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,

In this edition, we’re unlocking two powerful tools to elevate your coaching:

First up, The Power of Community. Discover how surrounding yourself with the right people can transform your mindset, spark new ideas, and push you to the next level. Who’s in your corner?

Then, we dive into one of my go-to tools: the Medicine Ball. Versatile, fun, and perfect for building numerous physical aspects and I’ll reveal my top 4 drills you can try today.

Let's grow together! We are all on the same team!

Be an Elite Coach:

The Power of Community for Growth as a Coach

The people you surround yourself with can elevate you to new heights. One of the key lessons I’ve learned from working in team sports and being part of mentoring groups is that having a community or network of like-minded individuals can transform your mindset and lift your coaching to another level.

During my time in professional cricket, I worked closely with a team of Strength & Conditioning coaches and physios. Beyond the strong sense of togetherness among the cricket staff, being part of this group allowed us to constantly learn from one another. We shared feedback, provided fresh perspectives on each other’s work, and collectively helped each other grow as coaches.

I experienced the same dynamic when working with other sports coaches, and more recently, as part of a business mentoring group. In this group, people came together to exchange insights on starting and growing a business, learning from one another's experiences.

Now, I want you to reflect: Who have you surrounded yourself with as a coach or trainer?

• Who do you turn to when you need new ideas?

• Do you take the time to lift your head up from your own work to see what others are doing and gather fresh perspectives?

• Do you allow someone else to observe and provide feedback on your coaching?

It’s easy to become overwhelmed or consumed by the day-to-day tasks of doing what we love. But as coaches and trainers, while we help others grow, we must also make time for our own development.

My advice: Surround yourself with like-minded people and grow together—whether in person or online.

Talk about community….

I do have a free WhatsApp group of 60+ coaches in where we grow as a group, share ideas, ask questions and I share some advice and practical insights also.

Come and join for free! Click here to join and say hi!

Build Elite Athletes:

One of My Favorite Pieces of Equipment: The Medicine Ball

Why do I love it?

It’s versatile, easy to carry, fun, and can be used in almost any environment. I doubt you or the athletes you coach will ever get bored using it!

With a medicine ball, you can throw, catch, hold, twist, balance, jump, run, squat, roll, and more. It’s ideal for power development and learning how to rotate and throw with intent—perfect for striking sports where athletes need to learn how to time and engage their entire body to transfer and generate force quickly.

Catching the ball teaches athletes to brace and absorb impact, making it excellent for core development. And who doesn’t love throwing something as fast and far as they can?

You can also use the medicine ball for strength development or as a visual cue to reinforce proper movement techniques, such as during running drills.

My Top 4 Medicine Ball Movements to Try in Your Coaching:

1. Medicine Ball Underarm Toss and Jump - throw as fast as your can underarm and jump forward at the time. Great for horizontal force development and learning to transfer force from lower to upper body.

2. Medicine Ball Rotational Throw - Great to learn to time and sequent the body to rotate and throw with intent fast. Great for striking sports.

3. V-Hold Throw and Catch - Hold a V position on the floor, feet in the air and someone throws the ball to you and you throw it back keeping your body still by engaging the core.

4. Medicine Ball Slam - Simple one. Stand tall, bring the ball overhead and slam as hard as you can to the floor, crunching from the core.

Another great thing: they’re not an expensive piece of equipment!

My recommendation: you don’t need to go heavy. Start with 1-4kg. Focus on proper movement technique before moving to heavier weights.

For power development, ensure your athletes move with intent and speed.

Give it a go in your coaching sessions and have fun!

Hit reply if you want more support on how to integrate this versatile piece of equipment into your coaching!

Need help in your coaching? Reply to this email and y=let’s have a chat...

JOIN MY FREE WHATSAPP COMMUNITY WITH 60+ COACHES IN ALREADY AND SHARE THE JOURNEY IN LEARNING TOGETHER!