Podcast · Health

VALDCAST

Welcome to VALDCAST, where health, performance and technology intersect. Join hosts Dylan Carmody and Ryan McLaughlin as they bring you exclusive insights from the world's most influential voices, exploring the data, technology and trends transforming the high-performance and health industries.

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 33 min
Latest: 8 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026 · 28 min

Dr. Roula Kotsifaki: From Force Plate Data to Better Rehab Outcomes

In this episode of VALDCAST, Roula Kotsifaki shares insights from her extensive work in sports medicine, rehabilitation and force plate research, exploring how clinicians can use jump testing to make better decisions throughout the rehabilitation process. Drawing on years of experience working with ACL populations, Roula explains why getting the fundamentals right, including test execution, cueing and standardisation, is critical before any meaningful interpretation of data can take place.&nb...

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S3 · E12 · 1 Jul 2026 · 37 min
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, Fearghal discusses how practitioners can use data to ask better questions, challenge assumptions and...
S3 · E11 · 25 Jun 2026 · 40 min
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 diverse range of sports. From profiling and monitoring to multidisciplinary collaboration and leadership, Jord...
S3 · E10 · 18 Jun 2026 · 34 min
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, Trevor explains why the goal isn't simply collecting more data — it's creating systems that increase...
S3 · E9 · 11 Jun 2026 · 33 min
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 has evolved over the last 25 years • Building sport science programs when resources and technology were limited • Th...
S3 · E8 · 4 Jun 2026 · 39 min
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 athlete-centered thinking are essential for turning information into meaningful action. The conversati...
S3 · E7 · 28 May 2026 · 18 min
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 development at the highest level. The conversation explores: Athlete profiling in elite sportUsing o...
S3 · E6 · 21 May 2026 · 33 min
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 to return athletes to performance — not just participation. The discussion also dives...
S3 · E5 · 14 May 2026 · 33 min
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 simplicity beats dashboards full of noise, how objective testing like jump metrics can reveal readiness ...
S3 · E4 · 7 May 2026 · 38 min
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 patellar tendinopathy, how tendon structure and length influence performance and what the key f...
S3 · E3 · 30 Apr 2026 · 24 min
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 objective and subjective dataBuilding trust so athletes actually buy inWhy your real value as a coac...
S3 · E2 · 23 Apr 2026 · 32 min
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 reflects on mentorship, the dangers of rigid systems and how clinicians can avoid getting trappe...
S3 · E1 · 16 Apr 2026 · 40 min
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‑term performance strategy in the NFL. Together they explore how to manage the chaos of a season, ...
S2 · E12 · 9 Apr 2026 · 48 min
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 performance and recovery between stations. He shares practical insights into profiling the HYROX at...
S2 · E11 · 29 Dec 2025 · 30 min
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 the data practitioners rely on every day. The conversation unpacks common misconceptions in valid...
S2 · E10 · 26 Dec 2025 · 17 min
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 of force development and reactive qualities — leads to better outcomes, particularly in po...
S2 · E9 · 18 Dec 2025 · 26 min
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 the human side of coaching. The conversation spans RTP evolution, criteria-based transitions, comm...
S2 · E8 · 11 Dec 2025 · 28 min
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 testing and load management to force plate assessments, athlete decision-making, asymmetry debates ...
S2 · E7 · 4 Dec 2025 · 36 min
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, including which CMJ metrics truly discriminate elite from sub-elite, why “fatigue monitoring” misses ...
S2 · E6 · 27 Nov 2025 · 25 min
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 across multiple clinics ✅ How data can open conversations with patients during re...
S2 · E5 · 20 Nov 2025 · 37 min
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 outcomes while creating real commercial pathways through outreach testing, front-end offers a...
S2 · E4 · 13 Nov 2025 · 34 min
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 still matter most in hamstring performance and injury prevention.
S2 · E3 · 6 Nov 2025 · 46 min
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 Buffalo Bills. She shares how working across different cultures and codes shaped her approach to per...
S2 · E2 · 29 Oct 2025 · 26 min
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. Lachlan explains how to cut through the noise by identifying five domains of strength — from reacti...
S2 · E1 · 23 Oct 2025 · 39 min
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 in real-world settings. Phil also shares insights from decades in elite sport and biomechanics, high...
S1 · E14 · 11 Jul 2025 · 29 min
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 Logan In 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 orthopedic surgery, they share how data is integrated into their clinical workflows, what it takes to f...
S1 · E13 · 21 May 2025 · 29 min
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 than solely on injury prevention. Roula also addresses the complexities of defining re-injury and t...
S1 · E12 · 14 May 2025 · 49 min
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 importance of communication within multidisciplinary teams and the challenges of managing tra...
S1 · E11 · 7 May 2025 · 27 min
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 technology has transformed rehabilitation practices. Stacie emphasizes the importance of pa...
S1 · E10 · 30 Apr 2025 · 34 min
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 communication and collaboration among sports medicine professionals. We also cover off insig...

About VALDCAST

VALDCAST is a English health podcast from VALD. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: VALD
Language: English
Category: Health
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 33 min
Latest episode: 8 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1799110541

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