The Talent Equation Podcast

Mauro van de Looij is a sports coach and performance psychologist from the Netherlands. He has worked as a youth coach at PSV Eindhoven and Willem II Tilburg and he teaches Performance Psychology at Fontys University of Applied Psychology. Mauro coaches athletes, trainers, students and teachers and also supports sports clubs, schools and companies in coaching and talent development.Mauro joins me to talk about his book 'https://amzn.to/3xJyG36' which is a book that is dedicated to supporting coaches to understand more about how they can unlock young athletes potential by recognising the psychological elements that are too often overlooked and can be so impactful on a young players career. In this conversation we cover: - How his own experineces dealing with pressure shaped his approach to coaching. - How he got rid of the Relative Age Effect by not playing in age group teams. - How we coined a new term - 'talent needs turbulence'. - Why so many coaches would say to him "I wish I got this on the coaching badges". Buy the book using this https://amzn.to/3xJyG36 (it helps to support the show.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

Basketball coach and author Alex Sarama discusses his book 'Transforming Basketball' with insights on efficient practice designs like 'floor is lava' and 'jungle shooting'. They explore the drawbacks of blocked practice, the value of set plays, and why specialization in coaching is crucial. The conversation emphasizes purposeful practice, creativity in coaching strategies, and the transition from drill-based methods to small-sided games for player development.

In this episode, I talk about the necessity for a system shift from a coach education system that is almost completely dominated by 'qualifications', which are no more than a demonstration of competence in a moment in time to a more development and progressive model that recognises the expertise of the practitioner along their developmental journey. A significant majority of coaches want the industry to recognised as a profession and would like the work they do to be recognised by the wider public. In order to do this coaches must understand that in order to be professional recognised they need to hold themselves accountable to a process of ongoing scrutiny of their skill set so that the public can be assured of their commitment to professional development and those coaches who do show commitment to personal development can be truly separated from those that don't. Hope you enjoy the podcast and look forward to comments or ideas. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

Mark Bennett OBE discusses challenges in coaching, establishing performance behaviors, dealing with self-deluded athletes, and tools for group self-reliance. The conversation explores building a professional culture, diverging needs vs. wants in coaching, fostering a confident team, accountability, defining player roles, and holistic athlete development.

Richard Burcuson and Dean Holden are the hosts of the Grass Roots Minor Hockey Podcast. A show dedicated to all things grass roots ice hockey in Canada and beyond... As they describe it... "A provocative, in-depth podcast that examines the world of minor hockey, from coaching to program development to the myriad of issues faced by everyone in the game." The guys reached out to me following my latest series called 'Coach Education is broken' as it resonated with many of their own experiences as coaches and coach educators and we decided to do a 'simulcast' which would be jointly posted oon our respective podcasts.  Richard evoked the famous Monty Python sketch about a dead parrot when describing this topic so we decided to get all theatrical and do our own reading of the famous sketch...https://www.grassrootsminorhoc...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

In this episode I call for a complete rethink about the way that we think about support for coaches. I suggest that we need to 'turn the telescope around' and start to consider the skills, knowledge, and understanding that coaches already possess, rather than forcing everybody to obtain formal qualifications through coach education courses. I share a story about a brilliant coach I know who hasn’t gone down the route of formal certifications, yet their coaching abilities are second to none. They’re the kind of coach who, despite lacking the official badges, has that 'secret sauce', that ability to connect with people and make their experience memorable. We need a shift in mindset within coach education to appreciate and support people based on their current expertise and experiences. It’s about creating tailored learning experiences, recognising prior learning, and making coaching more accessible to a wider range of people. As I said in the episode, “It’s not about the piece of paper; it’s about the real-world impact a coach has.”Ultimately, the coaching community is calling for a more inclusive approach in coach education not the 'one size fits all' model that is still too prevalent. A move towards effective and personalised support, ensuring every coach can thrive and contribute in their own way. By doing this, we can build a stronger, more diverse coaching community.Hope you enjoy the episode as much as I enjoyed recording it. Let’s keep pushing for change and making a real difference in the world of coaching.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

The discussion dives into the flaws of current coach education systems, emphasizing the need for transformation over mere certification. It critiques the conventional approach that prioritizes efficiency over genuine engagement, leaving coaches unprepared for real-world challenges. Advocates for a shift towards dynamic learning experiences that foster quality education and practical skills are highlighted, making a compelling case for a reimagined approach in coaching.

Exploring the flaws in current coach education systems, reimagining coach education, and advocating for a critical examination of current educational systems to promote behavioral change in sports coaching.

In this conversation, Scott H. Young, author of 'Ultralearning' and 'Get Better at Anything', explores innovative approaches to mastering new skills. He reveals what Tetris players can teach about improvement and emphasizes that the mind isn’t just a muscle. Scott advocates for valuing variability over repetition and explains why skill development isn’t linear. He also discusses the need for practice to align with real-life scenarios, offering listeners practical strategies to enhance their learning experience across various domains.

In this episode I am joined by Josh Peacock from 'Combat Learning' and the 'Combat Learning Podcast'. Combat Learning is about radically improving teachers and learners of martial arts using the ecological approach to training. They explore the little-known frontiers of skill adaptation, perceptual-motor learning, and human performance science for combat sports.As Josh says...."After teaching martial arts for several years, I realised that most instruction is based on unexamined traditions handed down from one instructor to another. Little to no science or research is ever incorporated…Hungry to explore ways to improve myself as an instructor, I set off to study educational psychology and motor learning. In that process, I discovered the games-based and constraints-led approaches to coaching, which are radically different methodologies than what I had seen anywhere in my career as a martial artist…In fact, these methodologies are built around designing practice exercises that allow students to explore the solutions to problems on their own, rather than teaching them solutions directly or having them do lots of technique repetitions". It's a fascinating conversation about the challenges of tackling tradition and culturally resilient beliefs. Hope you enjoyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.