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,

This one is an important one!

Also after you have read this newsletter, check one of my podcasts out with Head S&C Cardiff Rugby which shows more on what you are going to read!

Most Coaches Are Getting This Wrong… Are You?

For years, sports coaches have been told that athleticism is separate from skill development.

That if you want your players to be faster, stronger, and more resilient, you need:
❌ Extra gym sessions.
❌ More ‘fitness blocks’ in training.
❌ Expensive equipment and sports science degrees.

But here’s the truth: The best coaches don’t add more. They coach smarter.

And right now, athletes need smarter coaching more than ever.

🏠 Kids move less than ever before.
🏃 They specialise too early, limiting movement variety.
🤕 Injuries are skyrocketing because their bodies can’t keep up.

Yet, most coaches still separate ‘fitness’ from sport, instead of integrating it into every session.

It’s time to rethink how we develop players.

Case Study: The U14 Team That Transformed in 3 Weeks

Three weeks ago, a sports coach I work with ditched the traditional warm-up.

No slow jogging. No static stretching.

Instead, he switched to tag-based agility drills, explosive jumping games, and reactive sprint races.

The result?

⚡ His athletes started moving sharper, changing direction faster, and covering more ground in games.
💡 His team’s intensity skyrocketed, even in the final 10 minutes of matches.
❌ And not one player complained about fitness work—it was just part of the fun.

This isn’t luck. It’s smart coaching.

Here’s how you can do the same.

The 3-Step Framework for Building Better Movers—Inside Your Sessions

You don’t need more time, a gym, or a sports science degree to develop faster, more powerful, injury-resistant players.

You just need to make three small changes to how you coach.

🔥 1️⃣ Games-Based Warm-Ups Instead of Slow Jogging

Let’s be honest—players hate jogging warm-ups. And they don’t even prepare them for the game.

🔹 Replace boring jogs with reaction-based games like:
✅ Tag variations (forces acceleration & agility).
✅ Mirror drills (improves reaction speed).
✅ Sprint races with changes of direction (game-realistic explosiveness).

💡 Why it works: A 2023 study found that reaction-based warm-ups improve agility and speed more than traditional warm-ups—and players actually enjoy them.

The best part? They don’t even realise they’re training.

🔥 2️⃣ Jumping & Landing Drills for Power & Injury Prevention

Coaches spend hours working on technique, but if a player isn’t strong enough to execute under pressure, it doesn’t matter.

Building explosive movement starts with jumping and landing mechanics.

🔹 In every session, include:
✅ Bounding drills (teaches single-leg power for sprinting).
✅ Jump-land-stick exercises (prevents knee injuries).
✅ Quick rebounding hops (improves agility and acceleration).

💡 Why it matters: Young players today lack lower-body strength, making them more prone to injuries like ACL tears. But a few well-placed explosive drills can change that fast.

🔥 3️⃣ Make Agility Part of Your Drills, Not a Separate ‘Fitness’ Block

Coaches still make one critical mistake: separating ‘fitness’ from football training.

Instead of forcing extra running, bake speed, endurance, and agility into every drill.

🔹 Try this:
✅ Use small-sided games with constraints (shortens decision time & increases work rate).
✅ Create direction-change challenges (forces quick footwork & balance).
✅ Add a chase element to passing drills (turns ‘fitness’ into fun).

The Coaches Who Win—And The Coaches Who Lose

The best coaches aren’t the ones with the most drills.

They’re the ones who know how to blend skill, athleticism, and fun into every session.

Because here’s the thing:

📢 If you don’t develop athleticism inside your training, no one else will.

📢 If you don’t prepare their bodies for the game, you’re setting them up for failure.

So, let me ask you:

🔹 Are you coaching like it’s 2005, separating ‘fitness’ from sport?
🔹 Or are you evolving, preparing your athletes for the real demands of the modern game?

Your Turn—Let's Talk

🚀 What’s one movement-based drill you use in your sessions?
⚡ Have you noticed athletes struggling more with agility, speed, or endurance?
🔥 What’s one thing you’ll change in your next session after reading this?

Hit ‘Reply’ and drop your thoughts—I’ll personally respond with a movement-based drill you can use straight away.

Let’s build stronger, faster, smarter athletes—together.

Speak soon,

Isaac 🙂 

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