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On this episode of the Keiser Human Performance Podcast we sit down with Neasa Russell and Jason Smyth. With over 20 years of experience in High Performance, Neasa serves as the Sports Director for Paralympics Ireland and Chef de Mission for the 2024 and 2028 games. Prior to this position, she served as Head of Talent Development for Sports England and Lead Performance Pathway Scientist for UK Sport.
Jason is one of Ireland’s most decorate athletes. He has won 21 gold medals including 6 gold medals across 4 paralympic games and held the record as fastest Paralympian of all-time. Retired from competition, Jason serves as Strategy Manager for Paralympics Ireland and serves on the board of Vision Sports Ireland.
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Welcome to the Keiser Human Performance Podcast.
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The goal of this podcast is to educate and inspire you to make the most of your
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journey in health and performance.
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Each episode will provide an in-depth discussion on a specific topic related to human performance.
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If you're a growth-minded individual seeking knowledge and better solutions,
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this podcast
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is for you. We're glad you're listening in, and we're excited to learn alongside
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you. My name is Gabe German, and I'm joined by my co-host, Todd
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Dookin. Today, we welcome two special individuals.
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Our first guest is Neasa Russell. With over 20 years of experience
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in high performance, Neasa serves as a sports director for Paralympics Ireland
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and Chef de Mission for the 2024 and
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2028 games. Our second guest is
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Jason Smyth. One of Ireland's most decorated athletes,
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Jason has won six gold medals across four Paralympic Games and held the record as the fastest
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Paralympian
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of all time. Retired from competition,
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Jason serves as strategy manager for Paralympics
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Ireland. On today's
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episode, Neasa and Jason highlight their efforts in creating systems and strategies
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to support the identification,
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development,
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and performance. of para-athletes. They are constantly searching for ways to grow and drive the future of
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para-athletics, and they're a joy to learn
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from. You' can follow Neasa on X at N-E-A-S Russell,
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and Jason at Smyth_Jason.
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That's Smyth
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with a Y. Enjoy the episode.
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Thank you. for joining us today. Neasa, I'll begin with you. It feels like Paris 2024 suddenly
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isn't too far away. How are things in your world? Uh, they're good. Uh, good, thank you. Yeah, it's, um,
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it's getting busy. It's feeling very real. Uh, we've just, uh, been after a day, of meetings, actually, trying to,
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uh, plot and plan out our,
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uh, kind of perform at Paris conference and engagement with all potential athlete stakeholders. So we're, we're
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getting down to the business end.
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Um, but
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yeah, uh, we've also just come back after six days of a Chef de Mission conference, which is the very
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fancy way of calling, saying we're team managers, but I- I'll definitely take the French version
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of it. Um,
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but you know what? It's gonna be impressive.
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That's... It'll be really impressive. Uh, they've done a really phenomenal job. And also what's really pleasing, particularly
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from a Paralympic movement i- perspective,
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is that they've designed, uh, both of the games in from the start. So, you know, there's real good parity
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in terms of what they're doing as well. So it's, uh, yeah, it's, it's really, really cool to see what
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they're doing, the way they're
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styling it, the way the focus on sustainability,
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uh, a, a really strong athlete centric focus. So yeah, it, it'll be really good. So it's, it's great.
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We're, we're definitely getting into the business
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end of it now for sure. Awesome. I love to hear it. And Jason, no stranger to the Paralympic
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Games, of course. How has life been for you since announcing
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your retirement? Uh, a little different,
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uh,
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that's for sure.
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So, uh, six
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months ago
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is
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when I decided,
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uh, to step away
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from competing and on the track, um, taking a role within, within Paralympics Ireland. So, um, in one wa- in
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one way, obviously, it's a, a world
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that you're or that I'm fairly familiar with. Um, but another way, it's
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just, I mean,
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different way of operating. You're in an office rather than on a track.
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Um, but the reality is, I suppose it has to happen at, at some stage. So it's
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great to have the opportunity, um, to make that tra- transition and be a part of things
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moving forward. Terrific. Well, we're glad to hear it, and we're excited to get this conversation going today as it
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is the first episode we've
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done that focuses on performance, within the para-athlete space and Paralympic space,
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and what a duo we have with us to
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get started. So, Neasa, let's begin by having you set the scene for us, so to speak, detailing your role
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as sports director for Paralympics Ireland.
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What are your main responsibilities, and could you give us some insight on your day-to-day operations?
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Yeah. Um, well, I, I suppose it's, it's kind of broad, really, but I guess
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the, the way I kind of distill it is to, basically, my role is to figure out how to drive
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para sport forward in Ireland and to
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continue, uh, success and make that success sustainable. So a lot of the work and the role is, uh, trying
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to figure out the direction of travel, where, where are we trying to go with this,
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uh, and also look at where our role is, and really, you know, and primarily then look
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who our main stakeholders are, uh, and, you know, be- understand how best and better can we support our athletes,
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to reach their potential. And then in doing that, we've got to look at how the coaching program sits in
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around that and, and how to support the coaches. And then
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the, the wider angle on that kind of ecosystem is considering the sports themselves and the governing bodies
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and how can we support
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them to better support their para programs and their athletes and coaches in that
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space. So, uh, a lot of it is, is, is kind of quite system-orientated and, again, trying to understand who
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the
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players are, um, and, and how we support them to, to drive forward.
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So again, a, a lot of conversations around strategy, policy,
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um,
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operational, tactical levels, linking in with our funders would, would be Sport Ireland. and
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a lot of our commercial partners as well. So yeah, it's,
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um, there, there's a never a dull
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moment in this role. Uh, and as I
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also kind of alluded to, uh, previously, my role is also, um,
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Chef de, Mission for Paris 2024. So I suppose the, the privilege of leading the
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team into that, and that has a, again, a significant amount of focus on, on who the folks are, how
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we're best preparing them for a kind of a point in time. Uh, and I suppose day to day, b-
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otherwise my head would explode, I've kind of created two programs, uh, which allow us to focus and drive
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the work and the efforts into both those spaces. So one is
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around, uh, perform at Paris, so it does what this says on the tin, really.
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Uh, and, uh, it's a very much, it's around the 28th of August 2024 and how are we preparing for
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that day and working our way back in terms of all the elements. And the other one is, again, a
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bit more of that longer term system piece, which is-... transform for LA. So how do we drive forward the
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transformation of the system here, uh, for that longer term, uh, focus? So LA actually isn't that far around the
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corner in, in the world of Olympic and Paralympic cycles, but, um, so yeah, so a, a lot of, um,
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pulling together those strands and, and trying to stay on top of it generally.
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Well, absolutely. I think your hands are certainly full from what it sounds like, and looking
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forward to hearing a little bit more about some of those strategies and systems that, uh, you're trying to
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get integrated, uh, into Paralympic Ireland. And Jason, after a remarkable and record-setting athletic career,
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21 gold medals, including six gold medals over four Paralympic
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Games, and holding the record as the fastest Paralympian
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of all time, you've took up a role as strategy manager at Paralympics Ireland. Could you give us some insight
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into life after the track and your relatively
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new role? Yeah. Um,
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I think that
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was, um, for me, as I'd mentioned there, one of the, the opportunities of,
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um, making that shift and,
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um, moving into to Paralympics Ireland.
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Um, for me, the, the exciting
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pieces, piece was
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where the organization is going to be going in the future,
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um, and how I could come on board and help support
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NASA and, and the other members of the team in how we get there. So, um, obviously only six, six
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months
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in, so still a, a piece around development, and, and moving
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forward with it. But,
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um, for me it was that, that opportunity to, to be part of, um,
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helping shape and to, to fall back on some of the experiences of, of really being through the, the Para-
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system and the Para- movement for, for the last 18 years. Um, I think for me, one of the, the
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initial
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pieces of, of where I'm doing a bit around is, is actually
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around the athlete
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at, at the heart of what we do, in the center of everything we do is, is
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the athlete and how you support them and de- develop them and, and engage them, um, and
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how we can as an organization continually try to improve that. And, and the more we improve that, the more
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likely the other pieces around performance and, um, the Para movement will continue to be able to develop and push
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forward. NASA, I imagine it's nice to have somebody like Jason on, on your staff now.
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Is that' right? Uh, yeah. Uh, it's- ... it's cool. I had to get over the, "Oh, Jason
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Smyth is working with us now."
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Um, but u- and of course I've never told him that, but,
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um, but,
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uh, Now she realizes I'm not so cool.
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And also now he realizes we're actually a little cooler than he thought. That's how
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this works.
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Um, but, uh, no, it's, it's great. Look, I mean, it's, it is phenomenal. I suppose I spent many
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years as a coach and many years kind of working
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the system need to ... So, you know, I haven't had the lived experience of, uh, being a Para
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athlete, w- working for so long on, on competition, being
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a seasoned athlete. So to have Jason's perspective is really,
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really powerful. Um, and
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also I was really mindful actually that, you know, in one today's a reputational stake and, uh, he's taken and
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also, you know, he's, he's kind of
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putting his, uh, money where his mouth is and such in terms of actually wanting to make a difference
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and, and make an impact in terms of what we do as a Paralympic movement and in terms of performance
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sport within Ireland in
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particular. So yeah, it's phenomenal. The, the perspective, the insight again is, is massively valuable and I think that's
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why, again, you know, the power of a,
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of a team with diverse backgrounds and experiences, 'cause when we start talking and conversing, we're all coming
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from different perspectives,
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but again, you know, framed and housed in a, in a really good. working environment, you. know, we' start to,
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get
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out some, some good conversations, uh, a good bit of slagging and, uh, and actually hopefully start
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to try and make a, a proper impact and move
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forward. Uh, a lot of what we're, trying to do, in particular around the, the athlete is j- and how
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we' actually have that at the center of what we'
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do, um, which is, is, is the craft part of it
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I think. Fantastic. A- absolutely. And what I like about having you two on together is not only the relationship,
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but then also the chance to hear from both the
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athlete and human performance expert perspective.
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Uh, so Jason,
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I'll ask you to take us back to age eight for a second. I imagine you're involved in sport, running
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around with your friends like many of us were at that age. Um, and one day you receive a diagnosis
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that provided a very significant life challenge, but simultaneously was really the mark of a beginning historical individual career
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in the world of sports. So can you take us back to that time? Yeah, absolutely.
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Um, so I was diagnosed with an eye condition called Stargardt. Um, and basically the central part of my eye
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is, is completely blind, and I then use the peripheral vision
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to see. Um, so to k- kind of try to describe it to people, it's as if somebody takes,
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let's say, a really bad blurry picture. So I often see things because of the color contrast,
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uh, rather than the detail, so
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roughly about 5 to 10%
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vision.
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Um, and it, it's, it's an, a genetic eye condition.
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My granda had it, um, but it really was my parents just started to realize at that age
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that, um, all of a sudden I had to come closer to the TV to be
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able to see it. Um, instead of looking
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at them, I'd be looking past
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them. Um, and just little signs led them to,
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to, um,
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take me to get my eyes tested
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and then sent to the hospital, um, for specialists to look at it and, and,
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um, obviously from there you, you get told at, um, that age then that ... Again,
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I didn't really appreciate it really. I was too young.
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Um,
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but it was, I think
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for sure my parents, uh, find, found it difficult.
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Um, and, uh, as a parent now I could appreciate,
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um,
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how difficult
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it would be to get that news with
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the unknown,
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um, of what the future has in store. And, and obviously where we' are now till nearly 30 years
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ago in terms of technology and, um, opportunities going forward look-Very
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different. Um,
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so yeah.
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So we briefly talked about the, you know, the athlete-centered approach and having you be, especially in the para movement.
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And you, over your 18-year
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career, obviously things seem to have,
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have changed. Can you kinda explain where your career
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started, and then how it was
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different when it finished? Yeah, so I- actually started,
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um, athletics, or as you say in America, track and field,
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around the age of 15, so quite late into the sport actually. And it was a schoolteacher that, that'
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got me involved.
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Um,
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from there I went down to an athletics club, and I think
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when I look back on my career,
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probably one of the most important
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pieces was
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the,
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the gentleman I met, a guy by the name of Steven McGuire,
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who coached me for, for a lot of, of my,
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my career. And I think
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the impact, um, coaches or that coach had on, in my career and the success I have was, um,
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I... You know,
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it' was, it was
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the difference between me getting to where I was and sustaining it
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and not.
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But for everything I learned was
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really from him.
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Um, so I s-
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maybe two or three years there, um, just at,
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in Derry, um, where I lived as an athlete,
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um,
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at' school. Um, but it was really when I finished school, my coach
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was under this mindset and the idea, "If you wanna be the best,
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you've gotta learn from the best."
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Um,
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and in that we, or he was the driving force, we ended up heading
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to the States, uh, based
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in Florida, uh, training
00:14:13.128 --> 00:14:17.708
with, um, some of the best Olympic athletes in the world, you know, some of the, one of the best
00:14:17.748 --> 00:14:19.948
sprints group in the world. And for me, that was a
00:14:20.008 --> 00:14:26.268
real, um, that four-year period there' was a real learning and a real opportunity for me to, to develop
00:14:26.288 --> 00:14:27.068
and, and actually
00:14:28.088 --> 00:14:30.938
set the foundations of what performance was
00:14:31.048 --> 00:14:34.068
about, um, to change my mindset of, of
00:14:34.128 --> 00:14:39.088
where I could get to. And I think that really, shaped then, um, what I would say in,
00:14:39.148 --> 00:14:40.108
in para sport I was
00:14:40.188 --> 00:14:45.868
probably, uh, years ahead of my time, but it, was all created in, in that environment I was in and
00:14:45.948 --> 00:14:50.588
the lessons I learned. And, um, it was never about a para athlete, an Olympic athlete, it was just an
00:14:50.648 --> 00:14:52.948
athlete pushing themselves
00:14:53.068 --> 00:14:55.108
to whatever that limit was.
00:14:55.208 --> 00:14:55.388
So,
00:14:56.328 --> 00:14:56.608
um,
00:14:57.468 --> 00:15:01.168
felt then from that I took a lot of my experiences and learning,
00:15:01.808 --> 00:15:04.908
um, lived in London for a while training, and then came back, um,
00:15:05.048 --> 00:15:09.408
closer to home, um, towards the end of my career. So, uh, lots of learnings
00:15:09.928 --> 00:15:10.228
throughout
00:15:10.268 --> 00:15:19.668
the way. Uh, different times, different motivations, understanding kind of the process and, and how to have kinda clarity in
00:15:19.768 --> 00:15:22.008
what I'm trying to achieve, and then that team
00:15:22.068 --> 00:15:24.048
around me, you know, for me were
00:15:24.068 --> 00:15:28.728
the, the fundamentals to, to success and continued success.
00:15:30.968 --> 00:15:35.048
Awesome. Thank you, Jason. We' appreciate you sharing. And, Nazia, while all that was happening,
00:15:35.748 --> 00:15:41.428
uh, simultaneously, kind of going into your professional background, it's clear that talent ID, development, and high performance
00:15:41.468 --> 00:15:44.988
is really a part of your DNA. So while all that was going on, with Jason
00:15:45.008 --> 00:15:46.048
as he was coming up through the
00:15:46.148 --> 00:15:52.858
years, uh, through Paralympic Games, and, and competing as an athlete, um, why were you drawn to this opportunity? Uh,
00:15:52.988 --> 00:15:57.128
was this something that' you were always looking forward to? Is this something that, you know, how did you
00:15:57.168 --> 00:15:58.398
kinda become involved
00:15:58.888 --> 00:16:00.968
with Paralympic athletes, and r- really what drew you
00:16:01.008 --> 00:16:08.768
to this opportunity? Uh, yeah. Well, I guess, um, it's, it's interesting Jason frames around, um, the opportunity to, to
00:16:08.808 --> 00:16:12.068
move abroad and learn. Similarly, actually, probably my learning was through being a coach,
00:16:12.808 --> 00:16:17.928
um, professional coach with rowing actually, and, uh, I did a coaching apprenticeship. I quit my permanent pensionable
00:16:18.008 --> 00:16:23.048
job as an engineer, uh, at age 29 and decided, to become a, uh, to take up a
00:16:23.088 --> 00:16:27.298
coaching apprenticeship. So, again, it' took a, little bit of a leap of faith and a risk, and then
00:16:27.328 --> 00:16:31.148
did that for a year or two here and then moved to Britain, so, which was the, the world leader
00:16:31.248 --> 00:16:37.068
in, uh, rowing at the time. And again, similarly, uh, trying to learn about performance, the process,
00:16:37.998 --> 00:16:40.808
uh, how you' create the right environments for folk. And I' suppose that started me
00:16:41.008 --> 00:16:42.338
a little bit on my journey around,
00:16:42.888 --> 00:16:46.968
uh, performance and trying to get better and learning and the curiosity of, of what drives
00:16:47.028 --> 00:16:48.028
you. And I think that probably
00:16:48.488 --> 00:16:48.608
for
00:16:48.648 --> 00:16:50.188
me, uh, as a coach,
00:16:50.488 --> 00:16:54.108
uh, my philosophy was always to try and understand, how can I support people to reach
00:16:54.148 --> 00:16:56.108
their potential? Like, that's the kind of
00:16:56.748 --> 00:16:58.048
the, the sum, the maths
00:16:58.108 --> 00:17:01.118
of the game, the problem-solving of it, which is, which I really
00:17:01.188 --> 00:17:03.008
love. Uh, and I think that
00:17:03.048 --> 00:17:03.828
that again,
00:17:04.167 --> 00:17:05.988
um, you' know, for
00:17:06.088 --> 00:17:11.028
me sport is, a wonderful medium 'cause it, it, it's a, a medium for people to perform,
00:17:11.208 --> 00:17:13.068
and it's, for me, it's a real mode of human
00:17:13.127 --> 00:17:19.068
expression. And when I looked at, kinda para sport and Olympic sport, again, it's similarly athletes trying to do their
00:17:19.088 --> 00:17:23.068
best, but what I guess I, I noticed about para sport in particular, and definitely drew me in as a,
00:17:23.088 --> 00:17:27.038
kind of a coach and a sports scientist, is that human performance is really pushing it' at the
00:17:27.127 --> 00:17:31.368
boundaries of what we typically know or f- have typically coached.
00:17:31.708 --> 00:17:34.568
Um, so how do you coach someone who has lower limb impairments,
00:17:35.008 --> 00:17:38.948
uh, when you've only ever coached someone who would've had full leg movement in a rowing
00:17:39.008 --> 00:17:40.208
stroke, for example, like the movement
00:17:40.248 --> 00:17:44.128
pattern? The physics is still the same, but how you go about doing it has to take a different
00:17:44.198 --> 00:17:47.128
approach. And I suppose what always draw me towards the para sport is,
00:17:47.518 --> 00:17:53.608
is, is the problem-solving capacity, A, of the athletes, B, of the coaching, and C, the, the, the sport itself.
00:17:53.648 --> 00:17:56.978
So, you know, it, it, it really draws me in in terms of that element. And
00:17:57.008 --> 00:18:00.528
I guess, to be honest then as well, as I've got a bit older and, you know, a- as I've
00:18:00.568 --> 00:18:01.988
gone through my career as well, is
00:18:02.048 --> 00:18:06.118
trying to understand, how do we reach, how do we con- like, how can we support an athlete
00:18:06.148 --> 00:18:10.538
reach their potential if they can't even get to training, or if there isn't a coach with the right skills,
00:18:10.608 --> 00:18:16.078
or socioeconomically they're not able to afford to get lessons, or culturally they're,
00:18:16.528 --> 00:18:18.198
uh, underrepresented because they're,
00:18:18.548 --> 00:18:19.008
happen to be
00:18:19.048 --> 00:18:24.158
from a, a Black or minority ethnic community or, or something. You know, so I, I'm always trying to figure
00:18:24.208 --> 00:18:26.228
out, well, how do we get more people into sport,
00:18:26.548 --> 00:18:33.028
the thing that we love? Um, and, uh, and again, you have to start then looking into systems, structures, cultures,
00:18:33.188 --> 00:18:33.688
governance,
00:18:34.048 --> 00:18:38.188
and that again is a whole other area of kind of jigsaw puzzling for me too. So actually
00:18:38.208 --> 00:18:46.008
when I saw the role around Paralympic, it's hugely-Built around the movement and showcasing the ability of people. It's very
00:18:46.048 --> 00:18:51.958
much built around inclusion, and that's not in a happy clappy kumbaya, it's a still holding the performance standards, but
00:18:52.068 --> 00:18:53.048
how you go about
00:18:53.088 --> 00:18:57.908
doing that is different and you have to problem solve and think differently, and that's been certainly one of the
00:18:57.948 --> 00:19:00.228
big draws, um, for me,
00:19:00.358 --> 00:19:06.708
uh, to, to the movement. And, A, it's just, it's a cool version of sport. It's, it's, it's phenomenal. Um,
00:19:07.008 --> 00:19:09.188
really it's very innovative, it's really creative
00:19:09.708 --> 00:19:13.088
and, and just the whole ethos of the movement and why we're doing it and what
00:19:13.108 --> 00:19:17.958
we're doing, um, is, is really, really powerful for me. So it was a bit of a no-brainer when I
00:19:17.968 --> 00:19:18.097
saw
00:19:18.128 --> 00:19:24.448
the job . I mean, really well, said. That was a, that was a terrific answer, and I'm curious about
00:19:24.468 --> 00:19:29.608
maybe asking one specific example of some of these initiatives that you were talking about, like reaching people who are
00:19:29.668 --> 00:19:33.058
under-resourced in different areas to get them involved or recruiting for the games.
00:19:33.548 --> 00:19:36.948
Um, is there anything, any projects now that you're working on or anything that comes to mind,
00:19:37.048 --> 00:19:37.058
uh,
00:19:37.268 --> 00:19:42.018
in that regard? Yeah, I got- there's kind of two programs we' involve, we' get in under those
00:19:42.028 --> 00:19:45.988
kind of streams of work I shared earlier. One, again, around look at ... And a lot
00:19:46.028 --> 00:19:50.438
of this is trying to figure out w- who, who, who are we' looking at? What are their needs? And
00:19:50.448 --> 00:19:54.998
then how do we design a program to suit their needs? So, again, you know, we've a small, small enough,
00:19:55.088 --> 00:20:00.718
uh, parasport community here, particularly performance athletes. So, y- you know, one of the things with, again, our, our, our
00:20:00.728 --> 00:20:03.308
funders and, and, you know, a lot of good collaboration
00:20:03.688 --> 00:20:07.948
is an athlete support package would help a lot of athletes who may not, again, be kind of professional
00:20:08.028 --> 00:20:12.988
athletes in, in the, in the sense that they're making their living from it daily, but they're keen to be.
00:20:13.128 --> 00:20:18.118
So how can we kinda give them a funding boost, if you like, that will enable them to overcome some
00:20:18.148 --> 00:20:18.208
of
00:20:18.228 --> 00:20:24.188
the transport or daily kind of challenges? Um, and. then also how do we support the, governing bodies to, support
00:20:24.208 --> 00:20:29.248
them? And then how do we ensure that there's kind of performance support package placed around them so that, again,
00:20:29.308 --> 00:20:33.988
all coming back to on the 1st of September or whatever day their event is in Paris, that
00:20:34.008 --> 00:20:37.048
they can perform to their best? Um, so that, that's kind of one of
00:20:37.128 --> 00:20:41.698
the, the programs, uh, that we, we, we're doing and, and that's all in the umbrella of kind of a
00:20:41.728 --> 00:20:47.978
pathway to Paris, which is a series of workshops. Again, the intervention designed to bring people together, uh,
00:20:48.008 --> 00:20:51.137
create a sense of belonging, make sure people actually got information
00:20:51.168 --> 00:20:52.788
that's useful to them, um,
00:20:53.008 --> 00:20:55.368
that can help them, uh, in their daily
00:20:55.748 --> 00:21:00.008
problem-solving. They've got a good bit of performance, you know, uh, sports science insight or whatever
00:21:00.108 --> 00:21:02.058
to, you know, to, to help that coach-athlete
00:21:02.108 --> 00:21:07.128
unit improve. Um, and I suppose the other element of it, again, is again designed around that recruitment
00:21:07.148 --> 00:21:11.358
piece. I can't believe that I'm always thinking about how do we get more people into the sport? So, uh,
00:21:11.488 --> 00:21:15.688
it's a, it's around, we've called it Next Gen or Permanent TSB Next Gen. We, we have a great sponsor
00:21:15.728 --> 00:21:16.088
on that one,
00:21:16.228 --> 00:21:16.748
and it's
00:21:17.268 --> 00:21:22.048
again, trying to look at place-based and trying to design for
00:21:22.548 --> 00:21:24.268
s- signposting rather than selecting,
00:21:24.728 --> 00:21:29.928
because that doesn't typically work within parasport and we can't just have someone do a, you know, a wheelchair
00:21:30.028 --> 00:21:33.828
run over 20 meters and then decide that they're gonna be this sport or not. It, it works in a
00:21:33.908 --> 00:21:38.068
different way. Uh, so we, what we're trying to do is signpost people and work off
00:21:38.188 --> 00:21:41.268
building local, uh, place-based support and
00:21:41.348 --> 00:21:46.998
local club, uh, and community opportunities for athletes to then develop and, and progress. So yeah, they're, they're
00:21:47.008 --> 00:21:51.098
probably two of the, the main, uh, bodies of work that we've rolled out over the last year,
00:21:51.148 --> 00:21:52.228
year or so w- with the team.
00:21:52.318 --> 00:21:52.968
So, you know,
00:21:53.048 --> 00:21:53.568
they're, they're,
00:21:54.108 --> 00:21:56.028
they're, they're helping us learn what
00:21:56.048 --> 00:22:01.008
the infrastructure's like, what we need to tweak or change and, and the who, uh, that we're dealing with so
00:22:01.028 --> 00:22:02.008
we can better design
00:22:02.028 --> 00:22:09.668
what we're doing. Yeah. To follow up on the recruit initiative, if, if you look into talent identification,
00:22:10.268 --> 00:22:10.608
is
00:22:11.088 --> 00:22:12.988
your first step to provide sport
00:22:13.008 --> 00:22:19.288
sampling for maybe an athlete just trying things out or are people kind of funneled towards one thing or the
00:22:19.348 --> 00:22:25.268
other? Yeah. It's a, it's a really good, uh, question. So we've tried to design it away from that, uh,
00:22:25.308 --> 00:22:25.368
to
00:22:26.008 --> 00:22:31.338
... I've had ... Talent ID solves some of the problem, but it doesn't, it's not terribly sustainable. in my
00:22:31.348 --> 00:22:35.148
experience. And if you want people to come about, you've got to actually also look at why
00:22:35.208 --> 00:22:38.048
is, it you have to do talent ID, why aren't athletes coming forward, or,
00:22:38.498 --> 00:22:38.498
um,
00:22:38.828 --> 00:22:42.968
start really, those hard questions, which are, tend to usually the answer is in organizational
00:22:43.028 --> 00:22:44.058
culture and the way they're, they're
00:22:44.128 --> 00:22:44.868
framed and set up.
00:22:45.228 --> 00:22:45.988
But, um,
00:22:46.328 --> 00:22:46.968
so I think the,
00:22:47.288 --> 00:22:47.588
um,
00:22:48.028 --> 00:22:48.348
the,
00:22:49.108 --> 00:22:51.948
the, the talent, the, the bit that, we' looked at was,
00:22:52.088 --> 00:22:53.168
uh, uh, paralympic
00:22:53.248 --> 00:22:58.388
potential. So, uh, by its nature of parasport, you'd have different impairments and, classification
00:22:58.488 --> 00:23:01.088
system. So actually some athletes actually
00:23:01.148 --> 00:23:04.268
to, if you wanted to compete in para- paralympic sport,
00:23:04.908 --> 00:23:10.148
um, you know, there, there's certain sports that you would definitely be orientated towards because, again, the type of impairment
00:23:10.188 --> 00:23:11.068
is catered for.
00:23:11.568 --> 00:23:15.068
Um, so that's probably the first triaging point. And then the second bit is, yes, it's
00:23:15.168 --> 00:23:18.748
a co- we called it a come and try, and actually we, we did a bit of all things. We
00:23:18.768 --> 00:23:22.778
had kind of like a Christmas fair scenario where we different governing bodies so that people come up and have
00:23:22.848 --> 00:23:24.018
a chat and see who was local.
00:23:24.348 --> 00:23:29.048
We did a come and try, which was really good fun. Uh, and then we had, uh, we
00:23:29.108 --> 00:23:33.138
had kind of a testing suite, like a screening suite. We didn't really know or not
00:23:33.188 --> 00:23:36.248
what may or may not come out of it because, again, you can't take the results because
00:23:36.588 --> 00:23:40.008
someone mightn't have the right imp- uh, prosthetic or, you know, they're not using a sports
00:23:40.068 --> 00:23:41.098
chair, they're using a wheelchair,
00:23:41.148 --> 00:23:45.308
for example. So, but it wasn't about that, it was actually more probably looking at how people approached
00:23:45.728 --> 00:23:47.208
doing it and the screening.
00:23:47.588 --> 00:23:51.088
And again, you know, that gave us a flavor. So we're still really early days of figuring out
00:23:51.128 --> 00:23:54.468
what this means, but I think the, the priority first is we are signposting
00:23:54.888 --> 00:23:58.108
locally and that's starting to work. Um, so we, we'll take that
00:23:58.148 --> 00:24:05.868
and build from there. Awesome. Thank you for that. And on that topic of kind of recruitment and bringing athletes
00:24:05.968 --> 00:24:07.328
in, um, Jason,
00:24:08.088 --> 00:24:12.028
what's it like not just being a former, you know, very successful paralympic athlete, but now to have the
00:24:12.088 --> 00:24:14.008
opportunity to kind of have a voice and be, really be an
00:24:14.028 --> 00:24:18.128
ambassador for paralympic athletes, not just in Ireland, but really everywhere?
00:24:18.848 --> 00:24:21.408
Um, I understand you're involved with, like, Vision Sports Ireland.
00:24:21.948 --> 00:24:27.117
What's that like trying to ... Do you find yourself trying to recruit individuals, um, to maybe compete,
00:24:27.308 --> 00:24:29.268
and what's it like just kind of being an ambassador
00:24:29.288 --> 00:24:32.908
in that space? I think it's an, an important
00:24:33.028 --> 00:24:36.028
part of, um, or for any
00:24:36.128 --> 00:24:38.208
athlete, um,
00:24:39.528 --> 00:24:41.988
e- even current athletes as well, that
00:24:42.088 --> 00:24:51.958
that's, that's an important role that you playUm, because you have that voice, you are, um, in your performance
00:24:52.028 --> 00:24:53.537
and performances
00:24:53.848 --> 00:24:57.208
showing and inspire other people with impairments,
00:24:58.028 --> 00:25:03.148
uh, what they can do or what they can achieve or,
00:25:03.208 --> 00:25:06.268
um, for young kids or young parents,
00:25:07.108 --> 00:25:13.158
um, with kids is what they're ch- what opportunities there is for their children. So I think it's, it's
00:25:13.268 --> 00:25:15.108
a huge piece, and it's a huge piece
00:25:15.208 --> 00:25:21.908
that's continuing to build as the para movement gets more awareness. And I think a lot of it comes down
00:25:21.968 --> 00:25:22.068
to
00:25:22.128 --> 00:25:28.048
that awareness and let's say moving more into the, the mainstream in terms of awareness. The
00:25:28.128 --> 00:25:32.368
m- the more that then hopefully create oppor- creates opportunities.
00:25:32.448 --> 00:25:38.068
But again, that was for me a reason of, of getting involved with vision sports was
00:25:38.128 --> 00:25:45.298
how could I help other visually impaired or blind kids have
00:25:45.888 --> 00:25:48.028
the experiences or opportunities
00:25:48.108 --> 00:25:49.128
I had. Now,
00:25:49.707 --> 00:25:54.948
the reality is most probably weren't gonna have it to that level, but I realized how
00:25:55.028 --> 00:25:59.148
much sport impacted me, changed
00:25:59.188 --> 00:26:08.128
me, allowed me develop skills and attributes and have confidence and belief in myself that probably nothing else
00:26:08.138 --> 00:26:14.128
could do. And sport has that power to really bridge those gaps. And
00:26:14.188 --> 00:26:19.228
how could I use the platform I've, I have to try
00:26:19.268 --> 00:26:25.808
help, uh, move that work forward? Now, it's obviously not an easy thing to do, and there's not a simple,
00:26:25.928 --> 00:26:27.008
um, answer to it,
00:26:27.088 --> 00:26:33.048
but just to, to try be part of, um, making that difference and having that impact is
00:26:33.088 --> 00:26:39.958
something I feel, um, an important thing to do. And I think all para athletes should, should feel important
00:26:40.048 --> 00:26:41.128
piece of, of what they
00:26:41.168 --> 00:26:45.628
do. Well, let's, let's talk about your performances
00:26:45.728 --> 00:26:51.028
because you've definitely inspired a lot of folks to, to know what's possible. And let's go back to
00:26:51.108 --> 00:26:54.068
your first Olympics, uh, that you medaled at, was in
00:26:54.108 --> 00:26:59.968
Beijing. Can you give us a little bit about your first experience and how that track meet went and,
00:27:00.008 --> 00:27:01.068
you know, overall,
00:27:01.108 --> 00:27:03.968
how did it go? Yeah.
00:27:04.228 --> 00:27:07.568
It, um... So that was, I first,
00:27:07.928 --> 00:27:08.368
um,
00:27:08.828 --> 00:27:14.028
came into para sport in 2005 and at the Europeans and then the Worlds in 2006. But,
00:27:14.728 --> 00:27:14.908
but
00:27:15.188 --> 00:27:20.068
Beijing was, as we say, the par- obviously the Paralympic Games. And the Paralympic Games
00:27:20.128 --> 00:27:20.368
are,
00:27:21.808 --> 00:27:24.648
uh, known to be significantly
00:27:25.088 --> 00:27:30.028
greater, grander, um, than the Europeans and Worlds, so it was a completely new
00:27:30.068 --> 00:27:33.968
experience. And to go into the Bird's Nest, I can't remember, was it
00:27:34.128 --> 00:27:35.208
80, 90,000
00:27:35.308 --> 00:27:37.028
people? Mm.
00:27:37.128 --> 00:27:40.567
Um, just the noise and the, the atmosphere.
00:27:41.148 --> 00:27:41.608
Um,
00:27:43.348 --> 00:27:43.728
and
00:27:45.288 --> 00:27:47.028
I think probably too young to,
00:27:48.768 --> 00:27:51.088
um, appreciate maybe the pressure
00:27:51.208 --> 00:27:56.348
that was there or going to be there, 'cause it was just such a new experience.
00:27:57.028 --> 00:27:57.228
Um,
00:27:57.308 --> 00:28:01.128
but for me it was obviously my first games, so it was an incredible gr- games
00:28:01.168 --> 00:28:02.968
and incredible games to be part
00:28:03.028 --> 00:28:08.288
of and, um, I won the 100 and 200 meters. So when your, your performance,
00:28:09.088 --> 00:28:11.488
performances match the whole experience,
00:28:11.588 --> 00:28:11.808
then,
00:28:12.508 --> 00:28:13.888
um, you know, it's an,
00:28:14.128 --> 00:28:16.088
a, an incredible moment.
00:28:16.108 --> 00:28:16.428
And,
00:28:17.548 --> 00:28:19.148
um, actually
00:28:19.188 --> 00:28:23.638
in one way it feels so long ago now at sta- this stage, which really- You're ancient, Jason. That's what
00:28:23.648 --> 00:28:31.048
it is. Jason, what's your favorite memory from, from all the Paralympic Games, if you have one?
00:28:31.828 --> 00:28:32.428
Um,
00:28:33.928 --> 00:28:34.088
I'd
00:28:34.188 --> 00:28:36.428
say as, as an experience,
00:28:36.468 --> 00:28:40.368
I always would say I have two. So as an experience, London 2012,
00:28:41.188 --> 00:28:42.088
it was really the,
00:28:42.248 --> 00:28:42.808
the shift
00:28:43.248 --> 00:28:46.288
in how para sport
00:28:46.808 --> 00:28:47.168
was
00:28:47.248 --> 00:28:54.168
seen. Um, but because it was a home games, um, just the hype and the excitement and the build-up
00:28:54.208 --> 00:28:58.048
to it, family were all so c- close, they were a- maybe...
00:28:58.468 --> 00:29:01.938
which meant they were all able to go and, and watch and be there a part of the
00:29:02.028 --> 00:29:02.468
games.
00:29:03.368 --> 00:29:10.848
Um, I broke the world record in the 100 and 200, so just as an experience, the whole games, London
00:29:11.008 --> 00:29:12.248
2012 certainly
00:29:12.288 --> 00:29:14.428
was it. As a race,
00:29:15.488 --> 00:29:15.888
um,
00:29:16.328 --> 00:29:17.268
actually was Tokyo.
00:29:17.808 --> 00:29:20.228
Um, so I won that by 100th
00:29:20.608 --> 00:29:21.268
of a second,
00:29:22.008 --> 00:29:22.498
and
00:29:23.848 --> 00:29:26.008
it was actually nearly the complete opposite
00:29:26.148 --> 00:29:28.208
is, um, in 2012
00:29:28.328 --> 00:29:32.408
I was kind of running around the, the peak of my performances.
00:29:33.088 --> 00:29:38.068
Uh, Tokyo I just had a pretty tough year in the lead up to it. It was
00:29:38.128 --> 00:29:39.108
just off the back
00:29:39.168 --> 00:29:42.028
of, as everybody remembers, COVID and all the lockdowns,
00:29:42.588 --> 00:29:44.978
just with, with injuries. And there was times
00:29:45.048 --> 00:29:48.168
I, I, I sat and I
00:29:48.228 --> 00:29:50.028
wondered was
00:29:50.368 --> 00:29:55.128
I done, like, was I even gonna make the, make it to the games? Um, there's times
00:29:55.148 --> 00:29:58.638
then I wondered if I was gonna make the games, would I even be at the level that I, I
00:29:58.668 --> 00:30:03.028
needed to be? Just things were not where they needed to be. And that's obviously the joys
00:30:03.068 --> 00:30:05.208
of, of sport. You're playing that fine
00:30:05.268 --> 00:30:05.778
line. But,
00:30:06.448 --> 00:30:11.028
um, then we got to the games and there was a few new athletes and people who had
00:30:11.068 --> 00:30:15.008
run quicker than me, and everybody expected me to win, but, um,
00:30:15.348 --> 00:30:15.968
I wasn't the
00:30:16.008 --> 00:30:18.048
favorite on paper. So to actually
00:30:18.088 --> 00:30:20.248
in that moment was probably my
00:30:20.308 --> 00:30:24.028
greatest, um... one of my greatest
00:30:24.488 --> 00:30:27.128
moments in sport was to, in that moment, under
00:30:27.168 --> 00:30:34.068
that pressure, to outperform where I was at. I, I had to, in that moment, I felt I had to
00:30:34.108 --> 00:30:35.158
go somewhere mentally
00:30:35.728 --> 00:30:39.998
that I'd never had to go, um, anywhere else in my career. And
00:30:40.008 --> 00:30:41.038
to be able to do it when it
00:30:41.068 --> 00:30:44.938
matters, uh, there, there was something incredibly powerful about
00:30:45.068 --> 00:30:49.048
that Cool.
00:30:49.368 --> 00:30:50.168
I'm just like, I'm sitting
00:30:50.208 --> 00:30:52.988
here like, Yeah ... that's awesome, and I'm putting myself there.
00:30:53.048 --> 00:30:57.007
And I, I mentioned, Jason, before we started here that Todd and I were trying to look up
00:30:57.048 --> 00:31:01.288
some videos of watching you race, which was really cool. So then to hear you kind of speak on those
00:31:01.328 --> 00:31:05.078
experiences that we just watched as well, uh, very, very cool. And
00:31:05.108 --> 00:31:07.088
Nessa, for- I think- Yeah, go ahead. Just one thing there
00:31:07.128 --> 00:31:13.128
too is, and I, again, I always like to remind people is like,
00:31:13.508 --> 00:31:15.988
yes, it is me there, the athlete on the
00:31:16.028 --> 00:31:21.148
track, but that does not happen without other people and, and that team
00:31:21.488 --> 00:31:22.448
that are around.
00:31:23.088 --> 00:31:23.468
Um,
00:31:23.948 --> 00:31:25.048
so as much as it's me there
00:31:25.128 --> 00:31:30.368
performing, there's so many people that come together to make that actually happen.
00:31:30.908 --> 00:31:33.108
And, um, you know, I'm always very grateful
00:31:33.588 --> 00:31:34.028
f- for those
00:31:34.128 --> 00:31:39.188
people. Yeah, wonderful reminder, so thank you. And a, and a terrific segue into what we were gonna discuss
00:31:39.248 --> 00:31:41.068
next. Uh, Nessa, obviously a lot
00:31:41.108 --> 00:31:48.798
of work, sweat, sacrifice goes into preparing yourself, you know, for those moments or for athletes for those moments. And
00:31:48.828 --> 00:31:53.488
whether it's Olympic or Paralympic cycle, the preparation begins years in advance. I mean, you mentioned looking forward to Los
00:31:53.548 --> 00:31:57.128
Angeles 2028, you know, uh, when Paris itself
00:31:57.168 --> 00:31:58.028
is only, you know,
00:31:58.048 --> 00:32:03.848
a few months away. We're curious to learn about the preparation and that planning that goes into preparing these athletes,
00:32:04.028 --> 00:32:05.928
and I know you've put a lot of effort into
00:32:06.008 --> 00:32:08.588
setting up systems for decision-making.
00:32:09.348 --> 00:32:13.248
Can you provide us with some insight on some of the work that you've been doing to implement those systems,
00:32:13.588 --> 00:32:15.088
uh, to improve para-athlete care
00:32:15.128 --> 00:32:21.328
and development? Yeah. Well, sorry, I'm just laughing 'cause d- um, I was in Tokyo and I was just above
00:32:21.368 --> 00:32:24.978
the finish line when Jason finished, and we were convinced he'd won until we saw it back up on the
00:32:25.048 --> 00:32:27.018
screen and we were like, "Oh my God, did he?" I was
00:32:27.088 --> 00:32:31.888
like, winning by the least amount you could possibly do. I was like, talk about putting us on tender hooks.
00:32:31.968 --> 00:32:34.608
But anyways, that was a, it was, it was a phenomenal,
00:32:34.708 --> 00:32:38.028
uh, experience. And also, again, quite cool to be in the background to
00:32:38.068 --> 00:32:41.348
see, uh, A, Jason, how he prepared himself and executed
00:32:41.388 --> 00:32:46.568
the race. Um, it was, it was, it was some achievement. And again, the knowing also then back to that
00:32:46.608 --> 00:32:51.428
point around the wider team and all the, kind of the groups and stakeholders piece. So,
00:32:52.048 --> 00:32:52.058
um,
00:32:52.108 --> 00:32:54.128
and, and you know, it, it, those performances don't come
00:32:54.208 --> 00:32:58.118
out, um, you know, you don't roll off the couch and pull a performance like that, and actually there's
00:32:58.148 --> 00:33:04.408
years of relationship building, uh, performance planning, all those kind of elements drive into that. And I suppose really that's
00:33:04.488 --> 00:33:06.248
a lot of what we're trying to, um,
00:33:06.828 --> 00:33:11.078
implement, and across the same, all, all the systems. Like the, the, the Olympic, Paralympic cycle,
00:33:11.128 --> 00:33:11.988
it, it's an interesting and
00:33:12.088 --> 00:33:16.898
a four-year one, and it's only really interesting, and this, this, 'cause this is a three-year cycle, as we had
00:33:16.928 --> 00:33:21.348
Tokyo obviously in 2021. And what I realize, having kind of been a veteran of several
00:33:21.368 --> 00:33:25.998
cycles, uh, where you're kind of used to a rhythm of four years of preparation. You
00:33:26.008 --> 00:33:29.388
know, the first year everyone is catching up with themselves and the reviews and all that kind of stuff. The
00:33:29.408 --> 00:33:32.608
second year is where you're now starting to put in some of the things there, this is what we learned
00:33:32.628 --> 00:33:36.798
and we do better next time. Year three then is typically trying to qualify and get the sports up and
00:33:36.828 --> 00:33:41.588
running, you're road testing all your processes. And then year four is, is games year, but this year we've, we've
00:33:41.668 --> 00:33:43.968
missed a year, and actually I think it's year two we've missed,
00:33:44.148 --> 00:33:47.088
I feel, where, you know, the year of actually
00:33:47.668 --> 00:33:50.048
reflecting on what worked well, what didn't, what can we
00:33:50.108 --> 00:33:54.988
improve, uh, and actually starting to put some of those systems in. So what we've been trying to do in
00:33:55.028 --> 00:33:59.148
year three, as we qualify, is also look at how, what, what are the systems that we,
00:33:59.188 --> 00:34:00.088
we've needed to put in,
00:34:00.148 --> 00:34:03.168
in place. But I, I, I kind of alluded to some of the, the,
00:34:03.588 --> 00:34:07.988
the initiatives that we're doing, uh, which is around athlete support packages. Um, and again,
00:34:08.108 --> 00:34:08.138
you
00:34:08.168 --> 00:34:08.907
know, a lot of other
00:34:09.268 --> 00:34:11.108
sys- and programs would have similar
00:34:11.168 --> 00:34:15.797
kind of athlete funding streams, but actually the big one for us is probably the partnership we've, we've developed,
00:34:16.068 --> 00:34:17.308
in particular with the Sport Institute.
00:34:17.368 --> 00:34:22.308
But again, a lot of it really for me comes down to trying to build relationships across
00:34:22.348 --> 00:34:23.967
all your main, uh, folk.
00:34:24.068 --> 00:34:25.967
And then, you know, from, from a, from a
00:34:26.027 --> 00:34:32.288
leadership perspective, where, how are we creating the environment for people to perform and plan and think about their,
00:34:32.328 --> 00:34:34.987
being in their, bring their A game to those key big
00:34:35.047 --> 00:34:39.547
milestone events? Uh, and then what do we need to, to do to support that
00:34:39.868 --> 00:34:43.317
I, I- in, in the background? And I, I keep, there's a kind of a framework I always
00:34:43.368 --> 00:34:45.978
use in my head in terms of how we set things up, and it's one, like
00:34:46.007 --> 00:34:49.697
what is our purpose, or what is it exactly we're trying to do? 'Cause that actually gives rise to people's
00:34:49.748 --> 00:34:54.248
identity, and so therefore it is really important. You know, we're trying to grow the Paralympic movement, we're trying to
00:34:54.288 --> 00:34:56.288
make sure athletes can reach their potential
00:34:56.588 --> 00:35:01.258
because, as Jason alluded to, you know, that has a big outcome and a ripple effect in society
00:35:01.308 --> 00:35:07.168
around people's perceptions, what they do, and obviously then there's the athlete's performance and own, own career
00:35:07.248 --> 00:35:10.048
out of that as well. Uh, and then we're looking at how we
00:35:10.088 --> 00:35:13.058
build the relationships. So again, building relationships,
00:35:13.368 --> 00:35:15.957
working through programs, events over the course of a
00:35:16.048 --> 00:35:16.988
cycle builds
00:35:17.028 --> 00:35:20.948
trust, and we know high-performing teams, that's a real cornerstone for how they work and,
00:35:21.028 --> 00:35:23.988
and what they do. And then I suppose the third element for me is the information. So how do we
00:35:24.008 --> 00:35:26.068
enable people to actually crack on and do stuff?
00:35:26.128 --> 00:35:30.088
So it's a very, you know, you want people to be autonomous, kind of self-determined
00:35:30.148 --> 00:35:33.568
in terms of how they go about doing the work. And for me, that's how do we support the governing
00:35:33.608 --> 00:35:39.138
bodies and the sports leads in those sports to develop programs. So there's always kind of a triad of elements
00:35:39.168 --> 00:35:43.988
that we're trying to balance. Um, uh, so a- as you're mapping that out over the year, you're now starting
00:35:44.008 --> 00:35:49.828
to put in what are the programs we need then to help us solve the problem around building relationships, better
00:35:49.868 --> 00:35:54.308
building relationships? How do we, uh, you know, we're, we're, we don't have enough information on this, or we know
00:35:54.388 --> 00:35:59.768
the coaches. are early stage career, so how do we support them and lean on the experience of some really
00:35:59.848 --> 00:36:02.968
successful coaches and program leads that we have here to help them build up?
00:36:03.028 --> 00:36:07.048
So it's, it's kind of, for me it's always a case of you're, you're trying to problem solve or
00:36:07.228 --> 00:36:10.128
look at performance solutions, I suppose. And, and it's always with the end in mind
00:36:10.148 --> 00:36:14.008
of thinking, you know, we have a big milestone again in LA or in Brisbane and,
00:36:14.308 --> 00:36:14.348
you
00:36:14.388 --> 00:36:15.148
know, you're trying
00:36:15.168 --> 00:36:19.948
to think, you know, who, who is gonna be there? And, you know, one of the questions that always used
00:36:19.988 --> 00:36:23.788
to kind of blow my mind and when I'd ask it, you could see people's head going, oh. So we
00:36:23.828 --> 00:36:27.948
were like, "If, who, who's gonna, you know, what does it take to win a medal in, or in, in
00:36:28.048 --> 00:36:30.988
Brisbane? What does it take to have a really good performance in 10
00:36:31.008 --> 00:36:35.168
years' time?" And you, you have to kind of think of where you're going with that. And then you're
00:36:35.208 --> 00:36:37.048
looking back going, "Okay, so what does that person look like
00:36:37.088 --> 00:36:39.068
now? And what do the systems look
00:36:39.088 --> 00:36:44.738
like now? And then what's our gap?" And then effectively you're mapping out and, and the, the problem solving is,
00:36:44.908 --> 00:36:50.488
is the interventions or initiatives that you're doing to help solve some of those gaps and problems really. So it's,
00:36:50.588 --> 00:36:55.984
um-It's, it's a bit I am an engineer by trade in my background, and scientist, as you'll recognize, I'm all
00:36:56.064 --> 00:36:59.984
about the process and the problem-solving. But, you know, that, that's the... And then, you
00:37:00.024 --> 00:37:00.824
know, it's, it's
00:37:01.204 --> 00:37:07.954
an, an, an enormously inspiring and aspiring environment that we're working in, in high performance sport that, A, we can
00:37:07.984 --> 00:37:11.064
represent our country, and also, uh, again, you know,
00:37:11.084 --> 00:37:16.024
give, give, give athletes, um, the opportunity to reach their potential. And we have, we have the
00:37:16.044 --> 00:37:21.924
likes of, of Jason's, uh, and the next generation of athletes. How can we better support them and learn the
00:37:21.964 --> 00:37:23.004
lessons from past? So
00:37:23.064 --> 00:37:25.184
there's, there's a good bit of thinking and plotting and planning
00:37:25.244 --> 00:37:28.004
going on there. No,
00:37:28.444 --> 00:37:29.083
no doubt. I,
00:37:29.264 --> 00:37:34.994
um... It's easy to tell how process-driven and, uh, problem-solving oriented
00:37:35.044 --> 00:37:42.034
you are. But I will say with everything you said, there is a simplicity to your process, which is starting
00:37:42.064 --> 00:37:48.854
with the athlete, being athlete centric in everything you do, and then also finishing with all of that problem-solving and
00:37:48.904 --> 00:37:53.104
processes with the athlete, right? What does that performance look like when we finally
00:37:53.144 --> 00:37:58.104
get there? Um, and I think the simplicity of that can definitely be lost
00:37:58.164 --> 00:37:58.563
on people.
00:37:59.264 --> 00:38:02.964
Mm-hmm. Um, you know, as you talk about performances, and I think one of the things that we discussed on-
00:38:03.184 --> 00:38:06.024
Absolutely. One of the things that we discussed on a
00:38:06.064 --> 00:38:06.554
Leaders,
00:38:07.024 --> 00:38:10.944
uh, Leaders in Sport virtual roundtable was some of the day-to-day challenges in
00:38:11.044 --> 00:38:13.444
athlete preparation. For example,
00:38:14.144 --> 00:38:15.464
uh, some athletes' commute
00:38:16.184 --> 00:38:20.084
come at a much higher physical and potentially emotional
00:38:20.144 --> 00:38:20.524
cost
00:38:21.324 --> 00:38:27.004
than Olympic athletes or other athletes. I know myself as a performance coach in the collegiate space in the States,
00:38:27.784 --> 00:38:32.084
didn't really have an appreciation for how my athletes commuted to a training session or,
00:38:32.324 --> 00:38:35.304
you know, how they got to a, a performance or a game and how they left.
00:38:35.944 --> 00:38:40.384
Um, can you expand maybe on some of those challenges and how you identify them and try to find solutions?
00:38:41.824 --> 00:38:41.964
Uh,
00:38:42.124 --> 00:38:45.334
yeah. Well, um, obviously Jason will be able to give you a little bit more, more experience. Sure. But I
00:38:45.344 --> 00:38:49.804
think it, it's, what's... That, that's probably actually what you hone in on there is one of the biggest difference
00:38:49.824 --> 00:38:52.374
for me from having kind of worked with Olympic and Paralympics,
00:38:52.704 --> 00:38:59.114
Paralympic athletes. So Paralympic being parallel Olympics, so again, it's the same high performance standards. 80% of is,
00:38:59.164 --> 00:39:01.013
is high performance ABCs. It's, it's
00:39:01.024 --> 00:39:05.464
the same kind of principles. What's really different is, like, it's the how, and I think that's the... There's a
00:39:05.584 --> 00:39:12.044
paradigm shift that I had to think about, was I would've been very performance focused. You're thinking about how we
00:39:12.064 --> 00:39:12.974
win the race, what are we doing,
00:39:13.004 --> 00:39:19.274
all the steps behind that. But it's in actually, uh, a framework that's been road tested and the organization set
00:39:19.324 --> 00:39:23.884
up behind that. And then particularly when you work with Paralympic athletes or in para sport, you now have to
00:39:23.924 --> 00:39:24.984
shift from the performance to think
00:39:25.004 --> 00:39:29.004
of the performer, and you have to massively then think about holistically for
00:39:29.064 --> 00:39:33.064
them what it means. So again, if we're trying to still hold the same performance standards, then,
00:39:33.104 --> 00:39:35.244
you know, what is the impact of their impairment
00:39:35.384 --> 00:39:41.664
or the, the, the constraints of how they have to travel or commute or, or prepare food and all those
00:39:41.674 --> 00:39:42.124
elements.
00:39:42.624 --> 00:39:44.064
Uh, you know, you have to think
00:39:44.104 --> 00:39:44.964
of that much
00:39:45.004 --> 00:39:49.964
more, uh, in the round. And also I think probably the, the coach-athlete relationship therefore has to be
00:39:50.004 --> 00:39:50.944
much tighter as
00:39:51.004 --> 00:39:53.004
well. So, you know, a lot of what we're,
00:39:53.224 --> 00:39:57.004
we try to do is try, try to understand, and empathy is a big
00:39:57.044 --> 00:40:02.024
one. So, you know, I don't, um, live with a disability, so I don't have that lived experience of it,
00:40:02.064 --> 00:40:03.784
but I guess it's trying to place myself
00:40:04.004 --> 00:40:05.344
in, um,
00:40:05.804 --> 00:40:05.844
i-
00:40:06.204 --> 00:40:09.044
in the kind of the, the lived experience of what that athlete might be.
00:40:09.073 --> 00:40:11.984
And also it's setting up the environment so that ath- athletes can
00:40:12.004 --> 00:40:14.984
share, um, their experiences with you and you understand. And it's
00:40:15.064 --> 00:40:16.133
very, becomes very
00:40:16.224 --> 00:40:18.144
bespoke, um, how you work
00:40:18.204 --> 00:40:20.144
with them. And again, you know, we would require
00:40:20.564 --> 00:40:23.964
in the team, and even trying to run Next Gen, for example, we, we had to design kind
00:40:24.004 --> 00:40:27.244
of the, the flow through for athletes who might be wheelchair users,
00:40:27.664 --> 00:40:30.024
athlete who might have prosthetics, um, visually impaired
00:40:30.144 --> 00:40:31.474
athletes. Um,
00:40:31.804 --> 00:40:36.164
uh, and you're, you're, you're looking through, again, the different levels of impairments and the impact
00:40:36.184 --> 00:40:37.104
of that has on the person
00:40:37.164 --> 00:40:42.884
to be able to, to go from A to B. So you, you, you do... Your, your, again, probably empathy
00:40:42.924 --> 00:40:46.044
is the core of it, uh, certainly from my perspective. Um,
00:40:46.644 --> 00:40:48.064
and then you're trying to design
00:40:48.524 --> 00:40:51.164
with that in mind and being inclusive in your thinking,
00:40:51.504 --> 00:40:53.184
um, around what else,
00:40:53.604 --> 00:40:57.184
what have we missed? What else do we need to think about? And we, we get plenty
00:40:57.244 --> 00:41:01.864
wrong, but the main point is that I suppose you're humble enough to recognize, "Oh, goodness, I missed that, sorry,"
00:41:02.064 --> 00:41:05.064
and, "How can we do this better for you next time?" Um, but it's
00:41:05.084 --> 00:41:05.554
definitely,
00:41:06.024 --> 00:41:10.104
like, you know, tr- transport d- definitely is, is a barrier. There's no way around that.
00:41:10.124 --> 00:41:10.464
Certainly,
00:41:11.124 --> 00:41:15.064
um, i- in Ireland a lot of the time as well in terms of getting to main training
00:41:15.104 --> 00:41:19.104
venues. So you have to kind of be much more aware of that. And then also a lot of the
00:41:19.184 --> 00:41:20.144
athlete, their own
00:41:20.244 --> 00:41:23.144
agency, um, you have to massively respect.
00:41:23.404 --> 00:41:27.064
Um, they're independent human beings that they've different ways of going about
00:41:27.084 --> 00:41:29.024
it. So again, you know, you have to
00:41:29.084 --> 00:41:35.964
consider, um, you know, somebody actually is expressing themselves and their independence by getting public transport, but if you're thinking
00:41:36.004 --> 00:41:40.024
from a coaching performance perspective, you're thinking that's not gonna be helpful for recovery. So you have to
00:41:40.064 --> 00:41:40.164
kind
00:41:40.204 --> 00:41:41.944
of shift and think, uh, as I say,
00:41:42.004 --> 00:41:45.764
a bit more holistically, uh, I think, than I would've done in the past, that's for sure.
00:41:46.064 --> 00:41:50.064
Mm. Absolutely. Really well said. And a great way to try
00:41:50.104 --> 00:41:56.784
to tap into this relationship, kind of emotional piece, which Jason, I'm curious about is your experience as an athlete
00:41:56.864 --> 00:41:59.124
over your time, coming into it or even
00:41:59.144 --> 00:42:02.264
during your time there, when you were looking for a coach,
00:42:02.904 --> 00:42:06.204
right, or when you were trying to get paired with a coach, um, what were the types of things
00:42:06.264 --> 00:42:08.004
w- that you were looking for? Were you looking
00:42:08.164 --> 00:42:11.984
for, um, empathy? Was it more X's and O's? A combination of
00:42:12.004 --> 00:42:17.044
both? I really don't know, so I'm curious from your perspective, kind of the important things for you, um,
00:42:17.064 --> 00:42:21.044
from a coach. Is it someone who had a sh- a shared similar experience? Or, "Hey, I just want
00:42:21.064 --> 00:42:22.004
somebody who can get me to where I
00:42:22.044 --> 00:42:24.944
wanna go"? Yeah. I,
00:42:25.044 --> 00:42:25.284
um,
00:42:26.484 --> 00:42:28.224
feel very fortunate,
00:42:28.284 --> 00:42:30.204
as I mentioned earlier,
00:42:30.304 --> 00:42:32.024
that I happened to
00:42:32.144 --> 00:42:36.964
meet the right person at the right time, so it wasn't anything planned. And I
00:42:37.004 --> 00:42:44.304
think as a, as any athlete, younger athlete, you don't really have an understanding
00:42:44.484 --> 00:42:50.964
of really what you're looking for i- in a coach 'cause you haven't got that experience, and I think
00:42:51.004 --> 00:42:54.204
there lies a lot of, um-
00:42:56.504 --> 00:42:56.944
A lot
00:42:57.044 --> 00:43:06.004
on the coach, um, to really help that athlete develop and understand. As I said, that's how I learned,
00:43:06.144 --> 00:43:08.164
um, from that coach.
00:43:08.244 --> 00:43:12.044
But kind of going on from,
00:43:12.384 --> 00:43:15.084
um, just what some of those mentioned by NASA,
00:43:15.284 --> 00:43:15.964
like, you
00:43:16.064 --> 00:43:18.004
rely on... I relied
00:43:18.064 --> 00:43:22.464
on my coach more than, than any other athlete probably,
00:43:22.604 --> 00:43:27.624
um, non-para athlete would've relied on their coach just because of,
00:43:27.744 --> 00:43:27.964
um,
00:43:28.704 --> 00:43:31.244
you... Well, I was s- slightly
00:43:31.264 --> 00:43:36.193
less, um, or s- or slightly more dependent on somebody to be able to,
00:43:36.224 --> 00:43:37.924
to get about. So for me,
00:43:38.064 --> 00:43:42.284
that coach, there's, there's a level of, of understanding
00:43:42.944 --> 00:43:44.064
and empathy
00:43:45.244 --> 00:43:45.584
to
00:43:46.224 --> 00:43:51.084
get to know who that individual is, and there's probably a higher level of trust needed between that
00:43:51.164 --> 00:43:52.104
athlete and coach.
00:43:53.584 --> 00:43:53.984
Um,
00:43:54.924 --> 00:43:55.964
but as I said, for me, it
00:43:56.004 --> 00:44:00.983
was a fortunate situation that I happened to, to find myself in. I think, though,
00:44:01.084 --> 00:44:01.364
too,
00:44:02.144 --> 00:44:05.994
um, as an athlete, I think a para
00:44:06.064 --> 00:44:12.964
athlete, you can also look at all these things that could be better, but I think in some situations
00:44:13.064 --> 00:44:16.904
also, like, it's very easy for you not to take ownership yourself. And, and at,
00:44:17.044 --> 00:44:19.964
at, at times you've gotta look at the choices
00:44:20.004 --> 00:44:20.544
you make.
00:44:21.164 --> 00:44:27.764
Um, so I decided to live close to transport or close to where I can train. That's a choice
00:44:28.024 --> 00:44:28.104
I
00:44:28.164 --> 00:44:33.804
can make. And there's other things that you're reliant on other people, but I think just sometimes the, the challenge
00:44:33.864 --> 00:44:39.084
in, in the, in around this disability space is to, for people to, um,
00:44:40.484 --> 00:44:41.144
see that
00:44:41.154 --> 00:44:44.824
there're actually opportunities for them to take ownership,
00:44:45.004 --> 00:44:48.954
um, and make those decisions themselves, not just relying on, on other
00:44:49.064 --> 00:44:57.044
people. So NASA, as, as Jason said, a lot of this falls back onto the coach. So you as
00:44:57.084 --> 00:44:58.484
the sports director,
00:44:58.884 --> 00:45:02.044
how do you go about educating new staff on your
00:45:02.164 --> 00:45:06.283
systems, and then also educating them on the importance of empathy
00:45:06.304 --> 00:45:10.144
and trust? Yeah. It's a, it's a good question. Um,
00:45:10.554 --> 00:45:11.044
I would say
00:45:11.624 --> 00:45:13.034
Jason's a wry smile there because
00:45:13.084 --> 00:45:16.233
it's a live, a live question. Uh, it's, it's a really good
00:45:16.264 --> 00:45:21.064
point. Th- this is what we're about to step forward into, so w- we're... A lot of it is, is
00:45:21.104 --> 00:45:26.724
kinda bringing confidence. We have those athle- uh, coaches who either would've been a Paralympian themself or para, involved in
00:45:26.804 --> 00:45:27.024
para
00:45:27.064 --> 00:45:32.184
sport, or you would've had, um, uh, coaches who would've been more involved with the Olympic disciplines.
00:45:32.724 --> 00:45:37.044
Um, and what you're trying to do is support them. Uh, it's transition, but I, I think it's also because
00:45:37.104 --> 00:45:41.064
you have to just change your mindset. You have to think differently, uh, when you're working with a para
00:45:41.124 --> 00:45:43.244
athlete. That's, you know, that's its appeal.
00:45:43.744 --> 00:45:44.044
However,
00:45:44.344 --> 00:45:44.724
often,
00:45:45.004 --> 00:45:46.144
um, coaches
00:45:46.184 --> 00:45:51.044
and, and what we find and, you know, when we ask people around, "We need more coaches for para sport,"
00:45:51.624 --> 00:45:51.853
um,
00:45:52.304 --> 00:45:55.984
you know, a lot of people have the fear factor of in terms of, you know, worried they'll
00:45:56.004 --> 00:46:00.244
say the wrong thing, or how do we work this? So there, there is definitely work
00:46:00.264 --> 00:46:03.524
that we need to do as kind of a national Paralympic committee in terms of the conversation, and I know
00:46:03.544 --> 00:46:05.084
some other NPCs have gone down this route
00:46:05.124 --> 00:46:05.944
as well. It's kind of almost,
00:46:06.284 --> 00:46:06.324
you
00:46:06.364 --> 00:46:06.924
know, look,
00:46:07.304 --> 00:46:09.024
you know, it's, it's encouragement and,
00:46:09.104 --> 00:46:13.224
and empowering, uh, Olympic discipline coaches to, to transition to support para
00:46:13.304 --> 00:46:13.724
athletes.
00:46:14.284 --> 00:46:16.024
But I think again, you know, we know,
00:46:16.804 --> 00:46:17.864
and our, our own, um,
00:46:18.144 --> 00:46:23.144
uh, performance director for para swim here as well, who himself is a former Paralympian, would say he doesn't
00:46:23.164 --> 00:46:26.844
know how to coach every impairment just 'cause he has an impairment. You know, a lot of it is just
00:46:26.904 --> 00:46:30.024
figuring out, it's good coaching, it's w- coaching the person in front of you and figuring out
00:46:30.044 --> 00:46:34.124
what their needs are, knowing where you're trying to go, create the right environment. So,
00:46:34.164 --> 00:46:36.974
you know, I think, um, there, there i- that is the big job of
00:46:37.024 --> 00:46:41.644
work. I, in truth, I know that's what I need to, to support. I don't know quite how to do
00:46:41.664 --> 00:46:45.104
it yet, but the, the, it's definitely where we wanna step where it's a come back to us in a
00:46:45.164 --> 00:46:47.004
year and we'll, we'll tell you where we are with it.
00:46:51.944 --> 00:46:57.204
Yeah, for sure. And, and this question is, the next question is really for the both of you, and
00:46:57.264 --> 00:47:01.134
either of you can answer first. But you mentioned some of the challenges and things that you're working through
00:47:01.144 --> 00:47:06.044
now, but what are some of the big rocks when you look at Paralympic athletics as a whole?
00:47:06.054 --> 00:47:11.404
W- what is a challenge or are some of the challenge that you're trying to tackle, that your organization's trying
00:47:11.424 --> 00:47:15.974
to tackle, that everybody is trying to tackle as it pertains to kind of taking this next step forward in
00:47:15.984 --> 00:47:21.144
development and performance? I'll let Jason roll with that one first.
00:47:22.604 --> 00:47:25.164
I was gonna say ladies first, but clearly not.
00:47:25.713 --> 00:47:25.984
You beat
00:47:26.044 --> 00:47:26.244
me.
00:47:27.064 --> 00:47:27.324
Um,
00:47:28.104 --> 00:47:31.004
I think for me, um,
00:47:33.144 --> 00:47:33.164
I
00:47:33.224 --> 00:47:35.564
mean, there, there are very big areas.
00:47:35.884 --> 00:47:36.284
Um,
00:47:37.104 --> 00:47:39.124
the two things that, that have always stood
00:47:39.224 --> 00:47:42.384
out to me are around
00:47:42.784 --> 00:47:43.434
finding
00:47:44.664 --> 00:47:51.213
the next crop of athletes, um, and making that sustainable. So we've, I'd say at Paralympics Ireland, we've,
00:47:51.244 --> 00:47:52.304
we've had a generation
00:47:52.364 --> 00:47:53.944
of successful
00:47:54.044 --> 00:47:54.564
athletes,
00:47:55.284 --> 00:47:59.264
um, without a system in place in the past.
00:47:59.644 --> 00:48:00.204
And obviously,
00:48:00.244 --> 00:48:05.904
this is a piece where- Mm-hmm ... where NASA's been brought on board recently to is how do we, um,
00:48:05.984 --> 00:48:06.964
as an organization, how does
00:48:07.004 --> 00:48:14.664
Paralympics Ireland change that? Um, how do you make that sustainable that we continue to, to, to have athletes coming
00:48:14.784 --> 00:48:19.624
through? Um, the other piece then is actually around, for me, is around performance.
00:48:20.344 --> 00:48:21.244
And again, mentioned
00:48:21.784 --> 00:48:22.304
earlier,
00:48:23.224 --> 00:48:23.424
um,
00:48:23.784 --> 00:48:28.964
by both actually myself and NASA, she talked about going to be in the UK and being around a
00:48:29.044 --> 00:48:32.324
higher and per- performing environment. I went to the States.
00:48:33.244 --> 00:48:33.524
Um,
00:48:33.864 --> 00:48:37.004
I think sometimes with Ireland just it's, it's a small country, so
00:48:37.104 --> 00:48:40.344
how do, how do you get exposure
00:48:40.764 --> 00:48:41.044
to
00:48:41.124 --> 00:48:43.734
higher performing environments?
00:48:44.404 --> 00:48:46.194
Because that's where your ceiling is,
00:48:46.624 --> 00:48:51.504
um, and sometimes you've, you... Well, not sometimes, all the times you've gotta go to those places
00:48:51.664 --> 00:48:55.044
to, to break through that ceiling. So, um,
00:48:55.084 --> 00:48:59.054
for me, they're, um, two of the, the bigger
00:48:59.084 --> 00:49:02.124
pieces that kinda stand out to me.
00:49:03.516 --> 00:49:04.076
Yeah, this was just
00:49:04.086 --> 00:49:07.996
to build on Jason's, uh, what he was saying there, and this was to give the more, the
00:49:08.036 --> 00:49:09.156
wider perspective. I think that
00:49:09.196 --> 00:49:12.536
there's probably two or three elements. One, uh,
00:49:12.676 --> 00:49:17.596
kinda, uh, building on the how you kind of create that performance environment, I think that's the thing is, for
00:49:17.636 --> 00:49:22.116
me, some of what I see is a lot of it is around probably organizational culture and strategy,
00:49:22.136 --> 00:49:29.026
and actually making space for, uh, para sport within the governing bodies. And, and again, what you're trying to do
00:49:29.056 --> 00:49:33.956
is shift a mindset and a way of doing things that has been there and there's been quite a legacy.
00:49:33.966 --> 00:49:37.796
You know, you set up a business model in a certain way, you set up your programs, its age group.
00:49:37.836 --> 00:49:41.726
You've got kind of a certain group of people who've been kind of always on the boards, so the same
00:49:41.736 --> 00:49:44.856
way of thinking and doing. So it's actually how do you shift that mindset and get them to think a
00:49:44.896 --> 00:49:47.016
little bit different, and that comes back down to
00:49:47.076 --> 00:49:49.096
governance. Um, and it's,
00:49:49.306 --> 00:49:51.216
uh, comes to have m- more diversity,
00:49:51.596 --> 00:49:57.276
uh, in the, the sporting environments, uh, and also from a governance perspective. So there's a real
00:49:57.286 --> 00:50:00.656
... It's gonna ... For me, it's how do we make it, we both said sustainable. I think that's the
00:50:00.676 --> 00:50:05.156
big piece, and that's the big shift in thinking because day to day you can just do games to games,
00:50:05.236 --> 00:50:08.976
but how do you make it sustainable? You now have to start thinking about those longer term pieces
00:50:09.056 --> 00:50:13.876
and again, the, the, the bits for me around the organizational culture. So how do we make space for para
00:50:13.916 --> 00:50:14.036
sport?
00:50:14.076 --> 00:50:18.056
It's the same, uh, journey that women in sport have been on as well. Uh, you know, how
00:50:18.076 --> 00:50:18.936
do you create that,
00:50:19.276 --> 00:50:24.446
the, the space within those environments? So that's changing the culture and changing the thinking pattern and the ways of
00:50:24.476 --> 00:50:29.126
doing, uh, and that's hard. Uh, but that is definitely the, the job of work to, to make this
00:50:29.156 --> 00:50:33.316
longer term. And I think that's also, that's, that's not just Ireland, that's internationally as well. You know, interesting
00:50:33.356 --> 00:50:35.176
at the, the Chef de Mission
00:50:35.236 --> 00:50:39.246
conference, uh, in Paris as you do, rubbing shoulders with, uh, all your fellow chefs.
00:50:39.816 --> 00:50:45.066
Um, you know, when we talk to them about their sports systems and the spectrum of arrangements they have
00:50:45.156 --> 00:50:47.256
around how we better support para sport,
00:50:47.756 --> 00:50:52.016
you know, we get the same. We have integrated programs. We have, uh, just disability sports programs
00:50:52.096 --> 00:50:56.176
on their own. We have some in the middle. We've some where we know that para sports funding would be
00:50:56.216 --> 00:51:01.076
cannibalized by some of their Olympic counterboy- You know, and that comes back to culture, leadership, governance as well.
00:51:01.136 --> 00:51:01.156
So
00:51:01.176 --> 00:51:05.076
I think that's some of the, the big, big tickets. And then the, the wider piece again is around the
00:51:05.116 --> 00:51:07.176
Paralympic movement itself, how that's growing.
00:51:07.596 --> 00:51:13.976
We know, uh, we think 20% of the world's population has a disability. It is, uh, an underrepresented group in,
00:51:13.986 --> 00:51:19.505
across most sports and, and most environments in society. So there's still a real big job of work to keep
00:51:19.536 --> 00:51:22.116
that message going and, and we're using sport
00:51:22.636 --> 00:51:27.956
to showcase the power of people and human performance. So it's really powerful to think around how we keep
00:51:28.016 --> 00:51:34.426
that movement going, which gets us from an organizational perspective, starting to think a lot more into advocacy and how
00:51:34.456 --> 00:51:39.976
we can, um, you know, use the, the games that kind of once in a four years when
00:51:40.016 --> 00:51:44.336
we really get the TV, uh, spotlight, but how we use that platform,
00:51:44.796 --> 00:51:48.036
uh, to make that societal shift, um, through using sport
00:51:48.076 --> 00:51:52.756
to do that. So there's, th- those are the, the bigger, the systemy ones for me. But, um, yeah, just
00:51:52.796 --> 00:51:53.996
echoing Jason's perspective
00:51:54.036 --> 00:52:01.625
as well very much in that. Well, we certainly look forward to kinda the continued growth of, you know, not
00:52:01.676 --> 00:52:08.976
just Paralympics Ireland, but also Paralympics itself and para sport. So let's kinda fast forward to summer of next
00:52:09.056 --> 00:52:16.896
year. Todd and I will be tuning in, watching Paralympic, uh, athletics here and, and we're preparing to watch Ireland
00:52:16.936 --> 00:52:21.056
and, and cheer Ireland on. What can we look forward to in terms of events?
00:52:21.116 --> 00:52:24.096
What can we look for ... You know, uh, what can we expect from some of the higher
00:52:24.156 --> 00:52:29.236
performers there? Yeah. Well, I think more really good performances is what we hope.
00:52:30.056 --> 00:52:31.996
Um, but that, it's, it, that's shaping
00:52:32.036 --> 00:52:33.156
up. You know, um,
00:52:33.196 --> 00:52:36.096
typically, uh, we have, uh, really strong programs across,
00:52:36.196 --> 00:52:41.096
uh, para cycling, para swimming, and para athletics in particular as well. Again, they, they ha- they haven't ... They're
00:52:41.106 --> 00:52:44.156
the bigger sports, the big three we would often refer to them in Paralympic
00:52:44.216 --> 00:52:49.116
world. But we would also, again, have, um, and what's really pleasing is we have a, a new tranche of
00:52:49.176 --> 00:52:53.316
kind of sports, again, who have been often driven by pioneering athletes
00:52:53.836 --> 00:52:57.076
making a problem for those sports to have to solve, which is how to support them,
00:52:57.176 --> 00:52:58.876
uh, do what they're doing. Uh,
00:52:59.076 --> 00:53:04.676
and so we have a, a, a new, a good breadth of sports coming in through triathlon, uh, para powerlifting,
00:53:05.176 --> 00:53:07.616
uh, para rowing. We'll have, um,
00:53:08.336 --> 00:53:13.076
uh, boccia, which is actually a very specific, it's a disability sport on its own right. It's probably akin
00:53:13.156 --> 00:53:16.056
to bowls, um, for athletes with very high support needs.
00:53:16.116 --> 00:53:16.216
So,
00:53:16.736 --> 00:53:23.036
uh, hopefully we, we'll have some boccia representation as well. Um, and a c- para equestrian, uh, as well. So
00:53:23.076 --> 00:53:29.336
I think no matter what w- like, we will have good performances. I'm, I've every confidence in that. And actually,
00:53:29.396 --> 00:53:29.436
I
00:53:29.476 --> 00:53:34.066
think the more people we can draw in to watch para sport, they'll realize, I think if you're
00:53:34.076 --> 00:53:37.796
a sport enthusiast at all, you'll get it and you ... 'Cause what you'll see past is the impairment. You'll
00:53:37.836 --> 00:53:40.116
see the movement and the spirit of competition that
00:53:40.136 --> 00:53:44.876
comes through. So it, it will be really engaging one way or another, I'm quite sure. Um,
00:53:45.116 --> 00:53:47.096
Jason, you might have- ... your own favorites, so you might be watching
00:53:47.116 --> 00:53:50.116
it all. Yeah. I'm looking forward to
00:53:50.156 --> 00:53:50.436
just-
00:53:51.016 --> 00:53:54.136
No, no ... uh, being at the g- Being at the games and sitting
00:53:54.196 --> 00:53:58.996
watching, uh, from a different perspective rather than being on the track. But actually, to be honest,
00:53:59.036 --> 00:54:00.976
uh, maybe I might sit there and wish I was on the track
00:54:01.036 --> 00:54:08.036
as well. Yeah, Jason, I was curious if, like, your internal physiological clock is, like, starting to tick and starting
00:54:08.056 --> 00:54:10.976
to ramp and you're starting to feel like, "Okay, this is October leading in,
00:54:11.056 --> 00:54:18.036
like, I'm getting ready." Um- Yeah, I was, uh, sat, was with, um, the para athletics team, and they
00:54:18.076 --> 00:54:23.016
were starting their plan for the year ahead. I was just sitting when I was
00:54:23.036 --> 00:54:29.496
chatting to them saying, "This is the first time in whatever, 18, 19 years that I haven't been sitting there
00:54:29.506 --> 00:54:30.036
at this time
00:54:30.076 --> 00:54:36.146
of the year putting my plan in place, trying to figure it out what I'm trying to achieve." So, um,
00:54:36.376 --> 00:54:38.176
yeah, it's ... I watched the World
00:54:38.256 --> 00:54:41.136
Athletics, Para Athletics for the sum, in the summer
00:54:41.216 --> 00:54:47.516
there past. Didn't feel like, "Oh, I wish I was there." So we'll see. We'll see next year. The games
00:54:47.556 --> 00:54:53.196
is usually different and it's a far greater spectacle and, um, experience, so maybe,
00:54:53.256 --> 00:54:55.476
maybe, maybe I'll think differently
00:54:55.516 --> 00:55:01.016
then. Yeah. Well, I know we'll see, like, them cross the finish line, the slow motion replay.
00:55:01.036 --> 00:55:04.116
We'll just see you, like, you know, two croissants and a coffee or something over
00:55:04.776 --> 00:55:06.296
by the finish line. Maybe I'll bring my spikes.
00:55:08.016 --> 00:55:11.026
Yeah. Yeah. Depending on how the, depending on how some of
00:55:11.056 --> 00:55:11.836
the first heats go.
00:55:12.556 --> 00:55:14.056
Um, yeah.
00:55:14.236 --> 00:55:19.116
Well, awesome. We can't thank you both enough for joining us on the podcast. We're grateful for your time. We,
00:55:19.156 --> 00:55:19.976
we cannot wait to
00:55:20.016 --> 00:55:23.416
cheer you, Paralympics Ireland, and the rest of the athletes-
00:55:23.786 --> 00:55:26.016
Ooh ... in Paris next summer. So thank you both for your time.
00:55:26.796 --> 00:55:28.276
Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for the opportunity.
00:55:33.386 --> 00:55:37.096
We appreciate you tuning in to this episode of the Kaiser Human Performance
00:55:37.196 --> 00:55:40.046
podcast. To stay up to date on all things Kaiser,
00:55:40.536 --> 00:55:42.036
follow us @kaiserfitness
00:55:42.336 --> 00:55:48.116
on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. For more content, you can visit our Kaiser Fitness YouTube page
00:55:48.576 --> 00:55:49.296
and at our website,
00:55:49.696 --> 00:55:51.936
www.kaiser.com.
00:55:52.536 --> 00:55:52.716
Thank
00:55:52.776 --> 00:55:54.096
you and have a great day.
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