In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob is joined by James Bunce, Performance Consultant & Owner, XG Performance. James shares his journey, starting from Southampton, where he climbed up to head of the department from initially starting as an intern in the academy, through his transition to the Premier League to develop a high-performance department, to taking on challenges in the US and Monaco. Reflecting on his experiences, James discusses the excitement and challenges of setting up his consultancy, including working on the 30th MLS franchise in San Diego.
The episode delves into the essence of succeeding in the competitive sports industry, highlighting the need for hustle, differentiation, and continuous learning. It underscores the importance of professionalization and modernization of coaching practices, alongside advocating for a focus on athletic development and player performance pathways. The discussion also covers the challenges of transitioning to consultancy roles, the value of professionalizing football environments, and the need for education and awareness in talent identification and development.
Rather than just being a bio, James dives into the detail of some key areas that he is particularly proud of during his career. He describes what the catalyst was which enabled him to transition from intern to head of department at Southampton FC. Then he answers a lot of questions on why the Premier League close to support certain rules like the necessity for BASES accreditation for its academy staff, while also diving deep into the reasons why growth and maturation monitoring is so key for the development of elite players. His time at Monaco is also an area where James provides some really actionable insights, particularly around data collection and implementing standards.
If you're working in football and are looking for insights into what its really like working at a Premier League club, a league or federation, this episode with James Bunce is for you.
Main talking points:
Recovery, sleep & nutrition; the other 22 hours with Pete Tierney (Physical Performance Coach at The FA) & Chris Rosimus (Lead Performance Nutritionist at The FA)
Working with the BEST footballers in the country with Bryce Cavanagh (Head of Physical Performance, Medicine & Nutrition at The FA)
Conditioning vs fitness. A paradigm shift in professional football with Shayne Murphy (Performance Coach Consultant)
Managing & leading in elite sport in a foreign country with David Cosgrave (Head of Physical Performance at FC Copenhagen)
Triphasic training & the importance of experimentation with Cal Dietz (Associate Director at the University of Minnesota)
Success leaves clues. Reflections from NRL, NBA & AFL with Lachlan Penfold (Director of Performance at Melbourne Storm)
Nutrition for the S&C Coach with James Morehen (Performance Nutritionist)
Getting a job and navigating a career in elite sport with David Slemen (Founding Partner at Elite Performance Partners)
Performance intelligence research, industry innovation and leaving pro sport with Martin Buchheit & Stephen Smith (Head of Performance Research CEO/Founder at Kitman Labs)
Designing effective conditioning sessions in football and manipulating small sided games with Andrea Riboli (Head of Sports Science at Atalanta B.C)
Velocity based training: preventing overtraining AND undertraining with Jeremy Jacobs (Assistant Strength& Conditioning Coach at LSU)
Effectively designing conditioning sessions & challenging sports tech companies in the NBA with Lorena Torres (Performance Director at Philadelphia 76ers)
The illogic of being data driven, self screening and coaching the developing athlete with Paul Gamble (Consultant, Coach and Author)
Force plate analysis & assessing fatigue in the NFL with Adam Lachance (Sports Science Coordinator at Miami Dolphins)
Real-world training load monitoring and winning the World Cup with Guilherme Passos (Sports Scientist for the Brazilian National Football Team)
Getting athletes fast when time is limited with Les Spellman (Owner of Spellman Performance)
Delivering holistic performance support with world class tennis players with Dan Lewindon (Head of Performance Science & Medicine at LTA)
Speed training in football, advice for young coaches, and overcoming Covid challenges with Alek Gross (Head of Sports Science at Southampton FC)
Industry longevity, speed training education, and industry trends with Nick Ward (ALTIS Program Director)
Programming and planning jump training & the importance of variation with Joel Smith (Coach, Podcaster & Author)
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