Femme FC Podcast

Rethinking ACL Injury Prevention in Elite Women's Soccer

In this episode of the Femme FC Podcast, Nicole is joined by Dan Kadlec, researcher and lecturer at Edith Cowan University, to challenge one of the most widely accepted approaches to injury prevention in sport. Dan recently co-authored the paper Warm Up is Not a Workout, which critiques the reliance on structured warm-up programs for reducing ACL injury risk. In this conversation, he explains why these programs may have a role for young or untrained athletes but fall short in preparing elite athletes for the demands of sport. This episode explores the gap between research, messaging, and real-world physical preparation, and why long-term strength and conditioning remains the foundation of athlete health and performance. Topics include: • Why warm-up programs have a ceiling effect for injury prevention • The difference between preparation and adaptation • Why something is better than nothing is not enough • The importance of progressive overload and long-term training • Strength as the foundation of resilience and durability • Why the basics are often overlooked in female athletes • The impact of early athletic development and training history • Misconceptions around training female athletes • Why chasing new trends can distract from effective methods • What a sustainable physical preparation model should look like Dan also discusses how limited access to quality training environments in the women's game contributes to injury risk and why expectations for female athletes need to shift. This episode is essential listening for practitioners in sports medicine, strength and conditioning, sport science, and coaching who want to rethink how they approach injury prevention and physical preparation. JOIN THE COLLECTIVE: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femmefootballcollective [https://www.tiktok.com/@femmefootballcollective] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femme-football-collective [https://www.linkedin.com/company/femme-football-collective] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femmefc [https://www.instagram.com/femmefc] Website: https://femmefc.com [https://femmefc.com] Continue your learning at the Soccer Performance Support Summit this June in New Jersey! Learn from and connect with practitioners across the NWSL, MLS, and NCAA! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soccer-performance-support-summit-tickets-1625338644639?aff=oddtdtcreator [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soccer-performance-support-summit-tickets-1625338644639?aff=oddtdtcreator]

The Current State of Research in Women's Soccer

In this episode of the Femme FC Podcast, Nicole is joined by Kat Okholm Kryger, a researcher with UEFA, to break down the current state of research in women's football and what still needs to be done to truly support the women's game with high-quality evidence. Kat shares insights from her work connecting researchers and practitioners, highlighting how research questions should come directly from the needs of the football environment and be translated into practical tools that can be applied on the pitch. This conversation explores where the evidence base is strong, where it is lacking, and how common narratives in women's football are not always supported by the research. Topics include: • The current landscape of research in women's football and key gaps • Why injury research dominates and what is still missing • Why we cannot simply apply research from the men's game • The difference between lack of evidence and evidence that does not support a claim • Menstrual cycle research and common misconceptions in practice • The reality of ACL injury trends and the "epidemic" narrative • Why prevention strategies exist but are not consistently implemented • The importance of translating research into practical application • Barriers between researchers and practitioners • Future priorities for research including global representation and better quality studies Kat also discusses the role of technology in women's football, including equipment design, football boots, and how poor fit can impact both performance and injury risk. This episode is essential listening for practitioners in sports medicine, sport science, strength and conditioning, and coaching who want to better understand how to apply evidence-based practice in women's football. 👉 Subscribe to Femme FC for more conversations connecting research, performance, and women's football. ✨ Femme Football Collective: Elevating the Game, Empowering the Experts. JOIN THE COLLECTIVE: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femmefootballcollective [https://www.tiktok.com/@femmefootballcollective] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femme-football-collective [https://www.linkedin.com/company/femme-football-collective] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femmefc [https://www.instagram.com/femmefc] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FemmeFootballCollective [https://www.youtube.com/@FemmeFootballCollective] Website: https://femmefc.com [https://femmefc.com] Continue your learning at the Soccer Performance Support Summit this June in New Jersey! Learn from and connect with practitioners across the NWSL, MLS, and NCAA! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soccer-performance-support-summit-tickets-1625338644639?aff=oddtdtcreator [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soccer-performance-support-summit-tickets-1625338644639?aff=oddtdtcreator]

Transitioning from Practitioner to Leader in Elite Women's Soccer

In this episode of the Femme FC Podcast, Nicole is joined by Rachel Woodland, Head of Client Engagement at The Nxt Level Group and Assistant Coach for Fulham Women, to explore leadership in elite sport and what it takes to move from practitioner to effective leader. Rachel brings experience working across sport, business, and leadership development, and shares insights into what separates strong leaders from technical experts. This conversation challenges the common assumption that the best practitioners automatically make the best leaders and instead focuses on the skills, behaviors, and experiences required to lead effectively. The discussion also explores how leadership can be developed over time, the importance of self-awareness and reflective practice, and how organizations can better identify and support future leaders. Topics include: • Key traits of effective leaders including adaptability, communication, and authenticity • Why being a technical expert does not automatically translate to leadership success • Common challenges when transitioning from practitioner to leadership roles • The importance of time management, delegation, and communication as a leader • How to develop leadership skills through experience, reflection, and mentorship • Emotional regulation and its role in decision making and trust • How to build self-awareness and use tools like reflective practice and feedback • Why varied experiences are critical for leadership development • What effective leadership looks like in high-performance environments • How organizations should evaluate and hire leaders in elite sport This episode is essential listening for practitioners in sports medicine, strength and conditioning, sport science, and coaching who are looking to step into leadership roles or improve their impact within a team. 👉 Subscribe to Femme FC for more conversations connecting research, performance, and women's football. ✨ Femme Football Collective: Elevating the Game, Empowering the Experts. JOIN THE COLLECTIVE: Website: https://femmefc.com/ [https://femmefc.com/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femmefootballcollective [https://www.tiktok.com/@femmefootballcollective] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femme-football-collective [https://www.linkedin.com/company/femme-football-collective] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femmefc [https://www.instagram.com/femmefc] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FemmeFootballCollective [https://www.youtube.com/@FemmeFootballCollective] Continue your learning at the Soccer Performance Support Summit this June in New Jersey! Learn from and connect with practitioners across the NWSL, MLS, and NCAA! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soccer-performance-support-summit-tickets-1625338644639?aff=oddtdtcreator [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soccer-performance-support-summit-tickets-1625338644639?aff=oddtdtcreator]

Turning Sports Science Data into Better Decisions in Women's Soccer

In this episode of the Femme FC Podcast, Nicole is joined by world-renowned sports scientist Jo Clubb, founder of Global Performance Insights and former performance staff member at Chelsea FC and Brighton & Hove Albion. Jo has worked across multiple professional sports including football, the NFL, and the NHL, and now focuses on helping teams and practitioners translate sports science data into practical decision making. In this conversation, Jo explains why collecting more data isn't always the answer and how practitioners can build smarter monitoring systems that actually improve athlete performance and availability. The discussion walks through a practical framework for sport scientists, performance directors, and medical staff working in women's football who are trying to decide: What should we measure? Why should we measure it? And what will we actually do with the information? Topics covered include: • Why sports science is really about translating data into action • A six-stage framework for managing injury risk in sport • How to decide which metrics are worth collecting • The difference between profiling and monitoring athletes • Using load monitoring to support performance rather than restrict it • Balancing the value of data against the burden placed on athletes and staff • The importance of player buy-in when collecting monitoring data • How benchmarking physical performance in women's football is evolving Jo also discusses the FIFA physical benchmarking dashboard created from research analyzing nearly 300 studies and 19,000 women's football players, highlighting key physical qualities associated with higher levels of play. For practitioners working in sport science, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, or performance leadership roles, this episode provides a clear framework for building effective data systems in women's football environments. Continue your learning at the Soccer Performance Support Summit this June in New Jersey! Learn from and connect with practitioners across the NWSL, MLS, and NCAA! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soccer-performance-support-summit-tickets-1625338644639?aff=oddtdtcreator [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soccer-performance-support-summit-tickets-1625338644639?aff=oddtdtcreator] Resources: Fundamentals of Load Monitoring https://www.sporthorizon.co.uk/fundamentals-of-load-monitoring [https://www.sporthorizon.co.uk/fundamentals-of-load-monitoring] Roe et al paper https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40621-017-0123-x [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40621-017-0123-x] FIFA Benchmark Dashboard https://fifawomensdevelopmentprogramme.shinyapps.io/FIFA_Womens_Profiling/ [https://fifawomensdevelopmentprogramme.shinyapps.io/FIFA_Womens_Profiling/] FIFA Benchmark Paper https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-025-02251-0 [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-025-02251-0] Global Performance Insights YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@globalperformanceinsights [https://www.youtube.com/@globalperformanceinsights] Website: https://www.globalperformanceinsights.com/ [https://www.globalperformanceinsights.com/] Jo's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-clubb-89a285210/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-clubb-89a285210/]

Strategies for Success in Women's Soccer Using Stewardship Theory

In this solo episode of the Femme FC Podcast, Nicole breaks down practical strategies for building effective health and performance systems in women's football using stewardship theory. This episode is based on Nicole's dissertation completed as part of her Master's in Sport Directorship at Manchester Metropolitan University, titled What Do Women Need? Developing a Framework for Athlete Health and Performance Structures and Strategies in Elite Women's Football. As the women's game continues to grow, there is a unique opportunity to design systems that prioritize athlete health, long-term performance, and sustainable success rather than simply replicating models from the men's game. Nicole introduces stewardship theory as a guiding framework for how medical and performance teams should operate, emphasizing athlete-centered decision making, collaboration, and long-term thinking. Topics include: • Why the growth of women's football creates an opportunity to design better systems • What stewardship theory is and why it matters in elite sport • Common challenges in women's football including limited resources and rapid professionalization • Why copying systems from the men's game may lead to the same problems • The importance of shared objectives such as availability, readiness, and performance development • How to structure communication within health and performance teams • The role of trust, consistency, and ethical behavior in building athlete buy-in • Using interdisciplinary collaboration and "pod systems" to improve individualized care • Why athlete education is critical for autonomy and decision making • The importance of continuous professional development and reflective practice This episode provides a clear, practical framework for practitioners working in sports medicine, strength and conditioning, sport science, and performance leadership roles in women's football. 👉 Subscribe to Femme FC for more conversations connecting research, performance, and women's football. ✨ Femme Football Collective: Elevating the Game, Empowering the Experts. JOIN THE COLLECTIVE: Website: https://femmefc.com [https://femmefc.com] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femmefootballcollective [https://www.tiktok.com/@femmefootballcollective] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femme-football-collective [https://www.linkedin.com/company/femme-football-collective] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femmefc [https://www.instagram.com/femmefc] Don't miss the Soccer Performance Support Summit this June! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soccer-performance-support-summit-tickets-1625338644639?aff=oddtdtcreator [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soccer-performance-support-summit-tickets-1625338644639?aff=oddtdtcreator] Disclaimer: The information presented is not intended as medical advice or a substitute for professional medical care. Please consult an appropriate healthcare provider for individual concerns.