The Coaching Arena

Developing People, Players and as Coaches - Warren Spragg, Sale Sharks Kicking Coach

On this episode, I had the absolute privilege to speak with Warren Spragg. Warren is the kicking coach at Prem Rugby Club, Sale. He has played for Italy, Italy 7s, England u21s and England u18s. He has over 20 years experience in elite level rugby as a player and coach. I am blown away with the coaches and athletes that have given me their time and insights on the Coaching Arena. These chats are gold, and this chat with Warren has completely changed my mindset on coaching and how I thought my son was results driven, when perhaps in hindsight, he isn't. This was an incredible chat on developing people, players and as coaches. We spoke of many things, including : * Common coaching themes from juniors to elite level * Inside out coaching, Transformational Coaching vs Transactional Coaching * Understanding people and what motivates them and what players need * Collaboration * Superpowers of a player * Being curious * Minimum standards and the consistency of practice habits and skill challenges * Mindset, routine and clarity * The rewards of sport * How you know you are making progress * The importance of feedback loops * Skill sets, not pigeon holing I really hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did and thanks very much for listening ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Care, Connection, Standards and Challenge - Paul Delport, International Rugby Coach

On this episode I had the absolute privilege to hear the insights from International Rugby Coach, Paul Delport. Paul is currently Head Coach of India Women's 7s, having previously coached South Africa Women's national rugby 7s team. As a player, Paul played for the Lions and Stormers before focusing on rugby sevens, where he captained the Blitzboks and has won the IRB Sevens World Series. Paul also captained South Africa at u19 and u21 level and has won the IRB World Championships. This was a brilliant chat, really focusing on the human element of coaching and understanding the why. Paul has a huge amount of experience and shared his insights into coaching, speaking about : * Care, Connection, Standards and Challenge * Understanding the 'why' * Showing the players you care and having a willingness to connect * Putting the team first * Nurturing a player's growth and development * Outlining standards * Passing on knowledge * A coach doesn't need to have all the answers * A team's immune system ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Importance Of A Mentor - Alex Laybourne, International Rugby Coach

It was absolutely fantastic to chat with international rugby coach, Alex Laybourne on this episode of The Coaching Arena. Alex is Head Coach of Sweden Men's rugby team, having previously been Scotland's Women's u20s Head Coach. This was a brilliant chat, with Alex giving his insights on : * The importance of a mentor in order for coaches to develop * Understanding the player * Connection with players and having open and honest dialogue * Winning is important but results do not define a good coach * Coaching in different environments * Standards not rules * Metrics to measure progress I really hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Always Learning, A Growth Mindset - Rod Seib, Connacht Rugby Senior Assistant Coach and former Brumbies Assistant Coach

On this episode I had the huge privilege to chat with elite rugby coach, Rod Seib. Rod's CV speaks for itself. Rod is a former player for the Queensland Reds and Glasgow Warriors. He has also played for Australia in rugby sevens. In March 2025, Rod signed with Irish side, Connacht Rugby as Senior Assistant Coach with responsibility for team attack. Prior to this, he was Head Coach of the Queensland Reds Academy, assistant coach at ACT Brumbies and in Nov24 coached the Australia XV on their UK tour. This was an incredibly enlightening chat and I took so much from it. We spoke of many things, including : * Always learning, learning from both good and bad coaches * Knowing your audience * Be it elite or learning, the best coaches are the ones that want to be there * Facilitating the knowledge to the athletes so they can problem solve * How to ask questions to get good learning * Not always needing to have the answers, but you do need the logic to your thoughts * The importance of body language, not just words * Focusing on the growth, not the score * The biggest mistake new coaches make * A coach can learn from everyone, from u7 player to international athlete ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Embracing The Journey - Grand Slam Tennis Player and Coach, Sofia Shapatava

The willingness of elite athletes and coaches to sit down and share their insights on what makes a great coach has blown me away. I have learnt so much from these chat that that would have otherwise taken me years. On this episode, I had the absolute privilege and joy to sit down and hear the views of Grand Slam Tennis player and coach, Sofia Shapatava. This was an incredible chat as we spoke of many things, including : * Patience * The trust between a coach and athlete * Understanding the individual * How and when to give feedback * Why the post match car journey home is so important * Sport does not define the person * The importance of embracing defeat, not dwelling on it * Embracing the journey * Avoiding burnout and maintaining your love of the game * Quantity vs quality * Always learning I really hope you enjoyed this chat as much as I did. Let me know what one lesson resonated most with you ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.