PORT ADELAIDE’s Head of High Performance Ian McKeown has announced he will depart the club at the end of the season.
McKeown confirmed to players and coaches on Wednesday that he would end his association with Port Adelaide after nine seasons at the end of the 2021 campaign.
Initially brought to the club in 2013 to be the Head of Athletic Development, McKeown, who holds a PhD in Strength and Conditioning, was elevated into his current role in 2017 following a global search.
Originally from County Down in Northern Ireland, McKeown had previously worked in a number of professional sports and with elite athletes across the world.
He says after 12 years in Australia, he intends to spend some time with his wife Kristie and son Jack to consider his next move.
“The timing is right for us as a family to take a break together and decide what our next adventure is,” McKeown said.
“I’d like to thank everyone around the club for making my time as memorable as it has been. I’ve been incredibly fortunate in the roles I’ve had with Port Adelaide; I’ve been able to work with the world’s best practitioners, a phenomenal playing group, and a great group of coaches.
“It has been an absolute privilege and I leave with life-long friendships that I will cherish wherever the journey takes us from here.”
General Manager – Football, Chris Davies said McKeown had been key to the club’s on-field improvement since his arrival and he would be missed.
“Ian arrived at the club in November 2012 and has brought excitement, energy and expertise to our program for every day since. He has been a key driver of our improvement on-field through our training and recovery standards, which have been there for all to see,” Davies said.
“At the end of 2017, his work was rewarded with elevation to the position of Head of High Performance. He adapted to the role very quickly and made it his own, both in setting our program and in his management of our high-performance staff.
“Simply put, Ian McKeown is a world-class high-performance practitioner. We’ll miss him, along with Kristie and Jack, but wish them all the best for their next steps.”
The club will commence a process to recruit McKeown’s replacement in the coming days.
