristics are useful tools that ...
What is a good decision?
September 27, 2021 19:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBDecisions. We all make thousands of them every day. From the once in a lifetime question that we spend weeks, months or years contemplating, to the subconscious choices that we don't even know. On this episode, we present the first of a four-part deep dive into decision-making in high performance sport, all to be released over the next month in the lead up to the season three return of one track mind on October 26 to begin today, we explore eight characteristics that define what a good dec...
What is a good decision?
September 27, 2021 19:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBDecisions. We all make thousands of them every day. From the once in a lifetime question that we spend weeks, months or years contemplating, to the subconscious choices that we don't even know. On this episode, we present the first of a four-part deep dive into decision-making in high performance sport, all to be released over the next month in the lead up to the season three return of one track mind on October 26 to begin today, we explore eight characteristics that define what a good dec...