In this Stumbles episode of Performance Strategies and Stumbles, Dan sits down once again with Pete McKnight, one of the most respected performance consultants and strategists in elite sport.

This time, the conversation shifts from strategy to the mistakes that have shaped Pete’s leadership journey — the moments that taught him the most about people, communication, and team culture.

Dan and Pete explore the often-overlooked topic of leadership stumbles, particularly around onboarding new staff and managing relationships with key stakeholders. Pete shares honest reflections on early-career missteps, including how power dynamics can unintentionally undermine new hires, why young practitioners can remain “the newbie” far too long, and the consequences of assuming alignment rather than building it.

Together they break down why leaders must empower new staff from day one, communicate more deliberately, and create team environments where expectations, roles, and responsibilities are clear and shared.

This episode is a powerful reminder that leadership is often learned through mistakes, and that reflective practice is essential for long-term growth.

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In this strategy-focused episode of Performance Strategies and Stumbles, Dan sits down with Pete McKnight - one of the most respected performance consultants and strategists in elite sport. With nearly 25 years of experience across Olympic programmes, football, rugby, and motorsport, Pete is known for transforming how organisations structure their performance systems.

Together, Dan and Pete explore the strategy behind developing sport science and medical teams, especially in emerging or developing club environments. They break down the auditing process, how to prioritise what’s essential versus what’s merely desirable, and how to build integrated systems that connect people, processes, and facilities.

Pete introduces the principles behind his Performance Interplay framework and discusses the pivotal moments where strategic decisions shape long-term success - including cultural transitions, new ownership, major investment, and infrastructure upgrades.

The conversation also touches on the realities of consultancy: understanding budgets, interviewing key staff, identifying gaps, and creating alignment across stakeholders.

This episode is packed with practical insight for anyone working in performance systems, leadership, or sport science.

Don't forget to apply for employability mentorship HERE if that is something you could benefit from, and our emails go out weekly offering performance advice that you are free to sign up for too, HERE!

In this episode of Performance Strategies and Stumbles, we are again joined by Liam Connor, Head of Performance at Newcastle United Women’s Football Team. Together, we explore the importance of answering performance questions deliberately and accurately int his performance strategy episode.

When we recorded this episode, Liam. was working with England Badminton. From his time there, he breaks down the common errors practitioners make — such as retrospectively trying to answer questions without the right data, overlooking critical variables, or jumping to conclusions that aren’t supported by evidence. We discuss why the process should always begin with the question, not the data, and how to identify exactly what information is needed to answer it properly.

The conversation also highlights the importance of involving coaches and key stakeholders to ensure alignment, clarity, and practical relevance. Liam shares a powerful example from a project investigating how travel and extended periods away from the training environment influence physical markers and performance — including a noticeable drop after three weeks away.

This episode is ultimately about intentionality, collaboration, and being proactive rather than reactive when tackling performance questions.

Before diving in, listen to the details we share on our Future Ready Employability Mentorship, proudly sponsored by TeamBuildr — a 12-week FREE employability mentorship for 15 coaches, designed to help emerging coaches bridge the gap between education and employment through practical learning, self-awareness, and industry insights. Applications are now open by visiting: www.collaboratesports.com/sponsored

We hope you are enjoying the return of the show!

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Welcome back to the podcast!

In this episode, Paul Talty joins us again and shares his experiences and reflections on the mistakes he has made throughout his coaching career. He emphasises the importance of balancing strength and conditioning training, the necessity of reflective practice, and the value of communication in program design. Paul discusses recent stumbles in his coaching, particularly in managing training loads for athletes, and offers advice for young practitioners to embrace their mistakes as learning opportunities.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Listen time - 29mins

In this episode, Alan shares his stumbles and mistakes as a strength and conditioning coach. He discusses a hamstring strain injury and the lessons he learned from it. He reflects on the importance of preparing the nervous system and understanding that not all speed is equal. He also talks about programming mistakes, including a focus on linear periodization and force generation rather than force application. Alan shares his experience of trying to influence a program and the importance of choosing the right battles. Overall, the episode highlights the importance of continuous learning and adapting in the field of strength and conditioning.

Lessons from the episode:

• Prepare the nervous system for high exertion and high-intensity running to prevent injuries.
• Not all speed is equal; consider the positions and movements that can lead to injury.
• Avoid focusing solely on force generation in the gym; prioritize force application in specific movement tasks.
• Choose your battles wisely when trying to influence a program; consider the relationships and dynamics within the team.
• Continuous learning and adaptation are essential in the field of strength and conditioning.

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Dan

Listen Time: 33mins

In this conversation, I welcome Andrew Usher to discuss the importance of understanding oxygen utilization in sports performance. We challenge the traditional focus on VO2 max as a measure of aerobic capacity and highlight the significance of muscle extraction and utilisation of oxygen. We dig into the benefits of extracting oxygen quickly and efficiently and it being more important than the volume of oxygen consumed. Andrew shares his research findings on the impact of supermaximal training on mitochondrial function and oxygen utilization. We also discuss the implications of these findings for injury recovery and team sports performance.

Takeaways

• VO2 max is not the sole determinant of aerobic capacity; muscle extraction and utilization of oxygen are equally important.
• The ability to extract oxygen quickly and efficiently is crucial for sports performance.
• Supermaximal training can significantly improve mitochondrial function and oxygen utilization.
• Understanding oxygen utilization can have implications for injury recovery and team sports performance.

If this episode challenged you to rethink conditioning work in any way, consider checking out the "Clarity in Conditioning" mentorship we have just launched. Visit www.collaboratesports.com/thegroupmentorships

As always, don't hesitate to reach out and hope you are enjoying the show!

Dan

Listen Time 28mins

Richard Husseiny shares his journey from the UK Sports Institute to working with Chinese diving teams in this Performance Strategies and Stumbles podcast episode. He reflects on the cultural differences, initial mistakes, and the importance of building relationships over making immediate impacts. Richard discusses the pressures of performance, the challenges of communication in a new environment, and the significance of self-awareness and personal fulfilment in coaching. He emphasises the need to overcome imposter syndrome and the importance of work-life balance, ultimately advocating for a collaborative coaching and career development approach.

Some key talking points we cover:

• Transitioning to a new environment can reveal unexpected challenges.
• Cultural differences can significantly impact communication and collaboration.
• Building relationships is more important than making immediate impacts.
• Self-imposed pressure can hinder performance and decision-making.
• Imposter syndrome is common among coaches and practitioners.
• It's important to ask questions and seek clarity in your role.

If you enjoyed the podcast, do like and share on your networks, and if you'd like to see more about the Group Mentorship work we do at Collaborate Sports, please visit www.collaboratesports.com

Tune in again next week!

Dan

Listen Time - 30mins

In this episode, I interview Paul Talty about strength and power development for swimming. Paul was Head of Performance for Swim Ireland leading into Paris 2024 where they delivered medal-winning performances.

We discuss Strength & Power development in swimmers and Paul emphasises that swimming is different from other sports due to the unique environment it takes place in.

Throughout this interesting episode you will experience the following takeaways from Pauls insight:

• Swimming is different from other sports due to the unique environment it takes place in.
• Increasing mass and force production in swimming requires careful consideration, as excessive mass can hinder performance in the water. Identify specific areas for improvement, such as starts, turns, or free swimming speed, and tailor the training program accordingly.
• Focus on basic strength and conditioning principles and use a tier system to structure sessions.
• Consider the trade-off between emphasizing weaknesses and emphasizing strengths in the training program.
• Use swim-specific isometric strength training and exercises that mimic block starts to enhance transfer to the pool.
• Be mindful of the limited energy available to swimmers and avoid excessive fatigue from the strength and conditioning program.

As mentioned in the episode, please take a look at both the group mentorships we are now enrolling practitioners for, on a first come first serve basis (www.collaboratesports.com/thegroupmentorships) and the great block article from Jordan Welsh (www.collaboratesports.com/blog/jordanwelsh)

If you enjoyed the episode, feel free to like and share with those in your network!

Dan