Stephen Smith is the Human Performance Optimisation Program Manager for the RAAF at Amberley and Townsville. In this role, he is responsible for the integration of performance enhancing projects across high risk roles within the organisation. Previously, Stephen worked for the New South Wales Institute of Sport for 11 years, finishing his time there as the National Lead for S&C for the Australian Women’s Water Polo Team. Stephen is an Elite L3 Coach with the ASCA and has a Masters in High Performance Sport from ACU.

QUOTES“Making someone back squat more or making their 40m sprint time faster is not necessarily always what success looks like (in the RAAF)”“Physical training in the RAAF is generally delivered as a one size fits all approach and we think we can do better than that with some individualization of training.”“We push the message of staying prepared, so you don’t need to get prepared”“55% of our time loss injuries in the Rio Olympic cycle for swimming were for shoulders”“Understand what the demand is and train for it, don't drop the demand to deal with whatever you have walking through the door”

SHOWNOTES1) Stephen’s origins in strength and conditioning all the way from NSWIS to the Royal Australian Air Force 2) Facilitating physical preparation in the RAAF and the similarities and differences with working in sport3) The technology and tests used to understand physical capacities in the RAAF4) Maximising employee engagement and managing physical output in the tactical space5) Setting up training in the RAAF based on what is required day-to-day and the nuances of managing fatigue with tactical employees6) Lessons in shoulder care and injury prevention from swimming and water polo7) The reasons for a reduction in the exposure of shoulder care work coming into competition.8) Lessons from sports coaches and psychological safety in the RAAF

PEOPLE MENTIONEDPhil MorelandDavid EpsteinAmy Edmondson