I have included a few of the ideas from my recent nutritional leaflet and presentation. I am by no means a sports nutritionist and there are much more qualified people out there, but hopefully it will give you a few ideas that can help you and your team. There is a bit of detail in it with […]
Let’s not hide from the fact that being a good volunteer coach is such a difficult task. The unwarranted criticism from parents alone is enough to make you think is it worth the hassle. You have to balance your full time job and family life which can be hectic enough without having to spend your […]
Recently I spent some time coaching with Chigoli academy in Malawi. The work of this organisation is brilliant by scouting talented kids who are among some of the poorest children in the world. Chigoli pay for private schooling which the children could otherwise not afford, deliver character development sessions, pay for transport, provide kit to […]
Hi Blaine, Things may seem rather bleak at the moment. You’re not going to make it as a professional footballer, so you need to get over it! You’re going to have to change your attitude in school as this is now the path you need to follow if you want to fulfil your new goal […]
When I first arrived in China I was open minded and excited to find out what stage of development Chinese football was at. Like many of you, I had heard about the vast sums being spent by Chinese Super League (CSL) clubs and assumed football must really be on the rise. This is true but […]
Being a good coach by helping a group to become better players is an important aspect of coaching, but there is so much more to it than just that. Children idolise their coach, who plays a massive role in their development. The importance of being a good role model for your players and teaching them […]
In the first part I covered how I got into coaching and the coaching and qualifications I undertook during my undergraduate degree. At the end of the year I had a big decision to make- what to do next?! I decided to do a masters degree in sport psychology. Reason being, as a young player […]
I’m writing this blog sitting aboard a flight to South Africa where I’ll be leading sessions at a full-time academy. Across the past few days I’ve been asked about my coaching journey so I thought while I had some time free, I’d reflect and chart my journey. It may take the full 15 hour flight […]
I have heard stories of parents removing their child from a sporting team because they think focusing only on academia will enhance their prospects of a lucrative career in the future. While I think it is commendable they are prioritising education, especially considering the small chance of professional sporting success, I’d like to present an […]
This is another insert relating to the findings from my MSc research titled Soccer Coaches Engagement with Sport Psychology in Northern Ireland. Interviews were conducted with six UEFA Pro licence coaches, two UEFA A licence and two UEFA B licence who were all involved in full time sport related jobs. The aim of the project […]