Be an Elite Coach, Build Elite Athletes

Things to develop your coaching and have a greater impact on your athletes. You define what your “elite” is!

By Isaac Leung, Athletic Skills

Hey reader,

I just wanted to reintroduce myself and why I’m passionate about helping Sports Coaches and show you how you can be an Elite Coach to create Elite Athletes.

Elite can be defined by whatever you feel is appropriate for you. Elite may be to be the best coach delivering highly quality coaching. Elite may also be a lifestyle you want to coach alongside your life and work and follow your passion. Elite could be earning more through your passion and impacting more athletes. Elite could just be being the best coach you can be and serve your community.

I have worked with lots of coaches, some in the professional level through to grassroots. What is common for all is their passion and love for helping athletes develop and be their best. And that is what I am passionate about for you. To be your best and be elite!

Below I will share my journey to being my version of Elite Coach and how I have helped develop Elite Athletes!

Be an Elite Coach:

My coaching journey began during my degree at Leeds Beckett University. While studying Sport and Exercise Science, I discovered a Strength and Conditioning module that piqued my interest. Already holding a qualification in personal training, I saw a clear connection between helping athletes physically develop and enhancing their performance, merging my love for sport with my passion for fitness.

Through networking and conversations, I was fortunate to secure an internship at Yorkshire Cricket Club as a Strength and Conditioning coach. This opportunity marked the beginning of a seven-year journey at the club. While pursuing my master's degree, I transitioned into an Assistant Coach role, supporting the men's first team and academy. When the women's game became professional in 2020, I led the Strength and Conditioning department, overseeing the women's professional team, academy, and grassroots development across Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland.

Throughout my coaching career, I interacted with numerous coaches and practitioners from various fields, building a network and learning from others. Cricket is a highly collaborative sport, with staff frequently sharing information and knowledge across teams, reinforcing the value of communication and connection.

I also connected with many sports coaches working at the pathway or grassroots level. They often expressed challenges in improving their athletes' movement, unsure of how to begin addressing these issues. Recognizing their struggles and my limited capacity to attend every session, I felt compelled to find a way to help. This drive led me to create "Athletic Skills."

In the summer of 2023, I decided to leave my role and establish my own business, Athletic Skills. This venture aims to support coaches by enhancing their ability to improve athletes' movement and physical development through education and mentoring. By doing so, coaches can develop their skills, distinguish themselves in a competitive market, and increase their income by delivering more sessions.

Athletic Skills is dedicated to showing sports coaches how to become elite by combining fundamental movement coaching with high-quality technical instruction, ultimately impacting athletes' physical development and overall performance.

This could be you…..

Build Elite Athletes:

Elite athletes don’t necessarily play at the highest level of their sport. Being elite isn’t always synonymous with being the gold standard. Elite can mean mastering the basics on and off the pitch and living a fulfilling life. For youth athletes, it might mean using sport and fitness as a foundation for a healthy lifestyle.

As an S&C coach, I was a strong advocate for not only enhancing athletes' performance but also their knowledge and confidence off the pitch. This was especially true for the female and young athletes I coached. One of my core philosophies was educating them on the importance of health and fitness for both general life and sport. Not all athletes achieve a full-time professional career, and sports can be short-lived, so it's crucial they gain the confidence and understanding necessary for a healthy life. They should feel comfortable stepping into a gym or running on the streets, confident that they’re doing the right things.

A significant motivator for creating Athletic Skills was my experience in the academy, where I encountered 16-year-old boys and girls who didn’t know how to squat, run, jump, land, or crawl. These fundamental movements are essential not only for performance but also for remaining robust and injury-free. I wondered how I could expose these athletes to fundamental movements at a younger age so that by the time they reached the academy, they would have a solid understanding and be ready to progress to more complex actions, preparing them for the senior level.

I’m sure you can resonate with these anecdotes and envision what an “elite” athlete looks like to you. As a sports coach, you have a significant impact on your athletes in this area. Sometimes, you just need a nudge in the right direction to reach that stage, and it’s closer than you think!

Need help? Reply to this email and tell me your story...

Speak soon,

Isaac 🙂 

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