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,

How has your coaching been going?

Firstly, I know we have a few new readers here so I wanted to welcome you to this newsletter. Be an Elite Coach, Build Elite Athletes! And you define what Elite means to you! Doesn’t always have to mean professional level.

Before we start, this newsletter is about helping you so if you have any topics you want me to address or talk about then hit reply and send me what may help you as a coach!

So in this newsletter, we will address:

1. How to continually develop as a coach when you are busy and importance of this.

2. ACLs and the risk female athletes are at with this horrible injury

Enjoy!

Be an Elite Coach:

Coaches and Trainers, I know you're busy—working late, juggling responsibilities, and sometimes even holding down two jobs.

So, how do you find time to stay on top of your own development and progress as a coach, ensuring you continue to make an impact on those you train?

I get it—this wasn't always high on my priority list either. But now, I make sure to carve out time each week, even just 30 minutes, to keep learning and growing.

The risk of standing still and not developing is greater than the risk of learning something new and implementing it incorrectly. In my experience, the best way to improve is by trying, failing, adapting, and figuring out how new ideas fit your context. This mindset has opened up new avenues and opportunities for me firsthand!

So, how do I make time? What strategies have worked for me?

🎧 Podcasts on the go: Whether in the car or on the move, turning on a podcast or audiobook makes the most of your travel time. It’s a great way to learn without needing to set aside extra time.

📱 Social media: Yes, it has its place! We all spend time scrolling, so why not follow accounts that share valuable content related to what you want to learn? You can pick up new ideas in between the usual memes and posts.

🗣️ Conversations: This has been the most impactful strategy for me. Whether in person or online, talking to others opens doors to insights you might never discover on your own. A strong network can provide a sounding board for new ideas, opportunities to collaborate (like partnering on a workshop), and even career progression when you build trust within your industry.

📬 Newsletters: 😉 Short reads can spark new thoughts and give you quick wins you can implement right away.

🤝 Join a mentoring program and be part of a community: Research shows that surrounding yourself with successful, like-minded, and progressive people significantly impacts your growth. In contrast, being alone or around people who are content with staying still can hold you back. Also follow the path of someone who has been on that journey and is on your side also to succeed.

If any of this has resonated with you then hit reply and let me know! I do have a couple of spaces left on my mentoring programme starting soon if you are interested in ending the year strong in your development! Let me know by replying and let’s have a chat! Don’t sit still!

Now, here is a new topic or information you need to know if you work with female athletes/clients!

Build Elite Athletes:

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries in Female Athletes

ACL injuries are a significant concern for female athletes, with research showing that they are two to eight times more likely to sustain such injuries compared to their male counterparts (Prodromos et al., 2007; Joseph et al., 2013; Orthop, 2016). The risk of reinjury or injuring the opposite limb is also higher, with studies indicating a more than 20% likelihood of recurrence (Patel et al., 2021). ACL injuries can sideline athletes for nine months or more, and some may never fully regain their pre-injury performance levels.

The ACL is crucial for stabilising the knee joint during dynamic movements such as cutting, pivoting, jumping, rotating and landing. These actions are common across many sports, including tennis, golf, football and cricket.

Female athletes are more prone to ACL injuries due to a combination of anatomical, hormonal, and biomechanical factors (Ireland, 2002; Wojtys et al., 2002). Anatomically, a wider pelvis results in a greater knee angle (Q angle), increasing stress on the ACL. Hormonal fluctuations, particularly involving estrogen, can affect ligament laxity and strength. Biomechanically, women often land from jumps with less knee flexion and greater inward knee collapse (valgus), further elevating the risk.

In sport, the risk is particularly high during high intensity actions. For example in cricket, fast bowlers generate significant force (up to x10 bodyweight of force) through their knees during delivery, and tennis players/footballers are at risk during quick directional changes, dives, and jumps.

Strength and conditioning programs focusing on lower limb strength, neuromuscular control, and proprioception can help prevent ACL injuries (Hamon & Ireland, 2000).

Emphasising proper landing techniques, agility drills, trunk and glute strengthening, and plyometrics is beneficial.

Early coaching that prioritises physical literacy and movement competency is crucial as the sport becomes more intense.

Educating athletes and coaches on prehabilitation and consistent warm-up routines can also play a pivotal role in reducing ACL injury rates.

Understanding these factors and implementing targeted prevention strategies are essential to protect female athletes from ACL injuries, ensuring their longevity and success in sports/fitness.

Need help or support in taking your coaching to the next level? Hit reply and get in touch and let’s have a chat!

Speak soon,

Isaac 🙂 

Click here to see my latest podcast out this week on all things running drills!

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