The Mastering High Performance Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Pete Johnston, Director of the Emerging Players Performance Programme at Cricket Ireland.What does it really take to build a high‑performance team culture that lasts?Pete joins us to share the thinking behind high performance team culture - where leadership is shared, ownership is expected, and closeness is built through values, resilience, symbolism, and a relentless commitment to strive for success every day.Part 1 of a two-part conversation.

In this episode we sat down with Irish professional footballers, Chloe Mustaki and Greg Sloggett to find out more about what it takes to pursue professional football careers together in England. From grassroots football in Ireland, through League of Ireland, to professional football in England, they provide honest insights into ambition, resilience, discipline, pressure, and the relentless standards needed to sustain performance over time and on a consistent basis. A true high performance couple supporting each other every step of the way.

In the final part of this episode, we continue our conversation with Hayley Harrison - high-performance athletics coach and Coach Developer Lead with Sport Ireland, best known for her work with Olympian and bronze medalist Thomas Barr.Essentially we wanted to know what does coaching at the highest level of athletics really look like?We deep dive into the reality of high performance athletics coaching,  explore how elite athletes receive and respond to feedback, and reveal why true excellence demands total attention to detail - from both coach and athlete.Part 2 of a two-part conversation.

In this episode we were delighted to speak with Hayley Harrison, high performance athletics coach and Coach Developer Lead with Sport Ireland. Hayley is probably best known for her work with Olympian and European bronze medalist, Thomas Barr.We dive into what it really takes to coach world-class athletes. Hayley shares powerful insights on building trust, the unique traits and characteristics that the top athletes possess, and what it means to be part of an athlete’s journey at the highest level.We also explore the often-overlooked side of elite individual sport - how long-term coach-athlete relationships evolve, and what it takes to step away when the journey comes to its natural conclusion.Part 1 of a two-part conversation.

In this episode, we were delighted to speak with Hamish Adams, CEO of Athletics Ireland.Hamish discusses what it takes to build and sustain high-performance environments. From the pursuit of medals to the reality of managing stakeholder expectations, the conversation explores the importance of incremental improvement at organisational level in a sport that has infinite opportunity. He reflects on the need to step out of high performance pressures, reset, and continually go again. He discusses the importance of living the values including honesty (sometimes bluntly) and integrity, and empowering the people around him through autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

In this episode, we speak with Ian “Coz” Costello, General Manager at Munster Rugby, who brings decades of professional rugby experience across Ireland and the UK.Coz shares practical insights on leadership, culture and sustainable high performance, grounded in the day-to-day realities of elite sport. Part 2 of this episode includes the importance of healthy tension in high performance environments, allowing for the ability to disagree and commit, and finding the right balance between performance safety and psychological safety in both development and performing at the highest level to "win now" and "win later."

In this episode, we speak with Ian “Coz” Costello, General Manager at Munster Rugby, who brings decades of professional rugby experience across Ireland and the UK.Coz shares practical insights on leadership, culture and sustainable high performance, grounded in the day-to-day realities of elite sport. From the importance of stepping away from the laptop to build genuine connection with players and staff, to intentionally embedding fun and energy into the week regardless of performance pressures, this conversation explores how elite environments balance people, systems and long-term development to "win now" and "win later."Part 1 of a two-part conversation.