Dr. Garrison Draper’s story spans from small-town Wisconsin to the highest levels of professional soccer. A collegiate athlete turned sports scientist, he’s worked with MLS giants including Seattle Sounders, Inter Miami, and now FC Cincinnati, helping shape performance cultures around world-class players — even icons like Lionel Messi.

Today, Garrison serves as Vice President of Sport Performance and Health and holds a PhD in Sports Science, blending data, culture, and human connection to redefine athlete care. He’s also the co-founder of the PSPA — the Professional Soccer Performance Association — building a global network of practitioners who are advancing the profession from the inside out.

In this conversation, we dive into three key insights:

1. Redefining Sports Science — why it’s more than load management and how communication, storytelling, and empathy make it work.
2. Lessons from Superstars and Miami — how elite performance demands cultural understanding, not just data.
3. The Future of Athlete Care — from player data ownership to mental health and the next evolution of sports science in MLS.

This conversation is a masterclass in what modern performance really means — blending technology, human behavior, and genuine care for the athlete.

Sign up for the FREE 3P Injury Prevention Toolkit at www.AdamLoiacono.com

Follow Adam on Instagram for the latest insights on injury prevention and performance @Adam.Loiacono

For FREE Webinars, rehab tips, and performance plans, check out Adam's YouTube channel

Need a trusted supplement to improve your health and performance? Go to out Momentus.com for 35% off your first subscription!

Dr. Matt Midkiff’s path to sports physical therapy didn’t follow a straight line.

He was a college soccer player at Westmont, a youth coach who built one of Arizona’s top club programs, and today he’s a leading sports PT who helps young athletes stay healthy and competitive.

In this episode of Finding Small Wins, we dive deep into the youth soccer ecosystem — where passion meets pressure.

You’ll learn three key lessons from Matt’s experience:

First, why collaboration between parents, coaches, and providers is the missing link in youth athlete development.

Second, how the pay-to-play model and overloaded schedules are quietly creating injury epidemics.

And third, the practical fixes — from communication templates to smarter training periods — that can keep kids performing without breaking down.

Whether you’re a coach, a parent, or a clinician, this conversation is a reminder that the next generation’s success depends not on more games — but on better guidance.

Sign up for the FREE 3P Injury Prevention Toolkit at www.AdamLoiacono.com

Follow Adam on Instagram for the latest insights on injury prevention and performance @Adam.Loiacono

For FREE Webinars, rehab tips, and performance plans, check out Adam's YouTube channel

Need a trusted supplement to improve your health and performance? Go to out Momentus.com for 35% off your first subscription!

Steve Tashjian’s career began on the treatment table — as a physical therapist helping athletes rebuild, recover, and return stronger. That foundation in human performance carried him into the pressure cooker of professional sport, where he spent years with the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer, before stepping onto an even bigger stage as High-Performance Director for Everton FC in the Premier League and later with the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Now, through his leadership and performance consultancy, The Elevation Project, Steve applies those same lessons from the field to the boardroom — working with organizations like Stanley, Lego, and others to redefine what high performance looks like under pressure.

In this conversation, Steve reveals how elite leaders and teams endure when the stakes rise.

• We explore how pressure isn’t the enemy but a signal for alignment
• Why systems and processes become your anchor in uncertainty
• How the best leaders stay people-first — even when the environment isn’t.

From the locker room to the corporate stage, Steve Tashjian shows that true high performance isn’t about escaping chaos — it’s about learning to thrive within it.

Want to come hang with Adam and Steve? Join us this December 11-13 in Atlanta, GA for the Pro Soccer Performance Association (PSPA) annual event! https://www.pspa-performance.com/conference

Sign up for the FREE 3P Injury Prevention Toolkit at www.AdamLoiacono.com

Follow Adam on Instagram for the latest insights on injury prevention and performance @Adam.Loiacono

For FREE Webinars, rehab tips, and performance plans, check out Adam's YouTube channel

Need a trusted supplement to improve your health and performance? Go to out Momentus.com for 35% off your first subscription!