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,

Today’s newsletter is about what time and commitment do you need to become an “elite” coach or athlete.

Time is a barrier for us all in some way but it’s how we adapt, be direct with our time and prioritise things that will determine how much time will affect us.

But we all want to be the best version of ourselves and get our athletes to the top of their game. So how much time and dedication do you need to become “elite”.

I will break that down with some thought provoking pieces and how I have tackled time as a factor for myself as a coach or the athletes I coach.

Be an Elite Coach:

I was lucky enough to coach Strength and Conditioning (S&C) full-time for seven years, but I know how hard it can be to continue developing as a coach while juggling another job, studying, and other commitments. This is something I experienced during my training to become a professional S&C coach.

When I was a young, developing S&C coach, I had to balance studying alongside working another job. My schedule was pretty busy, but I knew I wanted to be the best S&C coach I could be and aimed to reach the top.

With limited time, I had to be efficient and effective in my decision-making regarding what I needed to do to progress as a coach. I had to decide: Who do I speak to? What courses should I take? What should I read?

Since setting up my new business in the last six months, I have followed a similar strategy in targeting how to reach my goals as quickly as possible. I have come to call this strategy the “Straight Line Approach.” It’s the quickest path from point A to point B, the fastest way to progress from a developing, aspiring coach to my version of "elite."

So how does this apply to you?

I am sure you, as a sports coach, want to continue to develop and be the best coach you can be, whether that’s to have a greater impact on your athletes, earn more money, or diversify your skills.

You need to be decisive with your time!

Pick the right course to fill gaps in your knowledge. Speak to a coach or mentor who can accelerate your progress to the next level. Swap that two-hour TV slot for time to listen to a podcast or read a book on a topic you’ve been wanting to learn more about.

It’s your decision how you reach your "elite," not other people's.

Hit reply if you feel I could fill a gap and help you take that next step in your coaching!

Build Elite Athletes:

Can you build an elite athlete in the time you have with them each week? Will one or two hours a week allow them to develop in their sport? Time is often a constraint for athletes and coaches due to other commitments, travel, and more. I would argue that one or two hours a week isn’t enough to take an athlete to the next level. By the time the athlete comes back the next week, they will likely have forgotten what they were doing in the previous session, bringing you back to square one.

So, how can you provide more contact time with your athletes?

As a busy coach, you cannot be in two places at once to reach all your athletes multiple times a week. One strategy that has worked well for me is providing a program or session for them to do on their own at home. If you are coaching them effectively, they should be picking up cues and drills and feeling confident to perform them, understanding the purpose, in their own homes.

Let’s say you want to get your athletes stronger. One session a week may provide some initial benefits, but eventually, progress will plateau. Strength training suggests that two to three sessions a week of effective training will lead to significant strength adaptations, allowing the athlete to generate more force and become stronger. To achieve this, I have provided athletes with home-based strength sessions using exercises they can do at home with minimal or no equipment, making it practical for every athlete. We also held a group session online, which was well-received, as everyone enjoyed seeing each other. After a block of six weeks of remote training, we tested our athletes and saw surprising results. They were jumping higher, moving faster, and reported feeling stronger. It’s a win-win situation as you are developing your athletes to reach that “elite” level without losing valuable time when you see them in person.

Consider how you could provide remote-based training for your athletes to complement the sessions you conduct in person. This could include technical, physical, tactical, or mental training, or any other aspect you deem important. Encourage them to be athletes both inside and outside of training sessions.

I will break more down on what a “strength” based session may look like and how you can get your athletes stronger in a future newsletter.

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

Speak soon,

Isaac :)

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