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,

Just quickly following on from my previous newsletter on Long Term athletic Development Models, I wanted to share some cool research articles that have played a big part in my coaching knowledge.

Give these a read and I am sure you will get takeaways for your coaching!

Click here for the last newsletter in case you missed it.

1. Developing Athletic Motor Skill Competencies in Youth

2. Long-Term Athletic Development- Part 1 A Pathway for All Youth

Step 1: Profile / Analyse - You have to understand what is going on and what you need to coach. Also who is the athlete? What demands do they in their sport and role?

Step 2: Coach - Time to make an impact on what you have discovered. Use drills, coaching cues and develop their movement.

Step 3: Review and Reflect - Review them back in sprinting and performing in their sport. Has it made an impact?

Step 4: Repeat Step 1 - Time to reassess. Have they improved? What else has changed or needs work in next?

Now here is an example from my coaching.

Step 1: Profile and Analyse

Before you can coach effectively, you need to know what you’re coaching for.

A solid understanding of your athlete’s needs is essential. Start by profiling both the athlete and the specific demands of their sport. Are they a fast bowler in cricket, a midfielder in football, or a rugby winger or just a general athlete wanting to get faster? Each role requires different types of speed and movement patterns. Assess their starting mechanics, strengths, and areas for improvement.

• Example Actions: Observe them in action, record sprint footage, and assess their agility and acceleration. If they’re a cricketer, look at fast turning between the wickets. For a rugby winger, focus on acceleration and dodging drills.

• Tracking Tip: Note down their initial sprint times and agility scores. Tracking these metrics over time helps you measure progress. Use 20-40m sprints, T tests or drills similar to your sporting demands that are reliable and valid.

Step 2: Coach for Impact

Once you know what they need, it’s time to deliver tailored training.

With a clear profile in hand, focus on drills, coaching cues, and movement work to target specific needs. Use coaching drills, plyometric exercises, and tailored sprint drills to develop their power and speed. Coaching cues internally and externally can help your athletes understand the finer points of movement and posture.

• Example Actions: Set up drills that mirror game situations. Use cues like “drive your knees up,” “explode off the balls of your feet,” or “stay low.” Use objects for them to hold or run through for visual feedback.

• Feedback Opportunity: Check in with your athlete—do they feel faster or smoother? Their feedback helps you adjust your cues and drills as needed. Film these drills and observe.

Step 3: Review and Reflect

Measure progress to ensure your coaching is on target.

After consistent training, it’s time to review your athlete’s progress in a real-world setting. Are they sprinting faster? Moving more efficiently? This step is about observing their performance on the pitch or court. Track their sprint times and assess how they perform in sport-specific situations.

• Example Actions: Time their sprints and compare with earlier records. For rugby players, evaluate their speed and agility under match pressure. For tennis players, assess their quickness and recovery time between points.

• Tracking Tip: Keep a record of sprint times, game footage notes, and personal reflections to measure progress and pinpoint areas for improvement. Use objective and subjective measures to analyse.

Step 4: Reassess and Adapt

Speed training is a continuous cycle of assessment and refinement.

Speed training is never a one-time effort. After reviewing their progress, go back to Step 1 and reassess. Have they improved? Are they moving with more control and speed? By continuously adapting your drills and techniques, you can support their growth at each stage.

• Example Actions: Re-evaluate sprint times and progress to more advanced drills as they improve. For example, you might move from standard sprints to resistance sprints for added challenge or add more chaos in their drills.

• Athlete Check-In: Get feedback from your athlete—are they feeling quicker and more agile in play? Their input can shape your next round of training.

Key Takeaway

Remember: Building speed is an ongoing process of assessment, focused coaching, and adjustment. Integrate these steps into your regular routine to help your athletes develop real speed, agility, and confidence.

Start implementing this approach, and see how it transforms your athletes’ game-day performance!

Need help? Let’s chat speed together!

Speak soon!

Isaac 🙂 

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