The Coach Doctor Podcast

In this episode I talk with Rama Chand. Rama is the Director of Rugby Development at the Georgian Rugby Union. Previous to that Rama worked in multiple roles with Rugby Australia from Participation Pathway Manager and in Coach Education. He has held coaching roles with the Queensland Reds Super W team and the Queensland Reds Academy and many other teams along the way. He also has a degree in sports studies with the University of Auckland in New Zealand. In the episode we discuss Rama's role in Georgia and the process of moving across the world with a young family, to a country where you do not speak the language. We discuss coaching roles and the importance of understanding your expectations. We also look at the changing role of the coach - both from a pathway or developmental approach and also the changes in the role over the course of time since sport has become more professional.

In this episode, I talk with Amy Shepherd. Amy is the current head coach and football development officer at the Sydney University Soccer Football Club. She is originally from Cambridgeshire England and has experience coaching with Norwich City in their regional development program, Watford FC women’s as well as coaching in New Jersey in the USA. She is now making her mark in Australia working across youth and senior women’s football. We discuss the use of games and constraints based coaching and discuss the importance of individual development plans along with team training. Amy's leadership and experience at the Sydney University Soccer Football Club is highly valued with the club claiming four straight premierships in the senior Womens NPL1 competition between 2018 and 2022 and their youth program being one of the best football programs in Australia feeding into the senior program. They also have qualified for the finals in every youth team in 2023 which speaks volumes for their youth development program.

In this episode I talk with Lee Addison owner of the online coaching website www.rugbyleaguecoach.com.au This website has rapidly become the biggest online rugby league coaching resource in the world! It’s a modern textbook for coaches, players and S&C coaches, with videos and PDFs giving tips and guidance, a bit like a Netflix but for Rugby League. It includes the Aim Higher program which is a clinic roadshow delivering elite level coaching to those most in need. In the conversation Lee discusses his coaching experience, professional development and his work in the online coaching world.

In this episode I speak with Dr Dianne Huxley who is the national performance pathways lead at Athletics Australia. She has a career in coaching and coach development spanning for over 30 years and has experience coaching from the grassroots to the Olympic level in Track and Field. Like many of my guests Di has taken on additional learning despite the experience she already held. We met at the University of Sydney where she completed her Masters in Coaching and subsequently went on to compete a PhD. Her research has focused on elite junior and senior development pathways. For more information or access to her research you can contact Di through LinkedIn under the name Dianne Huxley.

In this episode I speak with Dr Anthea Clarke and Dan Hawke.Dr Anthea Clarke is a senior lecturer in sport and exercise science at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. She has an extensive list of publications in sports science with a large number focusing specifically on female athletes. More recently she has developed a short course for coaches of female athletes called “Supporting the Female Athlete” which is a must for any coach of female athletes. Link to the course below:https://www.latrobe.edu.au/courses/short-courses/supporting-the-female-athleteDan Hawke is the former coach of the ACT Brumbies Super W Rugby team, he recently wrote a coaching paper on the challenges of coaching females as a male coach and I was really impressed with his honesty in addressing some really difficult subjects. This conversation addressed questions that coaches may have when coaching female athletes and with the rise of womens sport especially in the football codes it is a very timely conversation.I am also really excited to announce that Anthea will be speaking at the Business and Development of Women’s Football conference that we will be hosting at the university of Sydney in July August coinciding with the FIFA Women’s Football World Cup. If you are interested in Women’s sport this will be a great event to attend.For information on this event follow us on LinkedIn: @The Business and Development of Women's Football Conference For more information on Correct the Internet see: https://www.correcttheinternet.com/

In this episode I speak with Dr Balin Cupples. Balin is the current Head of Performance at the One New Zealand Warriors National Rugby League team. Balin talks about his career moving from a youth development coach into the National Rugby League and the learnings he took along the way. We discuss his background from his Masters of Sports Coaching education to his PhD research at the University of Sydney. We also discuss balancing a career in professional sport with family commitments. Balin gives us his thoughts on what qualities stand out in the head coaches he has worked with over a 9-year career in the NRL.This episode was recorded late 2022 in the preseason to the 2023 season and since recording the Warriors have gone on to record their best start in the NRL for a long time.

Today’s guest is Professor Nicola Hodges, she is the Director of the Motor Skills Laboratory, within the School of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Nicola’s field of research is in Behavioural Science, Motor control and Learning, and Sport Psychology. She has over 150 published journal articles, book chapters and edited books and has been cited over 7000 times by other academics including myself. She is considered an expert in the field of skill acquisition and examines practice variables, such as demonstrations, instructions, feedback and practice organization, and investigates their impact on motor learning and transfer. She also studies expert athletes, particularly to do with deliberate practice and talent development pathways and processes underpinning perceptual skills. Her most recent publication “An extended challenge-based framework for practice design in sports coaching” is the basis of our discussion today and I am really looking forward to getting down to the nuts and bolts of what challenge based coaching looks like.For more information on Professor Hodges research you can follow her on twitter @kin_msl_ubc or check the Motor Skills Lab website: https://msl.kin.educ.ubc.ca/home

On this episode I talk with England Rugby Union fullback Mike Brown. Mike has 72 appearances for England and 351 appearances for his former premiership club Harlequins as well as a handful of games for the Newcastle Falcons. Most recently Mike represented and Captained the Barbarians in a series of games coached by Crusaders coach Scott Razor Robertson. We talk about Mike's transition into reitrement and his career development after rugby. We discuss some of the coaches that left a mark on his career and why communication and connection can be so important in high performance sport.

Courtney Brackenrig is a recent graduate working in the sports science field and former elite athlete with the Australian Institute of Sport. We discuss her educational pathway, her experiences as an athlete and the importance of volunteering to create opportunities within the industry. Courtney also discusses how she continues to learn from a range of mentors and the importance of balance in the industry to ensure you do not burn out. To contact Courtney you can find her on:LinkedIn @courtney brackenrigInstagram @biofueled Email info.biofueled@gmail.com

In this episode I talk to Ben Darwin from Gain Line Analytics. Ben is a former Wallabies and ACT Brumbies Prop who played during a very successful era for Australian Rugby. Since retiring due to injury Ben has gone on to coach in the Shute Shield, Super Rugby and the Japanese Top League before forging a career for himself in cohesion analytics. Ben breaks down what cohesion in the team setting is and provides a detailed explanation into how and why cohesion may be the next "Money Ball" of team sports. For more information on what Gain Line Analytics do you can use the following links:Website: http://www.gainline.biz/Twitter: @GLAnalyticsLinkedIn: Gain Line Analytics or @Ben DarwinGold Digger: The Search for Australian Rugby (official trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dttG_dSi6uEThe rise and decline of Australian Rugby Union - EXPLAINED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWLbaYHlI9w

In this episode I talk to Reuben Williams and Ryan Walker from Sports Grad, if you’re not sure who these guys are then check out "the Sportsgrad Podcast" the number 1 careers podcast on itunes and you will find them helping people getting jobs in sport. I thought this conversation would be a great way to help coaches and performance staff develop their careers and opportunities in sport by taking on the top 8 steps that Reuben and Ryan recommend for getting your dream job. We discuss tips for networking and using social media to put yourself out there. If you are looking to make sport your career then this is the episode for you. You can find more information via the links below:Website: www.sportsgrad.com.auInstagram: @sportsgradTwitter: @sportsgradLinkedIn: @Reuben Williams and @ Ryan Walker and @SportsgradPodcast: https://www.sportsgrad.com.au/podcast

In this episode I speak with Grant Doorey. Grant is a career coach who has spent over 25 years in professional coaching and coached at 4 rugby world cups, the French top 14, the English premiership and Super Rugby to name a few. Grant discusses his journey and some of the learnings along the way. We discuss coaching across three different continents and cultures, language barriers and the sacrifices that elite coaching involves. There is a lot for aspiring coaches to learn from this conversation. If you would like to get in contact with Grant he is easily contacted on LinkedIn under his name: Grant Doorey

Greg is a coach at the community level in Rugby Union and he really wants to help community coaches develop by sharing his thoughts and opinions around coaching at this level of the game. Some of the issues community coaches have to deal with is player availability, player work commitments, finding volunteers to assist with running grassroots clubs, opportunities for professional development plus many more other aspects that we discuss.

In this episode I talk to Dr Mitch Hewitt, who is the National Youth Programs Manager at Tennis Australia. Mitch completed his PhD at the University of Southern Queensland and studied the teaching styles of tennis coaches in Australia using the Spectrum of Teaching Styles as the theoretical framework for his research. He has published multiple papers and presented at many Coaching and Physical Education conferences and more recently been a co-author on the book The Spectrum of Coaching Styles. In this episode we discuss how to implement some of the coaching styles on the spectrum and discuss their roles in coaching at all levels from foundation to elite. To view the full video of Koko's Arendelle Home Court Tennis go to the link: https://cdnapisec.kaltura.com/index.php/extwidget/preview/partner_id/2113881/uiconf_id/45477432/entry_id/0_hvkfcb7j/embed/dynamicIf you would like more information or to connect with Mitch you can find him via his LinkedIn page under the name: Dr Mitch Hewitt (A/Prof. University of Canberra) PhD MEd BAppSci HumanMovement(Hons)GradDipEd(PE)BA

Kyle is the owner of The Coaching Gig, a business that specializes in coach development and coach education. Kyle has worked with multiple sports organisations across New Zealand and Australia and his mantra is to help 'people thrive on and off the field.' He is also a bit of a musician playing the guitar, drums and piano as well as being able to sing very well. This interview definitely brought up a few issues in coaching worth thinking about in more depth for me. The future of coaching courses and the role social media has in coach development.The way we develop both coaches and athletes.How we can deliver better coaching at the grassroots level.If you would like to know more about Kyle and The Coaching Gig you can find him via the following links:Website www.thecoachinggig.comLinkedIn: Kyle McLeanPodcast: The Coaching Gig on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

On this episode I talk to Associate Professor Kate Pumpa. Kate is a lecturer and researcher in the fields of exercise physiology and sports nutrition at the University of Canberra. She is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and Advanced Accredited Sports Dietitian. Kate completed her PhD at the Australian Institute of Sport in 2008 and has been working as a sports dietician practitioner for almost 15 years. Like many of us in the sports industry, she began by volunteering as a sports dietician for local AFL club. Following this, she was given a role with Leinster Rugby Club in Dublin, Ireland before returning home to work with the Australia’s most successful Super Rugby Franchise the ACT Brumbies. Kate is now the performance dietitian for the Australian Rugby Union working across all teams from Junior Wallabies, Wallaroos and Rugby Sevens. Kate's primary research interests include utilising technology to monitor energy expenditure during exercise, nutrition interventions to enhance performance, and physiological performance preparation and recovery. She is a Fellow of Exercise & Sports Science Australia, an Associate Editor for the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, and on the editorial board for the journal Nutrients.If you would like to find more out about Kate you can find her on LinkedIn under her name Kate Pumpa

This week I speak with Dave Reynolds who is in charge of Coach Development in the South Australian National Football League. Dave was recommended to me from Professor Shane Pill as an absolutely brilliant coach development practitioner and he has not let me down. Dave is a passionate coach developer aiming to implement and improve coaching on a number of levels in his beloved sport of Australian Rules Football. He has a passion for developing female coaching talent in the state and is also a part of the newly formed AFLW Port Adelaide coaching staff. Dave talks about how he provides feedback to coaches in a constructive and effective manner and we discuss the three P’s of coaching – Pedagogy, playing and the people. We discuss the 6 big rocks Dave feels need to be improved in community coaching and chat about the differences in the developmental needs of beginner, intermediate and advanced coaches. For me the conversation about the need for junior AFL coaches to move their mindset from winning only and using tactics for success that do not necessarily develop players to one that is more focused on player development is a pertinent one that I believe a lot of sports are dealing with. The end goal for development coaches should be just that development. It’s an interesting topic that I am sure would create a lot of debate. I love Dave’s idea about developing communities of coaches where you can bounce ideas off other coaches & share thoughts, views and opinions on trends in coaching. As we say to the kids sharing is caring and if we really care about the future of our sports we need to embrace sharing. We can also learn a lot from other coaches in other sports and having mentors outside of your own sport is something that could help you grow as a coach. If you’d like to contact Dave he is active on LinkedIn under his name Dave Reynolds or via Twitter under @Dave_Reno516.

Professor Chris Cushion is currently the head of coaching at England Netball and a professor of coaching and pedagogy at the famous Loughborough university in England. When it comes to the coaching environment, practice and coach behaviours Chris is one of the most prominent researchers in this space with over 100 publications and over 8000 citations from other authors and researchers. One of the things that sets Chris apart from a lot of his peers is that he has also had an exceptional coaching practitioner career in football as well as his distinguished career in academia and this ability to have what is effectively a foot in both camps helps with bringing research to life in practical settings. In this episode I want to talk to Chris about both his practical experiences and his research and how he and other coaches can effectively combine research in their practice. I felt like there was some really valuable coaching advice from Professor Chris Cushion in this episode. For me the use of questioning and how to apply it was gold for me. I know as coaches we often discuss the importance of questioning, however applying it and following it up with further practice to initiate a change in behaviour is vital. As coaches its also really important to schedule questions and into your coaching program – you can prepare these before the session to pre-empt learning situations rather than make things up as you go. Secondly I really learnt a lot around Chris’s discussion on feedback – knowing the best times to use feedback, how to apply it effectively and what you are trying to achieve. Finally thinking outside the square and using other teaching and learning strategies from educational research can enhance your coaching. As learning theories can certainly be applied to coaching to enhance athlete learning. Rosenshine’s principles of instruction could be a great place to start if this is of any interest and can be accessed by a google search. I hope you enjoyed the discussion with Professor Chris Cushion, he is an absolute legend of coaching research. If you would like to follow Chris he is active on: Twitter: @Coachc1 LinkedIn: Chris Cushion

In this episode I speak with one of the masters of sports development and coach research Professor Jean Côté. Professor Côté is a member of the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University in Kingston (Canada). His research interests are in the areas of children in sport, coaching, positive youth development, and sport expertise. Professor Côté has published more than 130 research articles on a variety of sport psychology and coaching topics as well as publishing 50 book chapters. His work is among the most widely cited in academic sports literature. Throughout the podcast we discussed some areas of his research that applied specifically to coaching. These included:-The role of deliberate play vs deliberate practice-Why sampling and diversification in sport may be necessary in the developmental years-The role of parents in sport -Transformational coaching -And Professor Côté's very own Developmental model of sports participation Jean’s discussion about transformational coaching really highlighted what some other guests have also said in terms of coaching the person first. The amount of research Jean and his colleagues have performed in the area definitely supports this idea and for a coach at any level I think it is such an important part of your coaching to develop. As a believer of games based learning I really liked the way Jean compared deliberate practice with deliberate play and how deliberate play can be so rewarding and effective for young athletes. We as coaches tend to overcoach and over drill through deliberate practice – as jean said we need to remember kids sport is for kids don’t try coaching them like adults. And finally the ideas Jean discussed around sampling and diversification in sport not just sampling a variety of sports but also having a diversity of experiences within one sort of sport can be so important for developing athletes skills.To follow Professor Jean Côté on twitter search for @JeanCote46 For 20% off at Elite Performance Journal's use the code "coachdoctor"

In this episode I talk with Dave Diggle. Dave is a veteran of the sporting arena with over 40 years of competitive and hands-on experience at the top level.He represented Great Britain as a Gymnast and now works with the next generation of elite performers across a range of both team sports and individual sports, ranging from rugby union to car racing.With a background as a high-performance coach, Dave turned his attention to the mental performance and psychological battles that coaches, athletes and their support networks face in the competitive environment. These days Dave plys his trade with the Wallabies, Australia’s national rugby team and I was lucky enough to catch up with him before they face his native England in a three-test series down under. To connect with Dave or find out more about what he offers you can find all of his contact details on his business website: https://www.smartmind.com/