Introduction to the Athletic Performance Insider
Background to the newsletter
After speaking with many professionals in the field of athletic performance, I have come to understand the importance of establishing a community where members can openly communicate with one another. Typically, people who work in athletic performance operate within a close-knit group, and their continuous growth and development rely heavily on the dynamics within this group. Unfortunately, these dynamics can be limiting, which is a shame considering the potential for learning and growth when individuals step outside their comfort zones and explore other sports.
With this background, the concept of having a newsletter for professionals with the goal of promoting communication was launched. In addition to providing opportunities for discussion, the newsletter will provide;
Cutting-edge Research and Insights: The newsletter will cover the most recent research and developments in athletic performance, including sports nutrition, exercise physiology, recovery techniques, and biomechanics. The aim will be to provide professionals with evidence-based insights that will help them improve their knowledge and practice.
Interviews and Profiles: These will be in the form of “up close and personal” and provide an opportunity to learn about colleagues in the group.
Practical Tips: Offer practical and actionable tips that professionals can implement with their athletes. This could include advice on periodisation, skill development, injury prevention, and specific drills designed to improve performance in various sports.
Industry News and Trends: The community will be informed about the latest industry news, trends, and innovations.
When I proposed the idea for the newsletter, I received an overwhelmingly positive response. I accumulated a list of interested individuals to start the ball rolling. The list includes doctors, strength and conditioning trainers, and physiotherapists who have worked at the highest level of international sports. The collective talent in the group is amazing.
The newsletter will be sent out every Tuesday starting on the 5th of September. The format will be relaxed and easy to read. The articles will include links for those who want more in-depth information. There will be opportunities to discuss or comment on the articles. The newsletter's main goal will be to make it easy to comment and discuss topics of shared interest.
I'm eager to try this and strive to make it successful. Much of the success will be defined by the members’ participation. The ideal outcome will be if participants discover it fulfils a specific need and actively participate.
Before finishing this introduction to the newsletter, allow me to introduce myself as the first participant in the 'Up Close and Personal' section.
A glimpse into my journey
My name is Mike Lambert. I retired from my academic position at the University of Cape Town at the end of 2021. I now have a Senior Research Scholar position and am still active in research. I am also working with programmes in the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. I worked at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa most of my career. During this time, I collaborated closely with the High Performance Centre (HPC) and its leader, Justin Durandt. I learnt much from Justin, who remains a good friend. The HPC has been a training ground for many biokineticists who have become top-notch strength and conditioning trainers in various sports worldwide. Many of them have gained international recognition. It is noteworthy that four HPC alumni were with teams at the Tokyo Olympics;
Wayne Lombard (Indian women’s field Hockey Team - 4th place),
Robin Arkell, (Indian men’s field hockey team - bronze medal),
Niel Michau (Chinese men’s field hockey team), and
Graham Bentz (Russian women 7’s).
Here are examples of others who have worked with high-level teams after leaving the HPC:
Stef Du Toit, (Stormers and now head of performance, Stade Français Paris)
Johan Pretorius (Sharks and now Biarritz Olympique Rugby)
Grant Compton (Pakistan and Proteas cricket team),
Julian Calefato (Bangladesh cricket team)
Gavin Benjafield, (Performance Director, Los Angeles Football Club, USA) and
Allan Temple-Jones (Blitzboks, Irish Sevens and Sharks).
The current HPC senior staff (Warwick Cross and Ciara Botha) have big shoes to fill but are on their way to doing so.
I have also had the privilege of working alongside Wayne Viljoen and Clint Readhead, for several years. Wayne obtained his PhD in our research unit, and is now the senior manager of BokSmart, a national rugby safety programme for the South African Rugby Union. Clint is the medical manager at South African Rugby Union. We developed a productive, symbiotic relationship, resulting in over 50 outputs. Most of the research was driven by questions about making the game safer or improving performance.
On a personal note, I am an MMA fan, I follow the UFC closely. There are so many aspects of the sport I find fascinating. The courage, athleticism, and stoicism of the fighters are unsurpassed. An outsider would think it is a macho sport, but it is the only sport I know where women can be the main headliners in a card filled with men because of merit. I saw this sport as a professional a few years ago. This opportunity was through Glen Hagemann, who worked for G42 in Abu Dhabi. Glenn coordinated the first bubble for a mass event during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling the UFC to continue their competitions. I contacted Glen to learn about the first UFC event, which led to a consulting position with G42. They had various projects with the UFC, in which I participated. Working for G42 was a great opportunity to learn about AI applied to sports and interact with highly talented people in different fields. This wonderful experience opened my eyes to where sports will be heading.
I am an Emeritus Professor and have retired from a full-time job. I work as a senior research scholar at the University of Cape Town and I am the editor of the South African Journal of Sports Medicine.
My research can be seen at: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8979-1504
I can be contacted at www.linkedin.com/in/mike-lambert-b98486299
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Until next week!