Athletic Skills Podcast

The 3 Traits That Make S&C Coaches Stand Out as Leaders with Ryan Blake

Too many S&C coaches, sports scientists, and performance staff feel like leadership is something reserved for the person with the highest title. In this episode, I’m joined by performance coach, Ryan Blake [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmrb9284/] to break down what leadership actually looks like for those working in sport — who's not always at the top. We unpack the traits that earn trust and influence, how to shape your leadership identity, and what support coaches can do today to lead with confidence and clarity — without a formal title. If you're a coach who wants to lead better in your environment, build long-term respect, and step up without stepping on toes, this conversation is for you. ✅ Why leadership starts with self-awareness, not job titles ✅ How to earn respect as a performance coach or S&C lead ✅ The 3 traits great support coaches share ✅ How to influence without overstepping ✅ What to do when imposter syndrome shows up ✅ Why authenticity > authority in modern coaching ✅ How to develop your own leadership identity Find out more from Ryan here: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmrb9284/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ryanblakeperformancecoaching/] Website [https://www.ryanblakeperformancecoaching.com] 💬 What’s one way you’ve shown leadership without the title? Drop it in the comments. 🔁 Share this with a coach who leads from the middle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

How to Build Better Nutrition Habits With Your Athletes with Dan Richardson

Too many coaches still see nutrition as “someone else’s job.” But if you’re working with athletes — at any level — you’re influencing how they fuel, recover, and perform. In this episode, I’m joined by Dan Richardson [https://www.instagram.com/drnnutrition/], performance nutritionist and applied practitioner, to break down how coaches can support better nutrition habits in youth and team sport settings — without needing to be a nutritionist. Whether you're a coach, PE teacher or work with athletes in any way, this conversation offers nsight on how to educate and create nutrition habits in your team, therefore drive performance forward. 💡 What You’ll Learn ✅ How to coach better nutrition habits without meal plans or tracking ✅ Common fuelling mistakes in team sport — especially around evening sessions ✅ The signs of under-fuelling that coaches often miss ✅ How to support athletes through high-demand training blocks ✅ The role of environment and habits in nutrition success ✅ When supplements matter — and when they’re not the answer ✅ What coaches can do to create buy-in and long-term change To speak to Dan and see more of his work - come follow him on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drnnutrition/] 📤 Share this episode with a coach who’s supporting youth athletes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

How to Use AI to Save You Hours in Planning and Still Coach Smarter with Marnie Wills

How to Use AI to Save Time, Plan Smarter, and Transform Your Coaching 🚨 Most coaches are still Googling while the way forward is using AI. In this episode, I am joined by Marnie Wills, an AI educator, strategist, and expert o explore how AI is reshaping sport, coaching, and education—and how coaches can use it to work smarter, not harder. Whether you’ve never opened ChatGPT or you’re already using AI in your workflow, this episode gives you clear, practical steps to integrate AI into your coaching—without losing the human touch. 🔍 Learn why AI isn’t a tech trend—it’s a behavioural shift every coach needs to understand. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: * Why AI is already changing how coaches plan, reflect, and lead * How to use tools like Perplexity and NotebookLM to save hours every week * Simple ways to build your own "AI coaching assistant" * How to use AI to personalise programming and better understand athletes * Why reflection and creativity are more important than ever—and how AI helps you do both * The big risks of ignoring this shift in sport, education, and leadership Whether you’re a sports coach, PE teacher, or S&C practitioner, this episode is your entry point into AI without the overwhelm. To get in touch with Marnie or find out more on how you can learn about AI for free, click below! Connect with Marnie on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marnie-wills-entrepreneur/] See more of Marnie's work here [https://businesswithaistrategist.com] Subscribe to Marnies weekly newsletter here! [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/master-ai-without-overwhelm-7287061291221876739/] ✅ Like, share, and comment: What’s one way you could start using AI in your coaching? #CoachingWithAI #SportsCoaching #PETeacherTools #SCCoaches #AIInSport #AIForCoaches #CoachingDevelopment #AthleticSkills #CoachSmarter #AIInEducation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

How to Support Young Athletes When Their Bodies Start Changing with Jamie Salter

Why Growth Spurts Confuse Coaches – And What to Do About It If you’re a coach or PE teacher, this situation is all too familiar. But how we respond to it can make or break an athlete’s confidence, development, and future potential. In this episode, I’m joined by Jamie Salter [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-salter2210/], a researcher and educator in youth athletic development, to explore how growth and maturation affect performance, movement, and talent identification—and what you as a coach can do about it. Whether you’re in the grassroots, academy, or school setting, this episode will help you support athletes physically, emotionally, and developmentally—especially during their most vulnerable phase. 🧠 What You’ll Learn ✅ How growth spurts impact coordination, performance & injury risk ✅ The signs of adolescent awkwardness (and how to coach through it) ✅ Why late developers get missed—and early developers often get overrated ✅ What coaches can do when performance dips during physical changes ✅ How tools like Maturity Monitor can help you coach smarter ✅ Tips for coaches to navigate maturation when identifying talent. ✅ Practical strategies for coaches working with mixed-maturity groups 0:00 – Intro & Jamie’s background 2:00 – What maturation really means for athletes 6:00 – Signs of growth spurts that coaches often miss 9:30 – Communication gaps between coaches, athletes, and parents 12:45 – Growth vs performance: selection bias explained 17:00 – “Adolescent awkwardness”: how it shows up in sport 21:00 – Coaching adjustments during physical development 24:00 – Late bloomers: how to spot and support them 28:00 – Using bio-banding and maturity scores practically 33:00 – Avoiding burnout and early specialization 36:00 – Simple solutions for grassroots coaches with limited resources 40:00 – Why female athletes need tailored support 41:30 – Final takeaways & where to connect with Jamie Follow Jamie on Twitter [https://x.com/jay_salter] or on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-salter2210/] 👍 Like this episode? Hit the thumbs up and subscribe for more content on athlete development. 💬 Comment below: Have you supported an athlete through a growth spurt? What did you learn? 📲 Check out the Maturity Monitor app on your App Store for simple growth tracking. #YouthAthletes #TalentID #GrowthSpurts #AthleteDevelopment #PETeachers #YouthSports #StrengthAndConditioning #CoachEducation #EarlySpecialisation #FemaleAthletes #SportsScience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Why Ignoring the Physical Side of Cricket Is Holding Your Players Back with Jack McCann

BUILD STRONGER, FASTER, AND MORE ROBUST CRICKETERS—WITHOUT CHANGING YOUR ENTIRE COACHING PROGRAMME. You’re preparing your players technically... But are they physically ready to perform, compete, and stay injury-free? Too many cricket coaches still treat physical development as a bonus—or don't even see the need. But modern demands more than skill. If you're not actively developing your players physically, you're not preparing them for the game’s demands. In this episode, I sit down with Jack McCann [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-mccann-739201187/], a Head S&C coach at Leicestershire CCC who explains how cricket coaches can blend physical prep into their training—without the need for a gym or overhauling their program. Whether you coach at a recreation club, pathway, or school, this conversation gives you practical strategies to build better movers, reduce injury risk, and unlock your players’ full potential. 🧠 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ✅ Why physical literacy is the foundation of cricket performance ✅ How warm-ups can become a tool for long-term player development ✅ The connection between movement quality and skill execution ✅ Simple ways to include physical prep—without extra time or equipment ✅ Why athletic development is the key to more resilient, coachable cricketers 📌 0:00 – Why physical development is overlooked in cricket 📌 3:30 – Separating performance myths from physical truth 📌 8:10 – How movement skills underpin batting, bowling & fielding 📌 14:40 – The warm-up as your coaching cheat code 📌 21:00 – Helping players improve physically without fancy resources 📌 27:15 – Common injury risks coaches can help prevent 📌 33:00 – Building physical development into existing cricket sessions 📌 39:00 – Jack’s advice to coaches: small changes, big gains 👍 Like this episode? Hit the like button and subscribe for more coaching insights. 💬 Drop a comment: What part of physical development are you focusing on with your players this season? 📢 Share this with a coach who’s still treating warm-ups like a routine instead of a resource. #CricketCoaching #AthleteDevelopment #CricketFitness #StrengthAndConditioning #YouthAthletes #PhysicalPreparation #WarmUpMatters #MovementSkills #CricketDevelopment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]