Basic HTML Version
Touchline • Issue 16 • 15
DAVID LAMB: What does a Director of
Sports Science do?
DAVID BUTTIFANT:
My role entails
putting the program together; like being
an architect, I suppose, designing the
big plan. I start with the team and act
as a conduit, working with the medical,
conditioning and technical sides of
things as well. We do a lot of analysis,
putting the program together and
putting the prescriptive model forward
and determine how that can give the
organisation a competitive advantage.
How has the role of a sports scientist has
evolved? It’s something that has been in
the media so much of late.
It’s interesting; when I first started at
North Melbourne (AFL Football Club)
back in October 1994 it was pretty much
a one-man gig. You did everything, from
rehab, to strength and conditioning to
analysis and now it’s obviously grown to
become a micro-industry of sport.
Still, back then players were highly
competitive, the team and organisation’s
culture was pretty similar as well, but
the actual technology and services
that are provided to players have been
extrapolated over the last ten years, five
years in particular.
Clubs have seen the benefits of sports
science and how they provide the
competitive advantage but also how to
get the best out of individual athletes as
well. It’s been exciting for sports science,
the AFL have been trailblazers in that
particular area and football clubs have
embraced the concept of sports science.
TOUCHLINE INTERVIEW:
DAVID BUTTIFANT
David Buttifant is the former
Director of Sports Science at the
AFL’s largest club, Collingwood. He
is often regarded as the best in the
world in his field. His extensive
background includes thirteen years
as Director of Sports Science at the
Collingwood Football Club, working
with Australian Olympic Athletes
prior to Sydney 2000, a Doctorate in
Exercise Physiology, a MBA and ia
an Associate Professor at Australian
Catholic University.
Sportscover Australia’s CEO David
Lamb
interviews David about his
experience in the sports science
field and discusses the hot topic
of using sports science to push the
legal and moral boundaries in order
to gain a competitive advantage.
David Buttifant with Sportscover Australia’s CEO David Lamb outside Collingwood Football Club’s
altitude training room at the Westpac Centre in Melbourne’s sporting precinct.