Connection, Communication, and Cutting-Edge Practice took centre stage at the Athletic Performance Summit at Mission Whitten Oval last month.
Friday August 22nd saw close to 200 professionals working in and around high-performance sport converge on Mission Whitten Oval for the 2025 Athletic Performance Summit for a day of inspired learning and industry connection.
The day kicked off in style with our international headliner, Brett Bartholomew — a global leader in coach education since the release of his best-selling book Conscious Coaching: The Art and Science of Building Buy-In in 2017. As performance coaches and rehab professionals, we’re always striving to get the best out of our athletes. It’s easy to be drawn in by the latest technology or hottest training method, but Brett reminded us of a critical truth: we work in a complex human environment, and often the biggest variable we can control is how we show up — our communication, our presence, and our ability to influence.
This theme echoed throughout the day, even in the more technical sessions on athlete health and rehab. Hannah Moore’s presentation on the factors influencing female athlete health and performance sparked powerful conversations around topics too often avoided in sport — from menstrual cycles to breast health — and highlighted the importance of creating psychologically safe environments where female athletes can truly perform at their best. Kelly Penfold reinforced this message in her session, demonstrating how technical expertise can be elevated when paired with genuine care and a human-first approach.
As high-performance professionals, we often find ourselves working in the “messy middle” — the liminal space between rehab and performance. Those who can blend the two worlds seamlessly are the ones who consistently deliver the most successful outcomes. A physiotherapist or osteopath who can progress an athlete beyond “4 sets of 10 glute bridges,” or an S&C coach who understands rehab timelines and the realities of tissue healing, hold a distinct advantage. But having that knowledge isn’t enough — you need the frameworks and systems to execute a true return-to-performance plan. That’s exactly what Simon Harries and Kelly Penfold delivered. They broke down complex concepts into clear, practical systems, offering cognitive tools to sharpen decision-making and, ultimately, guide athletes back to performance while minimising the risk of reinjury.
For many, the highlight of the day came from one of Australia most experienced high-performance professionals, Andrew Russell. Having been involved in six AFL premierships, many of which as the Director of High Performance, Andrew delivered 60 minutes of presentation gold. He unpacked the critical concepts he believes to influence program success, emphasising the importance of adaptability and agility to navigate the many external and internal factors that athletes face both on and off the field.
No Western Bulldogs event on athletic performance would be complete without hearing from the man who leads our own program — Daniel Zaknich. Taking the stage, Dan explored the utilisation of heat for performance enhancement and recovery, outlining the strategies used to prepare our AFL Men’s team for their Darwin fixture. While his presentation was brief, the insights were powerful, leaving attendees with practical takeaways that can be applied in all environments.
To kickstart the afternoon sessions, an interactive Q&A with three outstanding industry professionals — Chris Bell (Western Bulldogs), Eliza Morrison (Richmond FC), and Jay Ellis (Melbourne United) — gave attendees the chance to ask their burning questions. From career advice to performing under pressure and navigating interdisciplinary collaboration, the panel brought diverse perspectives that resonated across the audience. While every presenter and panellist shared invaluable insights and practical tools to take back into daily practice, perhaps the greatest benefit of the day came through the connections formed: conversations with peers, networking with colleagues, and introductions to businesses such as Revel, Alphafit, Lumin Sports, Life Bioscience, and VALD — relationships that will continue to shape careers and practice for years to come.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, and to the incredible sponsors who made the day possible. The 2025 Athletic Performance Summit was a true team effort — and we can’t wait to welcome you back to Mission Whitten Oval in 2026.
