ASCA Podcast

In this episode of the ASCA High School and Youth Podcast we sit down with Brett Robinson, a decorated sprint coach and founder of Viking Athletics. Based on the Gold Coast, Brett shares his deep expertise in developing speed and agility in youth and elite athletes across track and field, surf lifesaving, and field sports. Drawing from his journey as a world-class beach sprinter and a coach to Oly...

Kelly Penfold is currently the speed and conditioning coach for the St George Illawarra Dragons NRL team and perhaps one of the first full-time female S&C coaches at first grade NRL level. She has previously been the Head of S&C at the Queensland Firebirds and a longtime coach at QAS with Olympic sports, and in particular field hockey. She is an ASCA Elite L3 coach and was also awarded the 2023 AS...

ASCA High School & Youth Podcast 2503 - Pyke & Mathews by Joseph Coyne

In this episode of the ASCA Women's Advisory Committee Podcast, we sit down with Sophie Dodd, Head of Athletic Development at Somerset College and a passionate leader in the school-based strength and conditioning space. Sophie takes us through her inspiring journey from high-performance dreams in rugby union to her current role shaping adolescent athletes, particularly focusing on female participa...

Kaarle McCulloch is a former Olympic Track Sprint Cyclist with a 15-year career at the top of her sport including Olympic Bronze and 4 World Championships. Retired in 2021, Kaarle went on to coach the British Women’s Sprint Team from 2022-2023 with great success and recently returned to Australia in late 2023 to fulfil the same role as Australian Women’s Sprint coach and QAS coach. Kaarle has a de...

Chris Bartels is currently the coordinator of health performance at the New South Wales Police and also works with the Sydney Roosters as head S&C for their Academy program. Previously he was a Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Royal Australian Air Force Human Performance Optimisation team located at RAAF Base Richmond. and supported the Australian Defence Force Diving School at HMAS P...

The ASCA High School and Youth Podcast, sponsored by AlphaFit, features an in-depth conversation with Luke Edgell, owner of Edge Performance, Speed Academy, and Assistant Director of Athletic Performance at Shore School, Sydney. With over 12 years of experience in strength and conditioning, Luke shares insights from his career, including coaching Olympians and mentoring trainers. He discusses his...

In this episode, Wesley College’s high-performance manager, Dr. Daniel Hiscock, shares insights from his seven years at the institution, detailing how the school’s long-term athletic development (LTAD) program supports students from pre-kindergarten through year 12 in building athletic ability, healthy habits, and life skills. Daniel highlights the program’s three-tiered structure, which caters to...

Dr. Jamie Tallent is the Director of the Human Performance Research Group at the University of Essex, previously holding the position of Associate Professor in Strength and Conditioning at St Mary's University. Jamie earned his PhD from Northumbria University, UK, focusing on corticospinal adaptations from eccentric and concentric resistance training muscle actions. Jamie has worked in professiona...

Dr Gareth Sandford has a consulting business that helps Olympic, Pro & College coaches with individualized conditioning. Recent consulting clients include: Manchester City Football Club (EPL), England Football Association (International Football), Australian Institute of Sport (Olympic/Paralympic Sport), Melbourne Football Club (AFL), Kerry GAA (Gaelic Football). Prior to this, Gareth has worked f...

The ASCA High School and Youth Podcast, featuring Rob Le Guen, explores his journey as an S&C expert and his role at Maribyrnong Sports Academy. Rob's career includes key positions at the University of South Florida, Manchester City Football Club, and as England Girls Youth Physical Performance Coach. At Maribyrnong, he focuses on integrating athletic development within the school environment, pro...

This episode explores the vital role of strength and conditioning in youth athletic development, featuring insights from experienced coach Justin Blee. With a career spanning roles at the Melbourne Storm, Melbourne Rebels, VFL, and now St. Kevin’s College, Justin shares his philosophy on long-term athlete development, emphasising foundational physical literacy, strength, speed, and agility in age-...

Cohen Crispin is the QRL Sport science coordinator and former strength and conditioning coach within Surfing Australia's high-performance program. Cohen is an ASCA Elite L3 elite coach and holds a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science. In addition to his commitments in surfing, Cohen is also an assistant strength and conditioning coach and sports scientist for the Queensland women's State of Orig...

Paul Comfort is a Professor of Strength and Conditioning at the University of Salford (UK) and an adjunct professor at Edith Cowan University (Australia). Paul is a founder member and accredited member of the UKSCA and was a board member of the NSCA from 2020-2023. He regularly consults with numerous team sports and has authored / co-authored >150 peer reviewed journal articles. His research focus...

Overview This podcast features Marco Mastrorocco, a highly experienced strength and conditioning coach originally from Italy, now working in Australia. Marco is the director of his own gym, Athletix, and holds various roles, including consulting for the Queensland Bulls and coordinating strength and conditioning at Villanova College. He recently became the head of performance for the Italian crick...

Coach John Hofman is the Strength and Conditioning Specialist for the Guardian Resilience Team at LA Air Force Base where he oversees the strength and conditioning protocols designed to enhance improve muscular resiliency, cardiorespiratory fitness, and reduce musculoskeletal injuries in the operational environment. Prior to joining United States Space Force, Coach Hofman spent over 15 years as a...

James is currently the Head of Talent Identification & Athlete Development at Elite Sport UAE and a Visiting Fellow at Northumbria University. James brings a unique blend of skills and experience as an accredited S&C coach, physical education teacher, sport scientist and researcher. His current research is focused on the effect of growth and maturation on performance in youth track and field. Prev...

Dr. Max McKenzie Max is a S&C Coach with the QAS Swimming Hub on the Sunshine Coast. Max has worked with elite swimmers for almost a decade across three Olympic/Paralympic cycles. Working within a multidiscipline performance support team servicing several swimming programs and coaches has shaped Max’s philosophy on the physical preparation of swimmers. In 2024, Max completed his PhD which investig...

In this episode of the ASCA high school strength and conditioning podcast, Sean O'Connor, S&C coach at St. Lawrence’s College, discusses the comprehensive athletic development program implemented at the school. The program caters to students from year 7-12, focusing on movement competency and holistic long-term athlete development (LTAD). With a mix of foundational training for younger students an...

Dr Steven Duhig is Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Griffith University and an ASCA Elite L3 Elite Strength and Conditioning Coach who has demonstrated significant expertise in both academia and practical aspects of sports performance and coaching. His career encompasses recent roles as a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Burleigh Bears Rugby League Club, Strength Coach with Michael Bohl's swimm...

Today, we're diving into the world of youth athletic development with Brad Lawton, a passionate strength and conditioning coach with a rich background in exercise science. Starting his career as a personal trainer, Brad discovered his love for strength and conditioning, working with various clubs such as Bond University, Griffith Rugby Sevens, and the West Wales Raiders in Wales. He pursued furthe...

Shane Lehane currently works as Athletic Performance Coach for the Sydney Swans Football Club in the AFL. Prior to this Shane worked in professional Rugby Union for 12 years in both Europe and Australia with Leicester Tigers, Melbourne Rebels, and the Wallabies. Shane graduated from Loughbough University in Sport & Exercise Science and is currently a PhD candidate at La Trobe University, Melbourne...

In this episode of the ASCA High School and Youth Podcast, the journey of professional surfer Sophie McCulloch is highlighted, showcasing her triumph in the 2022 Challenger Series and subsequent injury setback, which she overcame to return to the World Surf League in 2024. The episode features an in-depth interview with her coach, Kerry Keightley, a renowned ASCA Accredited strength and conditioni...

Simon Harries is an accomplished performance coach, holding a PhD in Human Physiology from The University of Newcastle and accredited as an ASCA Elite L3 S&C coach. He currently serves as the Head of Strength & Conditioning at the NSW Institute of Sport, where he leads a team of Strength & Conditioning coaches to develop and deliver world-class performance support to Olympic sport athletes. With o...

Dan is an Accredited Strength & Conditioning Coach with the UKSCA. His experiences spans Professional, Olympic and Paralympic sports in both the UK and the USA, working in sports such as Rugby Union, Rugby 7s, and Major League Baseball. His work with the Team GB Rugby 7s teams took him to Rio in 2016 where the team placed Silver, and Tokyo in 2021 where the team placed 4th. Between these Olympics,...