Women in League role model: Jess Adams

Among an array of talented, trailblazing ladies helping drive the Sharks to success is NRL sport scientist Jess Adams, who this week has been honoured as the club's Women in League role model.

Humble and hard-working, Jess was named the 2023 Andrew Ettingshausen Club Person of the Year and brings significant value to the football program.

Ahead of Saturday night's clash with the Rabbitohs, Sharks Media caught up with Jess to discuss the ins and outs of her intriguing and crucial position, how she got her start in the sporting industry and what Women in League Round means to her.

Q&A: Jess Adams

Sharks Media: What does your day-to-day role involve?

Jess Adams: In a nutshell, I collect a lot of data from different sources, and use it to make sure that the boys are prepared as best they can going into a game. This might include helping the physios out with testing, the S&C coaches with benchmarking, our Head of Performance with training loading/session planning, and the coaches with insights into the game. Collecting the data is just the first part of the story. You then need to present it to players and staff in a way that is interesting and will either influence decisions, or at the very minimum start conversations.

How did you get into the industry and land at the Sharks?

Sport was my thing growing up, and I was always trying to figure out how I could work in sport, but I was never able to see a clear career path. I wasn't talented enough to be an athlete, I didn't fancy becoming a physio, and working in a gym was never going to be for me. I finally decided on becoming a sports lawyer and was midway through my law degree at uni when I heard about this job called a sport scientist. The more I learnt about what a sport scientist does, the more it sounded like my dream job. I transferred degrees and started interning with various institutions and clubs. I eventually started interning at the Sharks in 2016 and became the Academy Sport Scientist at the Sharks in 2018. I moved away for a couple of years but was lucky enough to come home in the 2023 season in my current role as the Manager of Sport Science and Innovation at the Sharks.

What does it mean to work for an organisation like the Sharks?

It means everything. Before working at the Sharks, I didn't know it was possible to love a job so much. I am only in my second year in a full-time role with the club, and from the day I started everyone was just so welcoming and inclusive. Fitz (NRL Head Coach Craig Fitzgibbon), Moons (General Manager Football Darren Mooney) and Pickles (High Performance Manager Nathan Pickworth) have created this incredible environment where there is a genuine connection with everyone, and every day I walk through the gates excited to see all the boys and the staff. It really is a special group, and it certainly makes the long grind of a football season easier when you have complete trust in everyone you work with, and thoroughly enjoy their company and spending time with them.

What are the most enjoyable aspects of your job?

I love the competitiveness of it all. There is the constant challenge of striving to improve, and to bring the best version of you to the club. The players and staff are also absolutely elite and excel at what they do, so it is a privilege to be able to work with people of that calibre.

What does Women in League Round mean to you?

I wouldn't be where I am today without some incredible women in my life. My Mum and sister Becky are two of the most amazing women you could ever meet, and they always know what to say to keep me grounded when things aren't going to plan. And my Grandma and Nanna were two of my biggest supporters, and encouraged me to chase my dream of becoming a sport scientist. I am the one who gets to work in the NRL, but I wouldn't be where I am today without them, so getting the opportunity to recognise and thank them is very special.

Any words of advice for other women looking to work in rugby league?

If you want to work in rugby league, you have to be willing to give it your all. Say yes to every opportunity, get experience wherever possible, and pick the brains of every person you come across. It took me four years of interning before I got my first opportunity to work as the Academy Sport Scientist at the Sharks, and another two years before I became an NRL sport scientist. It was really hard to get to where I am now – there were lots of very late nights, super early mornings, power naps in parked cars, and way too much tuna on rice – but I wouldn't change any of it for the world.

Are there any other women you'd like to shout out for their contributions to the club?

There are so many super talented and hard-working women at the Sharks. Caity Edmonds, our dietician, and Jess Ciccia, our Game Day and Content Manager, always go above and beyond for this club and the boys, and I am so lucky to work with both. Chantae Toner and Molly Wells are also interning in our High Performance Department this year, and their commitment to the club has been second to none. I see very bright futures for both of them and it is so exciting to see them realising their potential.