Episode #29 - Keith Earls (RWC Japan 2019 Series)

Today we spoke to Keith Earls – professional rugby player for Munster, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions. We chat to Keith about the influence of his family sporting background on his career, early sports specialisation and advice for younger players. Keith gives insight into how he believes the game will evolve in terms of preparation in the next decade and how he has maximised his impact on the game over the years. Keith shares how he slows down and unwinds a little away from rugby, balancing his career with his family life, his injury history management, coping with pressure and facing the All Blacks Haka. There is a special moment in this episode where the high scoring back tells us why Munster is a special team and club.

Episode #30 - Fineen Wycherley (RWC Japan 2019 Series)

Today, in association with BDO in Limerick and the Limerick Leader, we spoke to Fineen Wycherley – emerging professional rugby player with Munster. We chat to Fineen about his journey to becoming the player he is today, preparing mentally to take chances, how he measures his success, current strength levels in the Munster squad, traits required for sustained success, how he winds down away from games and recovery methods, self-critique vs external critique, and what he enjoys most about playing the game of rugby.

Once again many thanks in particular to BDO and Denis Herlihy for helping us bring this episode to you.

Episode #35 - Damian Hughes

In this episode we speak to Damian Hughes – Manchester-born change management catalyst, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Change and best-selling author of books including ‘The Barcelona Way’, ‘The Winning Mindset: What Sport Can Teach Us About Great Leadership’, ‘ How to think like Sir Alex Ferguson: The Business of Winning and Managing Success’, and ‘Liquid Thinking’. Damian sheds light on his very successful background in business, education, sporting elite environments, high performance culture and change management. We asked incisive questions and got incisive and constructive responses. A real gem for people in high-performance settings and one of our best episodes to date.

Episode #36 - kevin maggs

In this episode we speak to Kevin Maggs – former professional Irish rugby player, capped 70 times, a Barbarians representative and now the current IQ rugby regional talent ID officer at the IRFU. Kevin shares insights into his experiences in professional rugby, his initiation with Bristol rugby and his current role with IQ Rugby. We discuss identifying talent in youth rugby and whether talent is innate or can be trained. Kevin sheds light on the characteristics of great leaders, having played with so many over his career on the pitch. It is fascinating to hear Kevin open up about his transition from player to coach and the challenges, mindset and habits of elite high performing rugby players. The key theme embedded throughout this episode is of the importance of hard graft but also with that the enjoyment of your chosen craft, if you’re lucky to be there. We spoke to Kevin a few months back and unfortunately our Rugby World Cup predictions weren’t entirely accurate. Listen out for that, and the future of the sport according to Kevin. Please subscribe, share, rate and review but most importantly, listen and enjoy.

EPISODE #38 - MARK LANGTRY

In this episode we speak to Mark Langtry - former League of Ireland footballer, Science TV presenter, theoretical physicist and Head of Science & Sport of Explorium, Ireland. We learned about how much science can influence our lives and how much fun and joy it can bring to us. Technological advancements in sport were discussed as was who Mark looks to as a role model. Student-athletes can learn from Mark in this episode but it really comes down to the importance of enjoying what you do. Mark tells us how sport can teach us life lessons and opens up on his three main areas of focus in life currently. We finish with asking Mark about his penalty choice in soccer and his all-time 5-a-side. This is a very stimulating episode and one for those fond of cognitive diversity. Please subscribe, share, rate and review but most importantly, listen and enjoy.

Episode #39 - Ode Osbourne

In this episode we speak to Ode Osbourne - UFC fighter, school educator, Jamaican born and "sent by God for greatness". We learned about a remarkable journey from the beaches near Kingston, Jamaica to Wisconsin and Florida in the USA. Ode shares the story about the epiphany he had when he was a young boy and how that set him on a path to greatness, and ultimately the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Ode tells us about his start in wrestling, his introduction to mixed martial arts (MMA) and his style in the fight game, that of "free flow". Fight analysts call Ode Osbourne the "Picasso of MMA", and say his style resembles that of the legendary Brazilian UFC fighter, Anderson "The Spider" Silva. What made this episode special was when Ode shared his teachings and leadership-building strategies that he employs with the young students he works with in school through elements of MMA- structure, motivation and discipline. There was so much to take away from this episode from key themes such as mindset, resilience and grit. Please subscribe, share, rate and review but most importantly, listen and enjoy.

episode #41 - sharlene mawdsley

In this episode we speak to Sharlene Mawdsley - Irish International 200m, 400m, Puma-sponsored athlete and Irish Champion, currently studying Sociology & New Media in the University of Limerick. We learned about what is high performance to Sharlene, be that nutrition, self care and recovery. We had the differences between summer and winter training for track and field athletes explained to us, which was very interesting also. Sharlene shed light on balancing the university commitments with that of being a high level competitive runner and opened up on her injury history, and what she learned from the whole experience. Sharlene tells us that a big goal for her is 2024 Olympic qualification and we would not bet against her. There was so much to take away from this episode from key themes such as drive, overcoming setbacks with resilience and constant learning. A shout out to Tony Gonzalez and his podcast 'Wide Open'; We asked the question inspired from his pod about a meal that we want to be healthy but isn't healthy, and what would that be for Sharlene. Please subscribe, share, rate and review but most importantly, listen and enjoy.

EPISODE #42 - BOBBY MAXIMUS

In this episode we speak to Bobby Maximus - 'Maximus Body' best-selling author, UFC vet, @menshealthmag writer, Jiu-Jitsu martial artist World master champ and overall huge inspiration for David personally. Listen to Bobby share how much he gets from leading by example, and providing for his family by building his brand by being the fittest he can possibly be. He wants to help others and feels exercise is the key. Bobby talked about his time audit and how you have 168 hours in a week- choose how you want to spend it and do what's important to you. There was so much to take away from this episode from key themes such as recovery, motivation, mindset and work ethic. Anyone fancy doing the 'holy trinity' training session that Bobby challenged us to? We chose not to edit this episode with Bobbys' son in the background- this was and is real life. He is wise beyond his years- there was a great story about self limiting behaviours. Rewind that part and listen to it again. It's special! To wrap up... So proud that Bobby is a Munster rugby fan!

Please subscribe, share, rate and review but most importantly, listen and enjoy.

EPISODE #44 - CARL PAOLI

Today we spoke to Carl Paoli - coach, author of @freestyle the book, host of @thefreestyleway podcast and the founder of the @freestyle app. When we founded this podcast we wrote down 3 names of people we wanted to interview on the show- Carl was one of those 3. We have always been a huge admirer of his work and really like his content. Follow him and learn like we did and still do. "Be like water", as he says. In this episode Carl educates us on the mind and the body. Carl discusses belief systems, thoughts and emotions and how getting them right can be conducive for a growth mindset. Carl talks about movement literacy, how to improve athletic competencies and help one express themselves at a higher level. He unveils the curtain behind why people do what they do and for what- what outcome. We also ask Carl what makes a good coach a good coach. Listen out for a great answer on that one. We purposely kept this episode recorded from July until now as wanted a big listenership for guys like Carl. There was so much to take away from this episode from key themes such as positivity, mindset and loving what you do.

Please subscribe, share, rate and review but most importantly, listen and enjoy.

EPISODE #45 - LEE COX

In this epsiode we speak to Lee Cox - top 50 coach by Today's Golfer, Long drive coach to top-10 world long driver Martin Borgmeier  @fullbeardlongdrives, fellow of the PGA and devoted West Ham fan. This episode is for aspiring golfers who want to learn about swing and power mechanics, maximum distance tools and strategy, amongst many other pearls of wisdom.

We asked about talent identification for pathways to drive long and discussed ball striking- it is not about how fast one strikes but how well one strikes the ball that really matters for Lee. He compared the ball striking patterns of amateur to elite to professional golfers. Lee is the man that helps golfers really perform under the lights and makes the crowd take out the popcorn. There was so much to take away from this episode from key themes such as the importance of preparation, mental versus physical prowess and mindset.

Please subscribe, share, rate and review but most importantly, listen and enjoy.

episode #47 - ger slattery

Today we spoke to Ger Slattery - coach/ player for Young Munster RFC of the Ulster Bank League, Ireland club XV International, former Munster rugby senior player and teacher in St Munchins, Limerick, Ireland. In this episode Ger sheds light on the challenges he faces from being a player to a coach with the same club, and how important man management is for his success.  Ger talks about mentors and the importance of having close people that challenge your thought process with conviction. The role of captaincy and the nuances and qualities of leadership are discussed as well as injuries in rugby, such as concussion. An interesting point made by Ger was when he said one has to sometimes put yourself in positions where you could make mistakes, take risks- with the hope and expectation that come the end of the year the success from taking those calculated risks outweigh the negative consequences. There was so much to take away from this episode from key themes such as mindset, humility,work ethic and leadership.

Please subscribe, share, rate and review but most importantly, listen and enjoy.

EPISODE #48 - CAELAN DORIS

In this episode we speak to Caelan Doris - professional rugby player, Mayo-born, former captain of Blackrock school (most successful school in Irish rugby), former under-20 Ireland captain, current Leinster number 8 and now a fully fledged Irish rugby international- having made his debut against Scotland in the 6 nations, in February 2020. Caelan talks about his injury past, weekly schedule, training regimen and recovery strategies. We touch on how he prepares himself for big moments and the mental feelings that come with big games and his strategies for these meaningful moments. It was fascinating to hear Caelan talk about what has been a remarkable acceleration through the school system to the world-renowned academy at Leinster and then into the senior setup provincially and in Europe. Listen to Caelan talk about how to make an impression in a very successful team environment rich with high performance culture. He really has let his rugby do the talking. We kept this episode until the 6 nations 2020 although we met and interviewed Caelan back in September 2019. He made such an impression on us as a person and as a professional that we both figured he would be an Irish international soon. Once he left the recording studio Ciaran and I said to each other that "he will be a special player". Now Caelan Doris is starting and playing for Ireland. He will own that jersey for a long time. There was so much to take away from this episode from key themes such as adaptability, humility, leadership and mindset.

EPISODE #50 - James KErr

In this episode, we speak to James Kerr - best selling author of Mana and Legacy, leadership expert and high performance thought leader. James explains in-depth what makes a high performing environment, and what are the cultural and leadership characteristics of such a place. James shares his experience through the years of working in elite sport, military organisations and the corporate world to find common themes for success, and also discusses what Manchester United could do to become successful again. We are very grateful to have had James on this podcast. His insight and teachings from his books have had a profound impact on our professional and personal lives. There was so much to take away from this episode from key themes such as legacy, learning and development, and leadership.

Please subscribe, share, rate and review but most importantly, listen and enjoy.

EPISODE #51 - DAMIAN DE ALLENDE

Today we spoke to Damian De Allende - South African professional rugby player currently playing in Japan, Springbok rugby world cup champion, future Munster player and all-around nice guy. In this episode Damian shares where he feels he can add value to Munster rugby in Ireland, both on and off the field. He opens up on the remarkable victory in the recent rugby world cup and what that meant to him, the team and his nation. It was lovely to hear the origins and ancestry of Damian- he has some Spanish blood in fact. A future surf trip to Spanish waters is on the cards for sure. There was so much to take away from this episode from key themes such as work hard-play hard, the importance of downtime off the field of play, and relishing the challenge to grow. A big thanks to Johan Scholtz from Kinetic Talent for facilitating this interview with Damian.

Please subscribe, share, rate and review but most importantly, listen and enjoy.