Most athletes, and even many coaches, believe elite vision training requires elite budgets. In today’s episode, we flip that misconception on its head.

Dr. Daniel Laby breaks down six incredibly effective sports vision tools, each costing less than $50, that he regularly uses with athletes from youth sports all the way to Premier League and Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold.

You’ll learn why visual performance is the underdeveloped competitive edge in modern sport, how simple tools can transform an athlete’s reaction time, processing speed, and on-field decision-making, and exactly how to start implementing these drills into your weekly training.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

• Six high-impact tools that dramatically improve visual performance
• The foundational Sports Vision Pyramid and how to apply it to any sport
• How to structure 30–40 minute weekly vision training sessions for maximum results
• The key principle behind long-term improvement: consistent, focused practice

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

• 00:41 - Tool 1: Swivel Vision Training Glasses
• 01:30 - Tool 2: The Eye of the Champion Book
• 02:15 - Tool 3: Juggling Set
• 02:40 - Tool 4: Brain HQ App
• 03:07 - Tool 5: Home Court App
• 03:43 - Tool 6: Tennis Balls
• 04:31 - Real-World Results and Case Study
• 05:09 - Implementation Strategy for Vision Training
• 05:33 - Breaking Down Barriers to Elite Vision Training

HELPFUL RESOURCES:

• Sports Vision NYC
• Connect with Dr. Laby on Instagram
• Pick Up a Copy of Eye of the Champion
• Download The Ultimate Sports Vision Guide for Athletes [FREE]

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to Sports Vision Radio so you never miss an episode on the science of peak performance.

When Liverpool and England star Trent Alexander-Arnold partnered with Dr. Daniel Laby in 2021, few could have predicted the impact that cutting-edge vision training would have on his game. In this episode, Dr. Laby walks you through the remarkable journey, from early testing to measurable performance gains, revealing how elite-level sports vision can unlock untapped potential on the pitch.

Featured in a Red Bull documentary, Trent’s transformation shows that football isn’t just about physical ability or tactical awareness — it’s also about how well players see, process, and react to the world around them.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

• How traditional vision tests fall short for elite athletes
• What the Advanced Vision Testing System (AVTS) is and how it mirrors real game conditions
• Why multiple-object tracking and depth perception are crucial for high-speed decision-making
• The incredible stats behind Trent’s improvement — including a 240% jump in tracking ability and major increases in assists and key passes
• The science behind regression to the mean — and why vision training, like strength training, requires maintenance
• What this means for the future of football and athlete development

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

• 00:46 Advanced Vision Testing System (AVTS)
• 01:01 Systematic Training Approach
• 01:26 Importance of Depth Perception and Adaptability
• 01:55 Innovative Training Techniques
• 02:16 Remarkable Performance Improvements
• 02:55 The Need for Ongoing Maintenance
• 03:28 Vision Training: The Untapped Frontier

HELPFUL RESOURCES:

• Sports Vision NYC
• Connect with Dr. Laby on Instagram
• Pick Up a Copy of Eye of the Champion
• Download The Ultimate Sports Vision Guide for Athletes [FREE]

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to Sports Vision Radio so you never miss an episode on the science of peak performance.

In this Deep Dive episode, the hosts break down the Sports Vision Pyramid — a five-level performance model built from decades of working with elite and professional athletes. Rather than relying solely on strength, speed, or technical skill, this framework prioritizes how athletes take in, process, and act on visual information under high-pressure, real-time conditions. Performance isn’t just about muscles or mechanics — it’s fundamentally about perception and decision-making.

The conversation begins by examining why the pyramid model starts with vision as its foundational layer. If the raw visual input isn’t sharp, fast, and accurate, then every higher-level skill suffers. Athletes cannot execute elite-level actions if they are processing incomplete or delayed visual information. The episode stresses that training the top of the pyramid without first optimizing lower levels is inefficient — and often a waste of coaching time and resources.

From vision clarity and contrast sensitivity, to depth perception, to decision-making, to motor execution, each level builds on the one below it. The hosts highlight that many pros compensate for subtle visual deficits with advanced instincts and mechanics—but once detected and corrected, even small improvements in foundational visual performance can deliver meaningful competitive gains.

The episode concludes with compelling empirical evidence from pro baseball: players with superior Level-1 visual performance (on the AVTS test) demonstrated significantly greater plate discipline and higher on-base rates, not from hitting harder, but from improved selectivity and decision-making. The message is clear — optimizing vision improves cognition, which improves execution, which wins games.

The takeaway? Whether you're an athlete or a business professional, elite performance begins at the foundation. Master the input — and the output takes care of itself.

• Vision is the foundational performance input — clarity + contrast sensitivity are Level 1.
• Testing must simulate real-world demands: brief, time-pressured visual stimuli.
• Each eye must be tested individually to identify asymmetries.
• Level 2: stereo vision — depth perception & spatial judgment.
• Level 3: visual-based decision-making — clarity reduces cognitive load and increases selectivity
• Level 4: motor execution — training here is inefficient if lower levels are weak.
• Level 5: on-field performance — the visible outcome of a strong foundation.
• Pro-level data: better foundational vision correlates with a higher on-base percentage via improved pitch selection.
• Training the top without fixing the base is like building athletic performance on sand.
• The model applies beyond sports — decision quality depends on the quality of input.

• 00:00 — Introduction to optimizing athletic performance
• 00:20 — Why vision matters more than strength/speed alone
• 00:45 — The Sports Vision Pyramid concept explained
• 01:10 — Importance of building from the bottom up
• 01:50 — Level 1: Visual acuity & contrast sensitivity
• 02:49 — Time-pressure visual testing and monocular testing
• 03:40 — AVTS testing: speed, clarity, contrast
• 04:28 — Even pros compensate for hidden visual deficits
• 05:11 — Level 2: Stereo vision & depth judgment
• 06:19 — Level 3: Vision-based decision-making
• 07:44 — Cognitive load and early pitch recognition
• 07:50 — Level 4: Visually-guided motor execution
• 08:48 — Why mechanics alone can’t fix...

Dr. Laby’s framework for turning effort into exponential advantage — and why every athlete can build greatness from scratch.

In this episode of Sports Vision Radio, the hosts explore what truly separates elite athletes and high performers from the rest — and it’s not raw talent. Drawing on the expertise of Dr. Daniel Laby, who has spent three decades working with professional athletes, the conversation challenges the myth that success is primarily genetic. Instead, it emphasizes preparation, deliberate practice, cumulative advantage, and sheer work ethic as the real engines of excellence.

The discussion begins by dissecting the traditional equation of Achievement = Talent + Preparation, revealing that as one moves toward the top tier of performance, the importance of natural talent diminishes while preparation and training dominate. The hosts highlight that the psychological freedom in focusing on effort rather than innate ability empowers individuals to take full control of their development.

Next, the episode delves into the nature of deliberate practice—not mere repetition, but precise, targeted training aimed at correcting weaknesses. Examples such as Steph Curry’s early commitment to refining his shooting form and Tiger Woods’ lifelong accumulation of golf practice illustrate how compounding small advantages early in life leads to exponential results over time.

The conversation culminates in identifying the ultimate differentiator: effort. At the elite level, everyone is talented and trained — but only the few who sustain extraordinary levels of effort and intensity rise to the very top. Dr. Laby’s personal story about training for the New York City Marathon — starting with a single block and progressing to 26 miles — perfectly illustrates how determination and systematic improvement can overcome perceived limitations in talent.

Ultimately, this episode reframes success as a function of controllable variables — deliberate effort and sustained preparation — challenging listeners to increase their own preparation by just 10%. A small, consistent boost today, the hosts suggest, becomes tomorrow’s competitive edge through the power of cumulative advantage.

• Talent matters less than we think: Success at the top levels depends more on preparation than innate ability.
• Deliberate practice is key: Focused, feedback-driven training targeting weaknesses builds long-term mastery.
• Cumulative advantage compounds success: Small early gains snowball into large differences over years of consistent work.
• Effort is the ultimate differentiator: The hardest workers outpace even the most naturally gifted.
• Actionable takeaway: Boost your preparation by 10% this week — effort compounds just like interest.

• 00:00 – 00:47 – Introduction: Redefining success beyond genetics and highlights
• 00:47 – 02:11 – The talent myth: Why preparation outperforms natural ability
• 02:11 – 03:54 – The psychology of effort: Controlling what you can build
• 03:54 – 05:27 – Practice as the engine: Deliberate, targeted improvement
• 05:27 – 07:26 – Cumulative advantage: The compounding effect of early mastery (Steph Curry, Tiger Woods)
• 07:26 – 08:47 – The final differentiator: Relentless effort and intensity
• 08:47 – 10:22 – Dr. Laby’s marathon story: Effort over talent in real life
• 10:22 – 11:45 – Core takeaways: Preparation, deliberate practice, compounding, and effort
• 11:45 – End – Challenge to...

In this episode of The Deep Dive, the hosts unpack four of the most common—and costly—mistakes athletes make that silently hold back their performance. Instead of focusing on grueling workouts or expensive equipment, they explore smarter, evidence-based ways to optimize performance through better decisions, sharper vision, and intelligent use of technology and expertise.

The conversation begins with the first major pitfall: neglecting functional vision. Athletes often assume that having 20/20 vision is enough, but as the discussion reveals, static eye charts don’t measure the dynamic visual skills essential for real-world competition. Dynamic visual acuity, depth perception, visual processing speed, and peripheral awareness are what truly separate good athletes from great ones. Without assessing and optimizing these, athletes are effectively training blindfolded.

The second mistake delves into what the hosts call the “Wild West” of sports advice. With social media flooded by self-proclaimed experts, athletes often waste time and money following unverified or unsafe training methods. The takeaway: demand proof, credentials, and evidence before trusting anyone with your performance. As elite teams vet their consultants rigorously, so should individual athletes.

From there, the hosts pivot to mistake number three—failing to leverage new knowledge. They highlight how breakthroughs in sports vision, neurotraining, and affordable technologies like VR are creating powerful new tools for athletes. Even simple activities like juggling can significantly enhance brain coordination and field awareness, providing measurable advantages without high costs.

The final mistake centers on mindset: believing there’s a single “magic bullet” solution. While vision optimization is a game-changer, it must be integrated with consistent practice, high-quality coaching, and a holistic approach. The true formula for success lies in combining these marginal gains—clear vision, vetted expertise, and adaptive tools—so that no external factor limits potential. What remains is the athlete’s own dedication to apply these lessons consistently.

• Functional vision drives performance: Static 20/20 vision is only the baseline; dynamic visual skills are the foundation of elite play.
• Train your brain, not just your body: Processing speed, depth perception, and peripheral awareness directly impact reaction time.
• Vet your sources: Avoid “guru” misinformation by demanding credentials, data, and results that apply to your sport.
• Leverage innovation: From juggling to virtual reality, modern neurotraining tools can boost coordination and performance efficiently.
• Avoid the “magic bullet” trap: Vision is vital but not sufficient alone—success requires integration across physical, mental, and perceptual training.
• Adopt a professional mindset: Treat your personal training decisions with the same rigor elite organizations use to hire consultants.
• Stack marginal gains: The cumulative effect of small, smart improvements can outpace any single big fix.

• 00:00 – Introduction: Smarter decisions, not harder workouts
• 00:13 – Four fundamental mistakes athletes keep making
• 00:53 – Mistake #1: The Vision Blind Spot
• 01:22 – Why 20/20 isn’t enough — dynamic vision in motion
• 02:09 – Training blindfolded: The hidden cost of ignoring vision
• 03:08 – Transition to Mistake #2: The Wild West of advice
• 03:55 – Filtering noise and identifying credible expertise
• 04:49 – Vetting experts...

In this episode, Dr. Laby dives into one of the most overlooked yet impactful factors in athletic performance: myopia, or nearsightedness. For athletes who depend on split-second visual precision—whether tracking a fastball, spotting a teammate, or reading subtle movement cues—nearsightedness can quietly erode competitive performance. The discussion begins by breaking down what myopia is: the ability to see near objects clearly but with blurred distance vision. While glasses and contacts can correct it temporarily, the real concern lies in progression—the gradual worsening of myopia over time.

The episode explores two critical consequences of progressive myopia. The first is the immediate impact on sports performance. Even small prescription changes can degrade visual acuity from elite levels like 20/12 or 20/15 down to 20/20, which for most people seems “perfect,” but for professional athletes can mean the difference between success and failure. The second consequence is more serious: long-term eye health. As the eye elongates, it physically stretches the retina, increasing the risk of irreversible damage such as retinal tears, detachment, maculopathy, and early cataracts.

Listeners then learn how managing myopia isn’t just about sharper sight—it’s about protecting the structure and longevity of the eye itself. Research shows that slowing myopia progression by just one diopter (one unit in prescription strength) can reduce future vision-threatening risks by approximately 40%. That’s a profound, quantifiable benefit that highlights the importance of early intervention, especially for young athletes and those still developing visually through their teens and early twenties.

Dr. Laby also outlines the key risk factors that increase susceptibility to progressive myopia: early age of onset, genetics, excessive near work (especially screen time), and ethnic background (with higher prevalence in individuals of Asian descent). These insights are paired with actionable recommendations, including regular, specialized sports vision evaluations that go beyond the standard “20/20” eye exam.

Finally, the episode introduces three modern, evidence-based strategies proven to slow or control myopia progression: orthokeratology (Ortho-K)—nighttime lenses that reshape the cornea; multifocal soft contact lenses that alter peripheral focus; and low-dose atropine eye drops, which biochemically signal the eye to slow elongation. Together, these tools empower athletes and parents alike to make informed, proactive decisions about visual health—ensuring not just peak performance today, but lifelong visual stability and safety.

• Myopia (nearsightedness) affects both athletic performance and long-term eye health.
• Even a slight increase in prescription (e.g., 0.50–1.00 diopter) can lower visual performance from elite to average levels.
• Progressive myopia causes the eye to elongate, increasing risks of retinal damage, maculopathy, and cataracts.
• Slowing myopia by just 1 diopter reduces future vision risks by roughly 40%.
• Major risk factors: young age of onset, genetics, prolonged near work, and Asian ethnicity.
• Three proven treatments for controlling progression:

1. Orthokeratology (Ortho-K): Nighttime corneal reshaping lenses.
2. Multifocal soft contacts: Adjust peripheral light focus to limit eye growth.
3. Low-dose atropine drops: Biochemical signal that halts elongation.

• Regular sports vision evaluations are crucial — 20/20 isn’t necessarily “good enough” for elite performance.
• The goal: Correct for...

What can a TV comedy teach us about world-class performance? In this episode, we explore how a single dart scene from Ted Lasso reveals two powerful lessons for athletes and high performers everywhere: a mental framework to stay cool under pressure, and a visual technique used by the best in the world.

Drawing on decades of experience from Dr. Daniel Laby — a specialist who’s worked with elite athletes across MLB, Olympic sports, and more — we break down how mindset + visual precision can give anyone an edge.

You’ll discover why the phrase “Be curious, not judgmental” is more than a clever line, and how the science of the Quiet Eye separates pros from amateurs in darts, golf, basketball, and beyond.

• Curiosity over judgment: Why shifting your mindset transforms pressure into opportunity.
• The cost of judgment: How negative self-talk triggers physiological stress that kills performance.
• The Quiet Eye: A science-backed visual technique that stabilizes focus and improves accuracy.
• Three performance tools: Verbal cues, micro-target precision, and optimal timing.
• Real-world application: How athletes can train these skills and how you can apply them in any domain.

0:00 – 0:45 | Introduction — performance lessons from Ted Lasso’s dart scene

0:46 – 2:05 | Two key lessons: mindset & technique

2:06 – 3:20 | Why judgment kills performance (physiology of fight-or-flight)

3:21 – 4:35 | Curiosity as a diagnostic tool — from golf to team dynamics

4:36 – 5:45 | Transition: Mindset → Technique (introducing the Quiet Eye)

5:46 – 7:05 | Dr. Joan Vickers’ research — what defines the Quiet Eye

7:06 – 8:15 | Ted’s 3 performance tools: verbal cue, precision vision, timing

8:16 – 9:20 | Science-backed evidence: why elites hit more accurately

9:21 – 9:49 | Wrap-up: Mindset + Technique together, final takeaway

Transcript 

Now if you're looking for that edge in performance science, well sometimes you find it in really unexpected places. Today we're actually digging into elite performance, but maybe not from the source you'd expect. We're looking at insights from, believe it or not, a scene in Ted Lasso that dart scene.

Right, exactly. That dart scene. We're combining that with, uh, decades of professional experience to pull out. Two key lessons, one mental, one physical things you can use pretty much instantly to improve focus, whether that's in sports or really any skill that demands it. Yeah, it sounds fun pulling from a TV show, but the foundation here is really solid.

We're leaning heavily on insights from specialists, particularly Dr. Daniel Laby. I mean, this is someone with 30 years. 30 years working hands-on with top tier professional athletes across all kinds of sports. Wow. 30 years. Yeah. So the goal here is basically to take what the absolute best performers learn and, you know, bring it straight to you.

Perfect. Okay, so let's set up that lasso scene just quickly. Season one, Ted's playing darts against Rupert, the antagonist. He's way behind, needs three perfect throws, huge pressure. And the sources we look at, they argue he wins not by luck, but through well real technique in psychology. Mm-hmm. It's a great illustration.

So let's start with a mind game. Ted drops that famous line right before his comeback. Be curious, not judgmental. Okay, great quote. But how does that actually work for winning under pressure? Well, it's more than just a nice phrase, whether Walt Whitman actually said it or not. That's kind of...

In this episode, we explore one of the most fundamental yet misunderstood aspects of human performance: reaction time. We often assume catching a falling object or responding instantly in sport is purely reflexive—but the truth is far more nuanced. Dr. Daniel Laby, with over 30 years of experience working with elite athletes, helps us unpack what reaction time really is, how it’s measured, and what surprising factors influence it.

We begin by breaking down simple reaction time—the fastest see–process–react loop. Unlike complex in-game decisions, simple reaction time involves a preplanned response to a visual cue. While not a mindless reflex, it’s the shortest possible cognitive pathway, critical for everything from driving to high-level sports performance.

The discussion then shifts to how we measure such a fleeting process. From Francis Galton’s 19th-century ruler drop test to modern computerized systems, each method has strengths and flaws. Even today’s tech introduces delays from sensors, software, and display refresh rates, meaning that raw scores often don’t reflect true human biology. Carefully controlled research suggests the most accurate average simple reaction time is about 210 milliseconds.

Dr. Laby’s work also uncovers key influences on reaction speed. Age clearly matters—reaction time slows by about 55 milliseconds per decade—but sex and race show no significant differences. Most surprising is the discovery of a spatial advantage: people may react faster when a stimulus appears on the opposite side of their reacting hand, likely due to how the brain processes cross-hemisphere information.

These insights have implications well beyond sports. From designing safer dashboards and alert systems to tailoring athletic training, understanding the nuances of reaction time could make a measurable difference in both everyday safety and elite performance.

• Simple Reaction Time Defined: A rapid see–process–react loop involving a preplanned response.
• Measuring Challenges: Traditional ruler tests are simple but imprecise; even computers introduce lag.
• Benchmark Speed: True human reaction time is ~210 ms once system delays are accounted for.
• Impact of Age: Reaction time slows about 55 ms per decade, influencing both athletes and daily activities.
• No Sex or Race Effect: Research shows no significant differences in simple reaction time between groups.
• Spatial Advantage: Faster responses can occur when stimuli appear opposite the reacting hand’s side.
• Applications: Insights can optimize training, sports strategies, and even safety systems like driving or emergency alerts.

• 00:00 – 01:10 | Introduction: Why reflexes aren’t as simple as they seem
• 01:10 – 03:00 | Defining simple reaction time: the see–process–react loop
• 03:00 – 04:30 | Measuring reaction time: ruler drop test & early science
• 04:30 – 06:30 | Modern computer tests: hidden delays and biases
• 06:30 – 08:00 | The true benchmark: ~210 milliseconds
• 08:00 – 09:30 | Age and reaction time: slowing by ~55 ms per decade
• 09:30 – 10:45 | Myths debunked: no sex or race differences
• 10:45 – 11:45 | Spatial advantage: faster when reacting across sides
• 11:45 – 12:33 | Implications for sports, safety, and everyday life

 We often just take our reflexes for granted. Don't we like catching something, falling off a table? Absolutely. Split-second stuff....