VALDCAST
VALDCAST is a podcast where health, performance and technology intersect. Hosts Dylan Carmody and Ryan McLaughlin bring exclusive insights from influential voices, exploring data, technology and trends transforming high-performance and health industries. It is aimed at coaches, clinicians, sports scientists, and anyone interested in health and performance technology. New episodes are released weekly.
Episodes
Fearghal Kerin: Coaching Beyond the Data
What does it take to become a better performance practitioner in today's high-performance environment?In this episode of VALDCAST, Fearghal Kerin shares lessons from his career spanning elite sport, applied research and practitioner development, exploring how curiosity, critical thinking and communication underpin great decision-making. Rather than chasing metrics for the sake of measurement,
Jordan Troester: Building High Performance Systems at Red Bull
What does sports science look like when you're supporting everyone from soccer players and skateboarders to surfers, snowboarders and wingsuit athletes?In this episode of VALDCAST, Jordan Troester, Director of Performance at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center, shares how one of the world's most unique high-performance environments approaches athlete support across an incredibly dive
Trevor Short: Why Great Performance Starts With Better Systems
How do you build a performance system that actually improves decision-making?In this episode of VALDCAST, Trevor Short shares his approach to high-performance leadership, discussing how sport science, sports medicine, strength & conditioning, nutrition and mental health can work together to improve athlete outcomes.Drawing on his experience overseeing multidisciplinary performance teams, Trevo
Dawn Scott: Building World Champions - The Evolution of Athlete Monitoring in Women's Sport
In this episode of VALDCAST, Dawn Scott reflects on her journey from introducing sport science to England's Women's National Football (Soccer) Team in the early 2000s to helping drive performance innovation with the U.S. Women's National Soccer (Football) Team during an era that included multiple World Cup and Olympic successes.The conversation explores:• How women's football h
Anna Cruse: Building Collaborative Sport Science Systems
What does effective sport science actually look like in practice?In this episode of VALDCAST, host Dylan chats to Anna Cruse, Assistant Athletic Director for Applied Health and Performance Science at the University of Utah. They delve into the systems, relationships and decision-making processes that underpin successful sport science programs — explaining why collaboration, data quality and athlet
Braylon Tatum: Athlete Profiling, Objective Data & Working in Elite Sport
What does it actually take to work in elite sport environments? In this episode of VALDCAST, Braylon Tatum discusses athlete profiling, objective data and the realities of operating in high performance sport. From managing elite athletes to building systems that support performance decision-making, this conversation dives into how modern practitioners approach performance, monitoring and developme
Ziad Dahdul: Inside Modern ACL Rehab
What does elite ACL rehab actually look like in 2026?In this episode of the VALDCAST, Ziad from Ignite Phyzio breaks down how objective data, athletic development and clinician education are reshaping modern rehab. From using ForceDecks and ForceFrame testing to guide decision-making, to integrating sport-specific drills early in the rehab process, this conversation explores what it really takes t
Dave Hamilton: Building Performance Systems That Actually Win
In this episode of VALDCAST, high‑performance leader Dave Hamilton shares insights from over 25 years across Olympic sport, collegiate athletics and the NFL. From his early days at the UK Institute of Sport to leading performance units in elite team environments, Dave breaks down how he cut's through complexity and builds performance models that genuinely move the needle.Dave explains why sim
Jarrod Antflick: Why Loading Beats Quick Fixes in Tendinopathy
In this episode, clinician and researcher Jarrod Antflick breaks down the real drivers of tendinopathy across the Achilles tendon and patellar tendon. From systemic influences like metabolic and hormonal factors to the impact of high load sport, Jarrod explains why diagnosis is everything and why not all tendinopathies are created equal. He dives into the key differences between Achilles and patel
Mark Fitzgerald: Coaching Intuition vs Data — Why the Best Coaches Use Both
What’s really changed in high performance over the last 20 years?In this episode of VALDCAST, Mark Fitzgerald shares lessons from decades in elite sport — from early days with minimal data to today’s tech-driven environments.He dives into:Why coaching intuition still matters (and how tech should support it)Managing athlete relationships and “owning the room”Making better decisions with both object
Jess Elis: Rehab Isn’t a Protocol
In this episode of #VALDCAST, host Dylan sits down with Jess Ellis — founder of Rehab Code and former NBA health and performance director — to challenge some of the most common assumptions in modern rehab.From structure and function in elite athletes, jump testing and pathomechanics, Jess discusses the topics in rehab and performance that many often shy away from. In this conversation, Jess reflec
Marc Lewis: Building Athlete Monitoring Systems That Actually Work
In this episode of #VALDCAST, our host Ryan sits down with Dr. Marc Lewis — Director of Applied Sports Science for the Houston Texans and co‑founder of the Sport Science Network — to unpack what it really takes to build and run a high-performance system in the NFL.Shaped by his military background, Marc shares how systems based thinking underpins everything from in‑season decision‑making to long‑t
Chris Bramah: Preparing and Profiling HYROX Athletes
In this BONUS episode of VALDCAST, Ryan sits down with physio, biomechanist and researcher Dr. Chris Bramah to explore how practitioners can better profile and prepare athletes for HYROX.Chris breaks down the unique demands of the sport, highlighting why running remains the central performance driver and how factors like plantar flexor strength, tendon stiffness and reactive qualities underpin per
Tyler Collings: Validity, Reliability and Measuring What Matters
In this episode of VALDCAST, our host Ryan sits down with biomechanist and Griffith University researcher, Tyler Collings, to break down one of the most common and most misunderstood topics in sports technology: validity and reliability.Tyler explains what these terms actually mean in practice, why they’re often confused and how human variability, testing protocols and “gold standards” influence t
Bobby Esbrandt: Building Athlete Profiles Beyond the CMJ
In this episode of VALDCAST, Dylan sits down with physical therapist and Impact Sports Physical Therapy founder Bobby Esbrandt to unpack what it really means to assess, treat and develop athletes beyond a single metric. Bobby shares why relying solely on the countermovement jump can leave critical gaps in decision-making, and how building a complete athlete profile — spanning strength, power, rate
Taylor Evernden: Bridging Rehab and Performance Through Data, Culture and Care
In this episode of VALDCAST, Ryan sits down with Taylor Evernden, coach and Co-Founder of ORKA Performance, to explore what truly effective return-to-performance looks like when rehab, performance and people are fully aligned.Taylor shares how ORKA has built a collaborative model that moves athletes seamlessly from acute rehab into performance — balancing objective data, subjective feedback and th
Hannah Marchant: Managing Complex Knees with Data-Informed Rehab
In this episode of VALDCAST, Dylan sits down with physical therapist at New York City Football Club, Hannah Marchant, to unpack one of the most challenging cases in knee rehabilitation: medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction, recurrent patellar instability and complex cartilage lesions in a Division I-bound football athlete.Hannah walks us through the full journey — from baseline tes
Daniel Cohen: Decoding Force Plate Truths
In this episode of the VALDCAST, our host Ryan sits down with the co-founder of ForceDecks Dr. Daniel Cohen — sports scientist, researcher and long-time leader in force plate methodology. Together they unpack one of the most important (and misunderstood) areas in athlete assessment: what force plate data actually means.Dan breaks down the insights behind VALD's 2024-25 Premier League Report,
Travis Gaudet: Creating Tech-Informed Cohesion
In this episode of VALDCAST, our host Dylan sits down with Physiotherapist and ORKA Performance Co-Founder Travis Gaudet to unpack what meaningful technology integration looks like at a company level. Travis breaks down the growth of ORKA’s clinical and educational arms and explains how technology became a central driver in that evolution. We cover: ✅ How to create cohesion in testing processes ac
Karl Goodman: Building a High-Performance Business — Lessons from Athletes Authority
In this episode, Ryan sits down with Karl Goodman, co-founder of Athletes Authority, for a deep dive into how one of Australia’s leading performance facilities was built (and rebuilt) through smart use of technology, clear business principles and hard-earned lessons. Karl explains how Athletes Authority used testing and objective data to differentiate their brand from day one, elevating athlete ou
Tony Shield: The Turning Point in Hamstring Rehabilitation
Our host Dylan sat down with co-inventor of the NordBord, Dr. Tony Shield, to unpack the origins of the world’s leading hamstring testing system.In this episode, Tony discusses the evolution of hamstring research, the rise of eccentric training and how a pair of load cells became a global standard for injury prevention and performance.Tony also shares insights into why dosing, data and simplicity
Jo Clubb: Rethinking High-Performance Careers — From Pro Teams to Consulting
In this episode of VALDCast, our host Ryan sits down with Jo Clubb — founder of Global Performance Insights and one of the most respected figures in applied sport science — to unpack her journey from elite team environments to life as a private consultant.Jo reflects on formative experiences across the Premier League, NHL and NFL, including her time with Chelsea FC, the Buffalo Sabres and the Buff
Lachlan James: Strength Science Simplified — Measuring What Actually Matters
In this episode of the VALDCast, we sit down with Associate Professor at La Trobe University Dr. Lachlan James — sports scientist, consultant, and founder of ForceLab — to decode one of the most misunderstood areas in performance: strength domains.With modern technology offering hundreds of data points from a single jump or lift, practitioners might find themselves monitoring too many metrics. Lac
Phil Graham-Smith: Testing With Purpose and The Evolution of ForceDecks
Our guest today is Dr. Phil Graham-Smith, Reader in Biomechanics and Innovation at Manchester Metropolitan University and co-founder of ForceDecks.Ryan and Phil discuss the origins of ForceDecks, how far it's come since Phil and Dan Cohen first joined up to create the product, the concepts of validity and reliability in force plate testing, and the importance of applying scientific principles
Dr Catherine Logan & Dr Ivan Wong - Redefining Surgical Rehab with Data
“It’s not just for research anymore — every surgical patient gets tested throughout their recovery.” – Dr Catherine LoganIn this episode, orthopedic surgeons Dr Ivan Wong and Dr Catherine Logan join cohosts Mark Opar and Dylan Carmody to discuss how objective measurement is transforming patient care and surgical decision-making. With backgrounds spanning physical therapy, elite sport and orthopedi
Dr Roula Kotsifaki - Revolutionizing ACL Recovery
"We shouldn't treat the MRI, we want to treat our athletes."In this episode, Roula Kotsifaki discusses her recent research on ACL recovery, emphasizing the evolving perspectives in rehabilitation. She highlights the importance of balancing tissue healing with performance metrics, the significance of objective criteria for return to sport, and the need to focus on performance rather
Stephanie Mock Grubbs - Insights from a Major League Strength Coach
Our guest today is Stephanie Mock Grubbs, Assistant Major League Strength & Conditioning Coach at the Houston Astros.Ryan and Stephanie discuss the transition from collegiate to professional sports, focusing on the role of a strength & conditioning coach in elite athlete performance. Stephanie shares her experience at The University of Pittsburgh and the Houston Astros, emphasizing the imp
Dr Stacie Barber - The future of physical therapy
In this episode of VALDCAST, host Dylan Carmody chats with Dr. Stacie Barber who shares her journey as a physical therapist and the unique approach she takes in her practice, The Physio Fix. We discuss the evolution of her social media presence, how she amassed nearly 1 million followers (Check out her instagram HERE), her personal experience with injuries, particularly her achilles and how techno
Nicol van Dyk - The Role of Normative Data in Injury Prevention
In this conversation with Dylan, Nicol van Dyk shares his extensive journey in sports medicine, highlighting his experiences at Aspetar and the evolution of technology in the field.He discusses the importance of injury prevention, the role of normative data, and how to build comprehensive player profiles. Nicol emphasizes the need for context in data interpretation and the significance of communic
Shaun Owen - The science of recovery, from Rugby to Red Sox
In this episode, Shaun Owen shares his journey from South Africa to Boston, discussing his transition from rugby to baseball and the key differences in athlete training and recovery. He emphasizes the importance of individualization in recovery strategies, the role of technology in sports science, and the understanding of fatigue in athletes.Shaun also highlights the significance of building a mul
ORKA Performance - Born from a love of training and performance
The growth journey of ORKA Performance is something special. In today's VALDCAST Ryan covers off the transition from practitioners to business owners and the importance of building a feedback culture.The guys have navigated the complexities of rehab to performance transitions, And focus on the key components of building and maintaining a strong culture at ORKA, a performance-based rehab facil
Derek Hansen - The evolution of technology & coaching methodologies
Derek Hansen shares his extensive experience in sports science, where he focusses on timing systems, coaching methodologies, and the differences in athletic training between Canada and the USA. We discusses the evolution of timing technology, the importance of understanding athlete performance metrics, and the challenges faced in professional sports, including injury prevention and management. Th
Matt Jordan - Embracing science. From asymmetries and squats to strength & conditioning
Matt Jordan, a pioneer in the adoption and implementation of force plate technology discusses his journey with force plates, emphasizing their significance in strength and conditioning. He shares insights on how he transitioned from traditional training methods to a more scientific approach, utilizing force metrics to inform training decisions, especially in injury recovery. The discussion highlig
Mick Hughes
In this episode of VALDCAST, we chat with Mick Hughes about his extensive experience in ACL rehabilitation, highlighting the evolution of management practices over the years.He emphasizes the importance of data-informed decision-making in clinical practice, particularly in assessing quadricep strength and its impact on rehabilitation outcomes.Mick and Dylan delve into the intricacies of ACL rehabi
Dr Alex Natera
Creator of Run-Specific Isometrics and Manager of Sports Science at NSWIS, Alexander Natera discusses the evolution of isometrics and overall strength in athletic testing and training. He shares insights on how his techniques originated, their effectiveness across various sports, and the nuances of implementing them for different athletic needs. Natera also reflects on the influence of technology
Welcome to VALDCAST
What is VALDCAST?Join hosts Dylan and Ryan as they introduce VALDCAST—where leading health and performance experts share real-world insights, transformative stories and how technology is shaping their practices.🎙️ Connect with our hosts Ryan McLaughlin and Dylan Carmody🌐 Discover VALD's range of solutions on the VALD Performance website
Dr Ebonie Rio
Dr Ebonie Rio, renowned sports physiotherapist and leading tendon researcher, breaks down the complexities of tendon rehabilitation. She discusses the role of muscle activation, neuroplastic training and the central nervous system in recovery, as well as key considerations for load management, dynamic training readiness and tendon capacity.We dive into Ebonie's approach to technology-enabled
Dr Duncan French
Dr Duncan French, Senior VP at the UFC Performance Institute, breaks down the complexities of training the worlds best MMA fighters. He discusses the unique demands of MMA compared to other sports, the critical components of a successful training camp and the need for seamless collaboration between performance staff and coaches.We dive into Duncan's thoughts on data-informed decision-making,
