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:
“Activation” sessions and asymmetries: Are they really that important (?) with Tony Blazevich
#Bitesize - Operationalising GPS data with Patrick Ward
Maximising the impact of your data with data visualisation best practice with Eva Murray, Julian Haigh and Adam Sheehan
#Bitesize - Dealing with intense periods of growth and maturation in youth athletes with Perry Stewart, Jack Ade and Matt Allen
Understanding the impact of athlete footwear selection on performance and injury risk with Athol Thomson
#Bitesize - Making your CV and cover letter stand out from the crowd with Des Ryan, Chris Bishop and Dave Slemen
Sprint profiling: Why do it, how to do it well and dispelling some myths with Les Spellman, JB Morin and Ryan Grubbs
#Bitesize - Creating sprint drills that doing the cueing for us with Cam Josse
Improving change of direction ability, deceleration drills and coaching “transitional movements” with Hailu Theodros
Supplements, nutrition myths, CBD and nutrition principles in youth sport with Graeme Close, Hannah Sheridan and James Morehen
#Bitesize - The lack of value in testing change of direction with Molly Binetti
The “hybrid” S&C coach: Physical preparation, rehabilitation and data management with Jermaine McCubbine
#Bitesize - Using the weightroom to explore movement with Vernon Griffith
Managing hip and groin injuries and developing a robust injury prevention strategy with Nick Kane
#Bitesize - Developing change of direction and agility through frontal and transverse plane drills with Loren Landow
Integrating deceleration training and testing into a high performance programme with Damian Harper, Ted Rath and Mark Jamison
#Bitesize - Choosing the right GPS metrics for your sport with Stu Cormack
How the best football academies in the world develop their players with Jack Ade, Matt Allen and Perry Stewart
Sprint modelling, strategic periodisation and using decision trees to standardise programming with Ernie Rimer
Maximising the use of GPS to understand athlete performance and fatigue with Amber Rowell, Aaron Coutts and Mathieu Lacome
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Coach Carvalho Podcast
From Corner2Corner
Golf Podcast: next on the tee
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
The MeatEater Podcast