After a particularly busy few months I knew I had to make time for a new Coaching Conversations opportunity and was delighted to be able to head to St Mary's University in Twickenham to meet Liam McCarthy. Liam lectures on the Physical and Sport Education undergraduate degree programme, and has an MSc in Sports Coaching from Leeds Beckett University. He has also worked as head of coaching for an NGB, four years with England Handball, which gives him a great insight into coach education and CPD. Our conversation allowed me to leave with just as many questions as answers and has prompted me to give serious thought to what I would like coach education to actually include and how it would most benefit working coaches...I'll try to organise these thoughts toward a future blog.
 
The below is loosely paraphrased from our conversation, and doesn't necessarily represent direct quotes:
 
What are your thoughts on coach education in an academic setting and also as run by NGBs? 
I don't really believe that NGBs should or can run coach education in its entirety, should that really be their remit? I’m not totally convinced. With England Handball we worked with 7 Higher Education Institutions (HEI) to recognise prior learning and provide a sport-specific top-up. We saw a better quality of coach come through our programmes; a model which i’d encourage other NGBs to embrace. Where the HEIs delivered what they were best at (coaching pedagogy, game design etc…) the NGB delivered what they were good at (technical, tactical models), providing context.  This works well in other countries too, where many European countries place greater value on what HEIs do for sports coaching; we have a long way to go in the UK i believe.
 
Is that something you think could grow? I'm not sure how many NGBs would want to lose the income from coach ed...
Generally speaking most NGBs weren't that interested to share that link between CPD and a university, which is a shame. We presented the model of coach development at conferences, with little subsequent uptake. I think there is an element of standardisation and control that they wouldn't want to lose either.  The irony for me is, there is a willingness to push complexity, chaos and ‘mess’ in player learning; yet when it comes to coach learning there seemed an obsession with linearity.
 
It may or may not be a contributing factor to their lack of interest, but there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between research and in-the-field coaches. Why is this?
I think the problem is that good research is very specific - it is studying this strategy, in this situation, with these people and looking at if/why it works. Coaches try to apply elements that they come across in research but it doesn't work because the context is different, they therefore disengage. There are plenty of coaches who want research to tell them what to do but that isn't really the aim of research, it is about trying to provide a rich and contextualised narrative of what is going on.
 
Is there any way this relationship could be improved?
Well I think there must be a common awareness that there are no golden rules for coaching, no silver bullet. The aim should be to take bits from research that appeal to the coach, try them out and marry it with past experience - we shouldn't want to have robots producing the same sessions. Learning is inherently messy and I feel we should be happier to embrace the complexity and take some responsibility for that. We need to produce more critical coaches and I often come back to the analogy of Cooks vs Chefs, which i was introduced to by Bob Muir and Andrew Abraham at Leeds Beckett. Cooks can be given the ingredients and a recipe and get on with it. There is a place for this, of course. However, we should want more Chefs who can make the best out of the situation they are presented with. 
 
Is there any way research could better help coaches in terms of accessibility and language?
Well, the language is the language, and I would encourage coaches to take responsibility for grappling with that. I always have google open when I’m reading, and always a pen to scribble on articles; rewriting sentences to make them meaningful for me. Coaches could be better helped with increased opportunity for mentoring and 1-2-1 analysis of their coaching and planning for the future. Leeds Beckett do some inspiring work in this field. I also know of FA initiatives where mentors are out there observing, supporting and reflecting with coaches. This is ace, and something which will go a long way to aid sense-making.
 
I've looked at a Masters in coaching a few times, would you recommend it? My main obstacle now is work and finding the time so I have considered studying an online Masters too...
The Masters I did was excellent as it kept everything in context and provided the chance to have a lot of 1-2-1 feedback. Deadlines for assessment were negotiable, as were assessment titles; the MSc at Leeds Beckett treats you like a professional. I appreciate the time constraints, however I don't think you can go totally online with learning, as tempting as it may be!
 
Are there any common themes you see among the young coaches on your courses here?
We have some brilliant coaches here at St Mary’s University; the programme is over 300 students strong, the majority practicing coaching weekly. We offer a 50:50 spilt on the programme between classroom and practical sessions; further we pride ourselves on having academic staff who are active too.  The students here are at a really interesting place in their education; for me, they enter as dualist thinkers and it’s about getting as many as we can over the line. This looks like producing relativist coaches who are constantly scaffolding knowledge, while understanding all knowledge is provisional! 
 
So what is it that you are looking for to determine if a student has managed to get there?
We use mixed modes of assessment, over a long period of time, to the point where we can really track the students progress.  The moments which make me most proud are when students are able to verbalise and write down their reasoning, rationale and self-critique. All of this being beyond a student delivering a good practical session in the field.
 
Looking back at my time at Bath, I'm not sure if I learned as such or just realised that I had to write in a certain way that the lecturers were looking for...
Our course allows students to learn in context with plenty of practical elements, mentoring, filming of sessions etc. They can really analyse their coaching behaviour in detail that way; using GoPro cameras and even a drone! We also utilise relationships with local schools to have them coach children they've not met before so that it is slightly more realistic than coaching their peers. On one module we are wanting the students to write an ongoing blog throughout so as to get them to express exactly what the content means to them as individuals. 
 
Are there any noticeable trends among the coaches that hint at what sport their background might be? If you didn't know them previously would you be able to watch their coaching and pinpoint that they are a rugby player, or netball, hockey....
That's an interesting question. I'm not sure really, certainly we see plenty of invasion games used in sessions which probably reflects their sporting backgrounds. During their time with us we hope to lessen the emphasis on the 'what' of coaching (from over-emphasis to a level which better reflects sports coaching) and focus more on 'who' and ‘how'.  We work with each coach to enhance their practice, i think that’s really important.  We’re not looking to diminish what coaches are doing, we want to improve it and provoke change where the student recognises it’s needed. This is a really long-term process, and again, why I really believe short NGB courses get nowhere near producing this level of learning. For learning should be about transformational change, not the acquisition of knowledge.

10 Skills Any True Coach Must Balance, by Dan John
1. Constant assessment
2. Constant upgrading
3. Ignore perfect - strive for (a) Pretty Good (b) Better
4. This isn't moral theology - there's time for everything just maybe not today
5. Everything works - for a bit at least. Did it get you closer to the goal?
6. Achieving a Goal Vs Success - enjoy the process
7. After the peak is the cliff - what will you do when you reach the top? Always plan the route down.
8. Self-disciple is a finite resource - communal support needed
9. Fundamentals trump everything else
10. Take a moment to thank those who came before you

Why are Team Sky so successful?, on BBC
- Brailsford: "Elite sport is like a treadmill - stop moving and you fly off"

Pete Carroll, NFL's Eternal Optimist, on si.com
- Where some people say 'worst possible decision', Carroll says 'worst possible outcome'
- PC has "very deliberately created a culture that encourages passion and perseverance - the two components of grit"
- Carroll is "what psychologists call an Authoritative Parent: warm but demanding, unconditionally supportive but with hig expectations"
- Less about victory, more about process
- Striving FOR something, not AGAINST something
- Encouraged different, individual personalities - a celebration of uniqueness
- He wanted to frame even the epic SuperBowl defeat as a teachable moment

Graham Henry: Learned to win the RWC, on guardian
- Culture comes first
- Check your ego. Anecdote of Tana Umage asking Henry - "what/who are the team talks for? Are they for you or for us?"
- Empower your players
- Be smart
- Confront your weaknesses
- Expect the unexpected

Embracing the adaptive capacity of our young learners, on footblogball
- David Epstein = "In our pursuit of better players we are making better 10 year olds but not better senior players. The developmental pathway that makes the best 10 year old isn't the same on that makes the best 20 year old".

The Sports Gene Ch1, by David Epstein
- Most people "simple reaction time" is 200 miliseconds (time for retina to receive info and then put muscles in motion). Elite athletes are the SAME.
- Janet Starkes created modern sports 'occlusion' test in 1975. The test was to show photos from volleyball match with ball just in or just out of the shot. Players look at the photo for a fraction of a second (too quick to see ball). Elite players FAR better to determine if ball in the photo. 
- Elite athletes seemed to have 'miraculously' photographic memory when it came to their sport
- Elite athletes CHUNK information - unconscious grouping of information into smaller and more meaningful chunks based on patterns they have seen before
- "perceiving order allows elite athletes to extract critical information from the arrangement of players or from subtle changes in an opponent's body movements in order to make unconscious predictions about what will happen next"
- Brain automation is hyperspecific to the practised skill
- "it is software, not hardware" eg learned, not genetic

Developing World Class Potential, by Mark Upton on medium.
- Notes from Maria Ruiz de Ona talk...
- Environment needs to be positive by very clear about purpose of talent development
- Genuine change will lead to confusion/doubt for a while
- Coach needs to learn to observe
- To produce confident players we must create challenging environment
- "We need doubt - it makes us think"

The Power of Not Punting, on campusrush
- Kevin Kelley's Bruins don't punt the ball. They "always play as if they are 10 points down with 90 seconds left".
- Comes down to careful use of odds and statistics
- "nearly every great football innovation has come out of an attempt to close a talent gap"

Don't Decide Like Martians, on psychologyblog.com
- The most common team decision strategy (voting) is probably the worst
- Team decisions have competing agendas and interpretations
- 3 options for decision making: Leader decides; team broker action to reflect the desires of members; vote.
- Vote puts huge social pressure to conform, therefore if using voting then confidentiality is key

The Coach's Coach, on hmmrmedia
- Becoming a better coach is more than methods
- Find a mentor, observe then build a bridge between theory and practice
- Art of coaching not just about training methods but communication and understanding athletes
- Nothing replaces experience
- In the end you have to try to do it yourself. The trouble is in knowing how you are doing.
- Everyone needs a coach

Secret Ingredients of Great Coaching, on Changing the Game Project
- Coaching is a RELATIONSHIP business
PERFORMANCE = (POTENTIAL + BEHAVIOUR) - INTERFERENCE
- Too many coaches ignore 'interference'
- Trust is the secret ingredient of great coaching.
- Steven R Covey: characteristics of high trust teams include:
Common purpose and values; Respect; Commitment; Resiliency; Love which decreases fear; Few discipline issues; Intrinsically motivated players; celebrate each other's success
- Coaches must intentionally build trust in team
- Coaches need to be worthy of trust, coach the person not the sport
- Trust works by Blanchard, Olmstead and Lawrence:
ABILITY / BELIEVABILITY / CONNECTEDNESS / DEPENDABILITY

What a Fighter Pilot Can Teach About Teamwork and Focus, on inc.com
- Feel the fear, do it anyway
1. 80% is good enough. 80% of the information is enough, follow up and follow through
2. Prioritize. Three priorities is enough
3. Deal with fear. Question is not whether you will fail but how you will respond to it.
4. Trust
5. Focus. Simple statement of purpose, adaptability easier if everyone is oriented to one singular purpose.

Why Organisations Don't Learn, on internettime.com
- Real Learning features:
* Destigmatize making mistakes
* Embrace growth mindset
* Avoid attribution bias
* Don't work to exhaustion
* Take frequent breaks
* Take time to think
* Encourage reflection
* Leverage your strengths
* Know the person

Knowing How You Decide is as Important as the Decision, on nymag.com
- Traditional research = keeping options open ultimately makes you less happy with your choice. It is better to choose and move on with it.
- New Research = reversible decisions can still make you happy. Depends on what type of decision maker you are.
There are two types:
1. MAXIMIZERS - concerned with making BEST decision having considered every option
2. SATISFICERS - know what they want, find an option that meets that criteria then pick and move on
- Satisficers tend to be happier with choices
- New research (R Shiner) indicates Satisficers happier with permanent decision, Maximizers happier knowing they can change their mind. This suggests, at least for little things, Maximizers better off recognizing tendencies around decision making and adjust accordingly
- Key to better decision making may be understanding how you make decisions

Reflective Practice, on SCUK
- Reflective Practice basically = thinking/reflecting on what you do
- Difference between casual and purposeful thinking - making considered and cognitive effort to consider and recall what happened, the part you played and your view against it as coach with expected outcome
- Reflective Practice is a conduit for experiential learning. A PURPOSEFUL and COMPLEX process that facilitates the examination of experience by questioning whole self within context of practice
- Reflective Practice transforms experience into learning
- Must develop critical thinking and open mindedness

Establishing Athlete Behaviour Standards, on ASEP.com
- Athlete behaviour should be evaluated against flexible team standards, not rules
- John Wooden = equal treatment is not equitable treatment
- Rules punish negative behaviour whereas Standards promote positive behaviour
- Urban Meyer has a three-tier system:
BLUE LEVEL = entry level for all. Lowest status and fewest earned privileges. eg No unexcused absence from class
RED LEVEL = show record of good academic performance and adherence to team standards. Earnt more freedom and trust.
GOLD LEVEL = shown they desire to be treated like 'grown men'
His coaches meet weekly to review and move athletes up or down the levels.

Serial Winners Top 10, on Leeds Beckett
1. Get the right people on the bus
2. Be athlete-centred
3. Partnership not dictatorship
4. Emotional intelligence is as important as sporting intelligence
5. Thick skin is a must-have
6. Work-life balance matters
7. Serial winners suffer from serial insecurity
8. Create simple image of future and plan towards it
9. Develop belief in others
10. Take risks

All Blacks - Learners, on medium.com
- Strive to develop independent learners where players drive their own development
- Not just players who should be viewed as learners but coaches and support staff too
- Key traits are trust, critical thinking, open mind, diversity of experience, humility, courage and letting go of the past
- "the more we talk about learning stuff, and the less we talk about winning stuff, the better we get at developing excellence and the more likely we are to win" Al Smith
- "Nice amenities do not cultivate talent...hardship does" Brett Bartholomew
- "Build a program and a culture that is built on positive expectation and accountability" Chidi Enyie

Creating the Culture, by Brett Bartholomew on McMillanSpeed
- world within us influences world around us = how culture created
- coaches need to be able to "talk in colour"
- START WITH WHY
- When we understand athlete's unique internal environment we can better construct everything around it to bring best out of them

Rugby Skills and Coaching Environment, on KickCoaching
- Not just mechanics = pre-performance routine, distraction, focus of attention, visualisation scripts and emotional intelligence
- Skills sessions should include = perception, context, cues, challenge, variability
- Kicking = 1. Whole Body Movement
                   2. Contact Quality
                   3. Impact line (path of knee, foot and ball)
                   4. Transfer of weight (momentum through impact)

Why we are bad at predicting our own behaviour, on Science of Running
- Coaches job at elite level is to hold the reigns : know the athlete well enough to make best decisions for them as they may not themselves

Carol Dweck on Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset, on examinedexistence
- Fixed Mindset = affirmation of intelligence is success and therefore avoid failure
- Growth Mindset = seeks challenge, failure is a springboard for growth and development
Factor                                     Fixed Mindset                                     Growth Mindset
Intelligence                             Static                                                          Can be developed
Challenges                              Avoid                                                          Embrace
Obstacles                                Give up easily                                            Persist
Effort                                        Fruitless                                                     Path to mastery
Criticism                                  Ignore                                                         Learn
Success of Others                  Threatened                                                Lessons and inspiration
                                                  Plateau early                                             ever-higher level of achievement
                                                  Deterministic view of world                   Sense of free will

Can Creativity Be Taught? on creativityatwork.com
- George Land Test concluded non-creative behaviour is learned
- Creativity skills can be learned by learning and applying creative thinking processes
- Amabile (1998) 3 Components of Creativity: Expertise, Creative Thinking, Motivation.
- learn to be creative by experimenting, exploring and questioning assumptions, by using imagination and synthesising information.
- We don't learn to be creative, we must become creative people
- Fastest way to become creative is to hang around with creative people
- Give permission to be WRONG. Learn from mistakes.

John Fox's NAVY SEAL Stepfather, on ESPN
- "It's amazing what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit"

How SEALS Train For Excellence, on hbr
- "under pressure you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training"
1. Produce excellence, not 'above average'
2. Incentivize excellence not competence
3. Incorporate new ideas from the ground
4. Lead by example

Rocky Road To The Top, by Collins and MacNamara, on innovatefc
- Talent Development nowadays often aims to be as supportive as possible so players focus on the task.
- However, developing resilience, growth mindset and mental toughness are crucial to TD
- How do young players acquire, build confidence and sharpen mental skills if not through overcoming adversity?
- Most dev pathways try to smooth process so challenge is minimized
- But CHALLENGE and TRAUMA are essential to eventual high level performance
- Overcoming trauma develops coping skills
- Encountering and overcoming challenges develops set of skills and attitudes that strengthen individual for future experiences
- Setbacks can be used as focus for critical reflection, learning and subsequent application

Gary Curneen: Decision Making on CoachLogic
- Keys to DM
1. Technique
2. Timing
3. Positioning
4. Communication
5. Reading play in real time
6. Tactical repetition

LTAD 1, Pathway for all youth by Lloyd et al
- A structured, progressive and integrated approach to youth training is viewed as developmental pathway for all abilities
- Athletic development programs should be grounded in developing movement competency and muscular strength
- Ath Dev programs should NOT be designed in accordance to 'windows of adaptaion'

Mental Toughness and Non-Cognitive Skills in Learning, on Psych(ed)
The 4 C's of Mental Toughness:
CONTROL
CONFIDENCE
COMMITMENT
CHALLENGE

Winning the Trust of Players on goalnation
- Care for them
- Coach them
- Blame yourself
- Constant feedback

LTAD, not winning, is key to age group training, on swimmingworldmag
- Winning and development not mutually exclusive - they go hand in hand
- Long-term means not trying to make people as good as possible as young as possible - focus on correct training, competition and recovery

Golden Rules of Leadership, on farnamstreetblog
1. Know thyself
2. Office shows the person
3. Nurture community in the workplace
4. Do not waste energy on things you can't change
5. Always embrace the truth
6. Let competition reveal talent
7. Live life by a higher code
8. Evaluate info with critical eye
9. Never underestimate power of personal integrity
10. Character is destiny

Decision-Making in Team Sport, on clearinghouseforsport
- Uncertainty should be embraced in training = emphasise adaptability and variability NOT repetition and stability
- To develop DM training tasks and games...
i) Identify DM problem
ii) Identify information needed for effective DM
iii) Manipulate key constraints to develop modified task to represent and exaggerate the problem
iv) Guide athletes search to relevant information
v) Continue to adapt level of chaos to athlete's ability to overcome the problem
vi) Monitor, evaluate and adapt session to athlete performance and learning
- Key Constraints:
SPACE - boundaries
TIME - start positions, in/outs, swaps, floaters, timed challenge
DIRECTION - sequential direction, dynamic direction, multi-direction
PLAYERS - manipulate opponents, time outs, manipulate athlete's search, manipulate task rules and equipment

How do you develop a growth mindset? on innerdrive.co.uk
- Teach people their brain can change and don't praise natural talent
- Develop by: praise effort, seek different strategies, encourage learning over comparison against others, praise those who seek feedback. encourage persistence, encourage courage and curiosity, maintain high standards.

Adopting external focus of attention increases sprint performance in low-skilled sprinters, by Porter et al 2015
- Focus on movement effects rather than body parts, significant increase in running speed
- Verbal instruction important part of training environment
- Structure verbal instruction to focus on outcome of movement rather than the movement itself

John Buchanan on alloutcricket.com
- Coach must understand self inside out
- Never compromise on a principle - provide consistency
- Essence of coaching is in relationships

Awesomeness of getting feedback on feedback, on talentequation
- Don't overdo it with feedback, especially with new players
- Pick your moment for quick, specific, 1-2-1 feedback
- Allow space for implicit learning

Gregor Townsend: Years of Learning, on The Scotsman
- Failure is an integral part of success
- Trust and effort crucial
- Winning is about improvement

Creating a Culture of Excellence, by Terry Condon
- To fix problems: i) Acknowledge there is one; ii) find a way to better understand it
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them" - Einstein
- OBLIGATION INHIBITS PASSION
- FOUR PILLARS OF PERFORMANCE essential for motivation and engagement of people, will increase productivity, performance, resilience and retention
1. AUTONOMY = freedom and flexibility to carve own path
2. MASTERY = transparent environment that rewards personal and professional excellence
3. PURPOSE = adds meaning to their life
4. PLAY = alongside peers and have fun
- John Wooden: Use sport to promote values in people that lead to success in any realm. Recognise and reward expression of these values ABOVE ALL ELSE. Wait for success to show up.
- Wooden trained athletes for life THROUGH basketball, not basketball FOR life.
- The person is more important than their results
- Must separate winning from wellbeing

Excel in youth sport kids need couch time, on theconversation
- young athlete with the 'best' of everything fails to develop most important skill = the ability to thrive when challenged = perseverance and resilience
- Individuals that are challenged and supported thrive at high level

Leadership Game Plan from Coach K on inc.com
- Cultivate ownership mentality (team create and drive standards)
- Embrace team's feelings. UNDERSTAND, APPRECIATE, TRUST
- Never stop innovating

35 Secrets of Brilliant Coaches, on huffpost
- Cherish the person over the athlete
- Respect and communication
- Obsess with fundamentals
- Always move forward
- CREATE TALENT RATHER THAN FIND IT
- Separate learning from practice

Constraints-led Coaching - Why?, on tdgolfcoach.com
- Constraint = boundary encouraging learning to emerge with certain behaviours
- Constraint can be on the task, performer or environmental
- Learn by doing rather than being told

Southampton Way: Potential into Excellence, on YouTube
- Clear progression pathway from Academy to 1st Team
- The progression pathway is evident in all aspects from changing rooms to pitches etc.

The Nowhere Men, by Michael Calvin
Chapter on Miguel Rios which inspired my meeting with him documented here in Coaching Conversations #8
- Miguel Rios talking about a coach "It's all so vocal. He should be positive, let the game develop"
- MR on Barcelona and their focus on ability, not age. The importance of physical literacy: coordination, balance etc
- MR "ideas met with resistance because coaches are wedded to winning"
- Hosting workshops with parents to help understand the process and how to help the kids
- "objective is to not make boys feel like they're under pressure every time they are on the pitch"

Challenge Point...., by Guadagnoli and Lee (2004) in Journal of Motor Behaviour
- Skill improvement traditionally linked to the amount of practice
- Limited opportunity for practice and potentially small gains in expertise increase importance of maximising the benefit of training
- Challenge Point Framework = learning is intimately related to the information available and interpretable in a performance instance which, in turn, depends on functional difficulty of task
- Nominal Task Difficulty (NTD) : perceptual and motor requirements
  Functional Task Difficulty (FTD) : how challenging the task is relative to skill level of the individual performing it
- Task with given level of task difficulty, the individual of any skill level is likely to perform at predictable level..
therefore an increase in NTD comes expectation that performance decreases and rate of decline in performance more rapid for lower skilled individual.
- Information comes from action plans (expectation of success) and feedback
eg. For an easy task with high expectation of success, feedback from success provides very little information
eg. For a tougher task with less assured action plan (decreased expectation of success) means feedback provides information regardless of success or not
- Practice leads to redundancy - more practices leads to better expectations so less information to process
- As FTD increases, so too does potential available information (learning)
- Increased FTD = more information generated in performance of task, therefore increased potential learning benefit BUT only to a point. After that point, too much information to be processed and used effectively (amount of information exceeds the individual's capability to process efficiently)
- Increased FTD as performer ability also increases maintains optimal Challenge Point for performer
- CONTEXTUAL INTERFERENCE. Block practice increases performance but Random practice increases retention.
Individuals with differing skill levels: low levels of CI better for beginner skill level, higher CI better for highly skilled individuals

Darren Roberts Q+A, on PropelPerform
- athletes are athletes and people are people = it's the environment and paradigm which drive differences
- 4 key things to improve:
1. ENVIRONMENT - go somewhere with people who are better
2. EMBRACE CHAOS - Decision making, unpredictability and anxiety like in competition
3. BE STRONG - be robust, fix other stuff along the way
4. CIRCUS TRAINING - right way to challenge
- Injuries = NOT rehab, just a different training phase = focus the athlete on what they CAN do, not what the injury prevents them from doing

The Gentleman's Game - Dan Cater, on theplayerstribune.com
"After the game is over, all we'll have are these memories that we share"

Living and Learning with NZ Rugby Winners, on Irish Examiner
- key thing of the Crusaders is CULTURE
- Culture is "first competitior". It is also one of the few things that is 100% under your own control and within budget
- The players are charged with growing and enriching the culture, they must own it. To help this they held Culture Sessions: greeting everyone, integrating new members etc.
- Focus on togetherness. eg Management take part in fitness
- The importance of Story Telling: pick something from history that is relative to the situation. Helps provide a theme for the season that players can identify to (capture hearts and minds). Can also have training activities that tie in to it.
- Peer led coaching : help your teammate with weaknesses
- Feedback from players is discussed, challenged and if it is to be integrated then player presents to the group
- New skills = LEARNING PHASE: Passionate mistakes and Ordinary mistakes.
- Training is harder than competition
- GET COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE

The Antifragile Athlete, by Martin Bingisser on hmmrmedia
- Antifragile based on Nassim Taleb's book "Antifragile: Things that gain from disorder"
1. VARIATION: need stress from variation to improve. Poison in small doses develops immunity
2. BACK TO BASICS: don't add on in order to fix. Flexibility = antifragile
3. KNOWLEDGE FOUND ON FIELD
4. TIME IS THE BEST JUDGE: basics not fads
5. IGNORE THE NOISE: don't always respond/interrupt

54 Mistakes of a Start-Up CEO, cbinsights.com
- Always work on culture
- Work with employees to draw up a 'Culture Code'
- 1v1 feedback is crucial
- 360 degree feedback: open forum to question 'leader' as well as others
- focus on a good onboarding process for new people

Edward de Bono '6 Thinking Hats'
White = information, data, facts
Yellow = the positive view
Black = caution, difficulties and dangers
Red = feelings, intuition and emotion
Green = creativity and new ideas
Blue = process control, summaries and conclusions

Coaching Cues That Actually Work, stack.com
3 aspects of coaching:
i) Instruction and Feedback = two ways, cue body and movement process or reference action outside the body. The latter is far superior
ii) Practice Design = effectiveness of random practice. Try to include 'purposeful struggle' so that players learn to overcome the struggle
iii) Intrinsic Motivation = Tap into self-determination theory. 3 components Autonomy (give them choice), Self-Efficacy (more powerful if athlete comes up with own coaching cue) and Social Interaction

5 Lessons I've Learned as a Performance Analyst, on thevideoanalyst
1. Network
2. Don't waste time with doubters
3. Push hard and know when to stop talking
4. Don't forget the basics
5. Value your work

Rich Shuttleworth Saracens CPD
- give players time outs that they can call
- Feedback crucial to player improvement, ensure it is positive
- Don't be an artificial stimulus (eg huddle to highlight what they are not doing)
- Focus on principles (eg go forward and support) rather than patterns
- Use of analogies helps learning - eg support runners 'keep the heart alive'
- Focus on core skills like awareness, decision making and scanning
- Don't worry about execution, focus on the decision making

Reflection as a coach development tool, on coachgrowth
- Reflection helps turn experience into knowledge
- Reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action
- Helps to improve WHAT and HOW
- Reflection consolidates understanding of problem and helps you to invent better solutions
- Critical Incidents: cause coach to understand event by examining underlying trends and motives
- APPRECIATION - ACTION - REAPPRECIATION
or
IDENTIFICATION - SIMILARITIES? - FRAME AND REFRAME - CONSEQUENCES OF SOLUTIONS - CONSEQUENCES DESIRED
or
DESCRIBE - INFORMING - CONFRONTING - RECONSTRUCTING

Understanding the Experience, by Peter Jackson on ijebcm
- Reflection works because it helps to:
i) Balance learning by experience and generate new learning
ii) Objective stance
iii) Perspective of overall goals in relation to actions
iv) Develop capability to react more quickly and effectively to future challenges

Reflective Practice, by Cropley et al (2012) on SCUK
- Coaches operate in complex social and ambiguous environments
- Role is beyond prep for athletes to managerial, admin etc all underpinned by ability to develop and manage interpersonal relationships
- Many approaches to learning are valued to help coaches develop theoretical and practical knowledge required to be sensitive to, and better cope with, the peculiarities, intricacies and ambiguities of coaching
- We don't habitually learn from experience but instead experience has to be examined, analyzed and considered to shift knowledge
- NGBs should create opportunities for coaches to reflect with others

Reflecting on Reflection by Knowles et al (2006) on tandfonline.com
- too often reflection has a negative focus. Reflect on positive and negative experiences that also consider competitive process and their role within it

Reflective Practice by Irwin et al (2005) on tandfonline.com
​- most important resource to coach development is a mentor

The Influencer, on Grantland
- Chip Kelly: Coaching is one thing and one thing only - creating an environment that provides players with the opportunity to be successful

Efficient use of time by Chip Kelly, on fishduck.com
- Focus as a squad on what do we stand for? In attack and defence.
- Identify what you want to be and ensure it is visible in everything you do
- In training, prepare against the vision of what you want to be
- As a coach your knowledge is sometimes irrelevant, matters most what the players know. As a result a coach must communicate in a way that allows players to execute
- Use any players who are off-task to coach and analyse their teammates
- No such thing as "half-speed". You either go at TEACHING SPEED or GAME SPEED

Sports Psych: Role of Momentum in Sports Performance, on pponline.co.uk
- In sport, psychological momentum defined as "bi-directional concept, affecting either probability of winning or probability of losing as a function of the preceding event".
- Reversing momentum: what did we do well before the momentum swing? Can we get back to it? Or has the opposition solved the problems we posed and should we change game plan?
- Reversing momentum: key is players identifying the problem and working out how to fix it
- Stay focused on the moment, maintain positive body language, maintain high intensity/effort

A qualitative exploration of the psychological contents and dynamics of momentum in sport by Briki, Hartigh, Hauw and Genigon (2012)
- Psychological momentum found to develop through processes of amplification that sometimes decreases efforts if win/loss seems inevitable

How psychological and behavioural team states change during positive and negative momentum, by Hartigh, Genigon, Van Yperen, Marin and Van Geert (2014)
- Research not provided insight into HOW psychological and behavioural states actually change during positive and negative momentum
- Negative psychological changes during negative momentum STRONGER than positive in positive
- During negative momentum team effort and cohesion decreases
- Negative events have a bigger impact
- a history of progress or regress particularly played a role when behind
- losing having been close to goal (winning) has a disproportionally strong psychological impact compared to losing when never close. Therefore, almost attaining outcome makes counterfactual outcome more salient.

Psychological Momentum: Why success breeds success, by Iso-Ahola and Dotson (2014)
- Initial success critical for psychological momentum and has three types of effect: intensity, frequency and duration
- PERCEPTION of self and opponent at centre of Psychological Momentum

Understanding motivation to enhance quality of coaching, by Mallett
- Extrinsic motivation can be split to: Non Self-Determined (coercion and obligation) and Self-Determined (acceptance and valuing)
- BEHAVOURS OF AUTONOMY SUPPORTIVE COACHING:
1. Provide choice within reason
2. Provide reasons for task
3. Demonstrate respect for feeling and perspective
4. Allow athletes to work independently and help problem-solve
5. Provide competence feedback that contributes to positive behaviour change
6. Avoid control behaviour such as coercion and bullying

Creative beards YouTube: 4 Insights into Coaching
1. ORGANISATION: gives athletes structure to work with. Agree/Declare/Query - what is expected?
2. ENCOURAGEMENT: positive coaching is made up of tangible, honest compliments
3. PERSONAL COACHING: recognise all athletes
4. TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITY: less instruction and have open questions. Reward the choices they make.

Ten Years On - Where's Coaching At? on sportnz.org.nz
- LEARNING (not qualification) helps coaches become better
- Understanding people and self-awareness is crucial
- Coaches learn better with informal instruction
- Coaching aims to figure out how and why players tick and then acting/responding accordingly
- THE ESSENCE IS IN UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE
- Coaches inspire by CARING about their athletes
- Athlete-centred coaching = Enable people to learn; Enable ownership of vision and common purpose by team; take responsibility
- Self-determination theory says increased motivation is felt if feeling CONFIDENT, have AUTONOMY and SENSE OF BELONGING
- Enable success, make it fun, give athletes choice and control amid common purpose of the team will see increase in effort
- "They are creating robots in the States and UK because of standardised expectations and competencies. Coaches have to self-reflect and figure it out"

Constraints led coaching approach, on threekings.org.nz
- Constraints led coaching is to take a particular aspect and isolate it in a small sided game
- Games are better for long-term learning

Oregon Ducks coaching philosophy = NO YELLING

Whenever I have a free moment I am trying to catch up on various columns, articles, research papers etc - anything that may be able to help me learn and improve as a coach. I scribble down notes in my trusty note pad so that I can refer back to them. However, a few weeks ago I had a slight panic when I managed to leave my bag in a taxi - my main concern was for my two notebooks (one for reading, one where I plan/record/reflect on all my coaching sessions). Thankfully, TFL came through and I was able to get my bag back. However, it occurred to me that I needed to bring my notes into the digital age in case I was to misplace my bag again in the future. They aren't exhaustive or summaries, merely the small bits that I took from the reading. If I found it interesting, then maybe others might so this is the first blog entry comprised of some of my reading notes. 

Firstly, I must thank Jamie Taylor (blog here), Sporticus (blog here), Si Nainby (blog here) and Stuart Armstrong (here) among many many others for their posts, their sharing of articles and papers. All have contributed greatly to my reading and learning since I became a coach full-time in January 2014. This 'series' of blogs will pale in comparison to the work they do, however hopefully it may contain something of interest for some coaches.

by Damien Hughes on Liquid Thinker
- the story of Sir Alex Ferguson who used Bill Beswick when talking to his players about three bricklayers. The first bricklayer is solely interested in building the wall and getting it finished. The second bricklayer is there because it is his job and he wants to earn the money for building the wall. However the third bricklayer sees the bigger picture and takes pride in building a cathedral so that he has something to show his kids. The players were then asked which bricklayer they would be in the upcoming training session and season. 

10 Creative Rituals You Should Steal, on Dailygood.org
- Number 10. Engage in 'morphological synthesis' whereby you segment your thinking process into parts. Pick four to five adjectives or characteristics and brainstorm (eg for me, how might we adapt to not winning any scrum or line outs for the whole season). It encourages you to flip between extremes and explore the outside boundaries so that you can see your sport more creatively.

Telegraph article on New Zealand and Gilbert Enoka
- When thinking clearly and your attention is fully engaged then you are able to make your best decisions. This is referred to as BLUE HEAD THINKING.
- Distraction and intrusive thoughts = RED HEAD THINKING
- Under pressure, ability to think clearly decreases so you rely on emotion and instinct. Therefore you don't pick up on the necessary cues to make good decisions.
- Moving from RED to BLUE requires an anchor to refocus attention and re-engage in the moment. All the NZ players have an individual anchor.
- Culture breeds mental strength - nourish who you are, where you came from and what you are about to become.

Greg Schiano Article on MMQB
- Modern athletes require constant motivation and stimulation. Coaches need to be able to live within this organised chaos.
- As part of this, Schiano bought into the Chip Kelly philosophy of no meetings lasting longer than 30mins to ensure they are focused and efficient.
- Real success is leaving a legacy
- "I didn't know what I didn't know, which is dangerous"

No Days off: Nick Winkelman on blog.champssports.com
- "I'm the driving instructor. My job is to teach them how to drive their car more effectively."

The Power of Positive Coaching - Pete Carroll, on MMQB
- Carroll has a clear vision of how he wants to run the programme
- he seeks relentless competitiveness and the constant quest to identify and maximise the uniqueness of every player and coach.
- commitment to a NURTURING environment that allows people to be themselves whilst still accountable to the team
- Treat each day/session as if something positive is about to happen
- The importance of FUN and COMPETITIVENESS
- Sessions themed to specific aspects of the game
- Can you explain your coaching philosophy in 25 words or less?

The Essence of Pete Carroll's "Win Forever Philosophy", on Seahawks.
- winning forever more important than winning the next game. Constant focus on COMPETING, MAXIMISING POTENTIAL and MAKING THE MOST OF OPPORTUNITIES.
- Help players and coaches to realize potential and be as good as they can be.
- "To accomplish the grand, focus on the small"
- Win forever = ALWAYS COMPETE.

Always Compete: Examination of Pete Carroll's Philosophy, on fieldgulls.com
- The benefit of always competing = FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL
- Approach every game with the intensity of a Championship game. This approach tries to avoid an overreaction to the result such as a decrease in motivation after success.
- The ultimate expression of his philosophy would be that players continually play one way - as if they are about to play a Super Bowl.
- Carroll stresses the importance of TRUSTING THE PROCESS. Don't worry about future events, focus on having best day possible today. Let go of the past both positive and negative.
- Training must be as fun as possible with a competitive element and to build confidence

The Seahawks Success Formula, on Forbes
- less focus on winning/losing, more focus on being at one's best - PROCESS OVER PRODUCT.
- 'Training is where we become/make us'

Pete Carroll's Positive and Profound Approach... on NBC Sports
- Belief system comprises of three rules:
1. Always protect the team
2. No complaining, no excuses
3. Be early
- BUILD CONFIDENCE, GAIN TRUST
- No such thing as a big game
​- Confidence and trust lead to focus.