The Talent Equation Podcast

Mark Bennett is back! He's been off travelling the world working with professional sports teams and community clubs. PDS is taking off in a big way!! In this podcast we cover a LOT of ground reflecting on the challenges of adopting a truly athlete centred approach to coaching. Topics of discussion include: - Why most coaches look at the wrong things in training. - Why saying nothing is not athlete centred- Why reflection doesn't work (very well most of the time)- How to identify the areas to work on that are going to bring the biggest return on investment - How coaches are using questioning in a way that is no better than telling- Using the 'Rule of 3' to develop a positive culture in sessionsAnd SO much moreEnjoy!!

Mark O'Sullivan is back fresh from his global travels and work to write a PhD!! As always, Mark isn't short of a few thoughts on the state of play in coaching and sport for children. In this conversation we delve into...- How 'culturally resilient beliefs effect us all and can limit our effectiveness if we aren't aware of them- How 1 v 2 can bring about a world of development opportunities- Why he tries to make his coaching sessions feel like a skate park- Why working towards 'ideal technical models' can be harmful for children- Why he feels that his coaching approach is like being a sculptor or painterEnjoy If you want to support the show please leave a review or become a hero and head over to www.thetalentequation.co.uk and click on the 'become a patron' button at the top of the page.

David Hinchliffe likes a challenge. He is a full time cricket coach in Glasgow, Scotland. One of the rainiest cities in the UK. He is also an example of adaptability and resilience, often coaching in sub zero temperatures with groups of youngsters in his unheated indoor centre. In this conversation we discuss:- Why you never say to David "I just want to hit balls"- How to use the constraints led approach in a sport like cricket which often demands technical input- How he creates contextualised learning experiences in artificial environments - Why he doesn't do "standard nets"Hope you enjoy

I got together with friends of the show Ed Coughlan and Shawn Myszka to reflect on the recent movement and skill acquisition conferences that they ran on either side of the Atlantic. As you would expect, it was a great conversation that meandered all over the place as they guys tried to make sense of the various things that they took away from the events. I just sat back and enjoyed the ride...I hope you do too!!

Ken Martel is the Technical Director at USA Hockey (ice not field!!) and has been leading change in the development of the sport of Ice Hockey across the USA for over a decade. His passion and commitment to make the experience for young people as good as it can be shines through in the conversation. Areas we discuss include: - How Ice hockey went from being a sport where 60% of kids quit by age 11 to a sport that now has a 90% retention rate. - How they developed their player development framework, the 'American Development Model'. - How the principles of Non-Linear Pedagogy are embedded in their development programmes - The challenges they faced in implementing the framework and working with volunteer coaches- Some ideas about how to develop movement agility while keeping perception and action coupled. Its a great conversation, hope you enjoy

Amy Price is a football coach that is fascinated by games. She lectures on coaching at St Mary's University and is studying for a PhD on the topic of the application of the learning principles associated with video games as applied to sport. This conversation really got me thinking...we discovered that we were both using games in our coaching but we were coming from very different theoretical perspectives. It was really interesting and you will hear us both struggling to come to terms with it. In this episode you will hear us exploring: - Using a 'sandbox' to eliminate risk- Using a 'fishtank' to develop technique - Why games promote learning by providing meaning - The 4 C's of mission based learning - Why the whole concept of 'ball mastery' is missing a trickEnjoy!!

Steve Hooper is the owner and head coach at 'Inclusion Coaching', A football coaching organisation that is committed to enabling children to learn through a games based approach. It is fair to say that Steve's education as a coach has been a trial. At many stages he has had setbacks but each of those setbacks have served to define him as a coach. It is the very definition of 'non linear coach development' and serves to highlight all of the things that still need to be improved in coach education. In this episode we cover...- How Steve had to bite his lip to pass the UEFA B course - The challenge he faces with the 'perception of non coaching'- Is the games based approach is the equivalent of junk food?- The ultimate measure of whether the games based approach works or not......and much moreEnjoyhttp://www.inclusioncoaching.co.uk

Paul Eales is a professional golfer, coach and broadcaster. He has spent his life in the pursuit of excellence in his chosen field. His journey as a play shaped him as a coach as his experiences as a performer challenged him to look for answers to help him find a way to improve. In so doing he found an approach to learning that took him on a journey that he now uses in his coaching with aspiring players. His story is illuminating...I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Daniel Coyle is one of my favourite writers. Not only is he an amazing story teller but he has a knack of zooming in on the things that aren't obvious and bringing it to life. He studies human nature and then delves into the science in order to work out what is going on. He shot to prominence with 'The Talent Code' which was a complete game changer for me. It resonated so closely with so many of my experiences and helped me make sense of so much about talent development and coaching. In his latest book 'The Culture Code' he answers so many of the questions that were left unanswered by the Talent Code when he delves into: - What makes a great team environment great? - How do we shape a culture to allow people to thrive? - What are the characteristics and abilities of great leaders that make this all work? Nick Levett is asking the questions with me so you get 3 for the price of 1. Enjoy

Ben Galloway runs 'Opposite Direction, a YouTube channel that has taken the world of constraints led coaching by storm. His short videos have helped to demystify the concepts within ecological dynamics and make them accessible to coaches that are exploring working using 'non-traditional methods'. In this conversation we explore some of the ways that Ben thinks about the 'ecological approach' and his passion for helping young people experience 'backyard games' as well as sharing how he is currently researching how he can use constraints to create 'adaptive dribblers'. Enjoy https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsVkH7793RMAhYqKLXle_vQ

Peter Arnott is a golf coach that has broken away from the traditional models of golf coaching by embracing non-linear, ecological and constraints led pedagogical approaches. In this absorbing conversation we explore the various challenges that he has faced when adopting this approach, we delve into his methods for helping golfers to become better performers by coaching on the golf course and the issues he faces when he isn't coaching in this environment. We also dig into some of his research into the lives of elite tour players and uncover some fascinating insights about the way elite players approach performance. We are talking golf...but there are applications across the sporting landscape in this fascinating discussion. Enjoy------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you enjoy these conversations and they are helping you to improve then please consider supporting the podcast. Supporters are provided with bonus material and content that wo

Mark Bennett is back by popular demand!!This is a bit of a bonus episode where Mark and I sat down for a cup of coffee and I decided to hit record to see where the conversation took us. We really got in deep as to how we as coaches can measure our effectiveness and also how someone developing a coach should look to guide their development. We are in a cafe so there is quite a bit of background noise but I think you will agree that it is worth persevering!!You can support these podcasts and buy me a cup of coffee by going to the website at www.thetalentequation.co.uk and clicking on the 'become a patron' button at the top of the homescreen. All the best Stuart

Born Barikor is an inspiration....He is the charismatic leader of www.ourparks.co.uk a social movement in the UK that has a mission to help people who are inactive to take their first steps into the world of physical activity through the provision of free fitness activities provided in Parks throughout London. Born's infectious personality is transmitted through the episode where he explains the ingredients that go into the phenomenal success of OurParks which has seen over 60,000 people taking part in exercise classes staffed by a 300 strong team of coaches. In this episode we discuss....- How the Our Parks and Disney share the same ethos around the customer experience- The way the the OurParks coaches create connection that lasts beyond the session- How OurParks is finding coaches that have the natural empathy with their target audienceThis is a different context than is usual for The Talent Equation but there are so many takeaways that are important for anyone trying to build a motivational climate for peo

Dr Edward Coughlan is a researcher, lecturer and coach at the Cork Institute of Technology in Ireland. He has spent his career studying skill acquisition and applying what he is learning on the training field. In this fantastic discussion we explore a whole world of topics including: - How he works to make coaching have a strong representation to the game- The difference between the 'practice effect and the 'performance effect' and why so many coaches get seduced by it. - Using consequences to improve performance - How he improved his coaching by paying attention to the 'decision load' in his sessions- Why failure is so important for learningThis is an episode that is extremely dense in information...I recommend a notepad for this one!Enjoy!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The costs of the running the podcast in time and money are quite considerable. If you would like so support the podcast and help to keep it going then please conside

Kendal McWade from Instinctive Golf is back. Recently, he dropped by for a visit for 2 days. He came to watch me coaching my regular Wednesday night group and then he coached a friend of mine as well as working me on my game and also coaching my son. After dinner, we recorded some reflections of our experiences and shared our thoughts on our respective approaches and methods. Some themes in this conversation are: - How to praise without giving praise- The difference and similarity of approach between team games and individual games - The nature of feedback and how most coaches and players are 'outsourcing feedback' - Our different approach to questioning- Why coaching sessions should make the player's head hurt....and a lot moreEnjoy------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you enjoy these podcasts and you would like to support it then please head over to www.thetalentequation.co.uk and click on the 'become a patron' button at the top of the

Shaun Larkin is a player development specialist working in professional baseball with the LA Dodgers. His role involves helping players to enhance their skills and a big part of that role is to challenge coaching practice to maximise the impact that they can have to prepare players for performance. In this episode we explore: - How professional baseball recruits and develops talent- Some of the limitations of the talent development system in baseball- The crazy competition schedule and the constraints in puts on coaching - The challenges he faces trying to shift away from 'traditional coaching methods'Shaun can be found on Twitter at @slarkin04

This podcast is a bit different...in this episode the tables are turned...and I am doing most of the talking ("how is that different?" I hear you cry!). In this episode Mark Peters interviews me about Creativity for a research project he is undertaking. In the episode we cover a lot of ground including....Why most people misunderstand what creativity is and limit the development of creativity in players as a result. How Pep Guardiola thinks about creativity (probably) and the strange reasons why that is deemed to be so unique and abnormalThe biggest mistake coaches make when working to develop creativity and the simple tip that can help to navigate it. What evolutionary biology can teach us about developing more creative players. How an ecological approach to creativity and problem solving should be used to create team cohesion. Why methods adopted in a high performance context shouldn't be adopted in a talent environment if we are passionate about developing creative players. I hope you enjoyStuart

Happy New Year everyone!! Ron Smith has a lifetime of experience in coaching and player development. He started coaching full time at the age of 24 and has held positions with the Australian Institute of Sport and as the National Coaching Director for football in Malaysia. In this discussion we dig into his approach to coaching and debate the applicability of various coaching methodologies. Ron has questions about the games based approach to coaching and wanted to challenge some of the common beliefs that seem to have infiltrated the world of coaching and player development. What a great way to set up the New Year!!Enjoy!

Dan Abrahams is a coach that specialises in a different kind of skill acquisition...Dan specialises in the acquisition of mental skills. He is a consultant to England Rugby, AFC Bournemouth as well as several elite athletes from around the sporting world. He is the author of a series of books such as 'Golf Tough', 'Soccer Tough', 'Soccer Tough 2' and he is extremely active on social media, etc. In this highly informative conversation Dan and I discuss...- Why he thinks the FA's Four Corners Model is flawed- How to get players into the 'Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning' (IZOF)- Why most athletes are susceptible to 'Paradoxical Thinking' about the way they train and prepare for competition- His method of 'stretch and support' to help human growth- How he uses mataphor and analogy to help players get a 'Game Face' ready for competition- His approach to establishing goals with athletesThere is a lot in here that is essential listening to anyone serious about helping young people to unleash their potentialE

Loren Anderson of Rise Volleyball makes a welcome return to the podcast. In this episode you will hear Loren and I get deep as we question our efficacy as coaches and also explore the ways that we manage ourselves so that we can get into the optimal state to make sure that we are coaching at our best. We also discuss the often quoted term "Talent needs trauma' and explain why we think that it is a flawed concept and explain how this idea should be considered. I really enjoyed this conversation...I hope you do too.