The Great Coaches: Leadership & Life

Our Great Coach on this episode is John Buchanan.John started his coaching career in 1978 with minor county side Oldham in England. In his first year they won the league and cup double for the first time in 40 years.He then went on to coach the Queensland Bulls to 2 Sheffield Shields, the first the state had ever won in their 69 years in the competition.And then in 1999 was appointed coach of the Australian cricket team. In 8 years leading the team they won 3 consecutive World Cups, a world record 16 consecutive Test Victories, Ashes victories 2001 and 2003 and winning a test series in India for the first time in 36 years.He finished in 2007 with a winning % of 77, a number higher than Phil Jackson, Alex Ferguson or Vince Lombardi.He has also held coaching and consulting positions with the Kolkata Knight Riders, and both the England and New Zealand cricket teams.John is a master coach; his record places him alongside the greats in all sports.He is calm, insightful and with the rare ability to combine building a dynamic vision, with the innovation and the daily practice required to achieve it.It was an immense highlight for me to spend some time with him, and the key things that stayed me with afterwards were:His belief that Great coaches try to take people beyond their horizons, and out of their comfort zones.The importance of creating a vision that gives the team a competitive advantage. And how your technical, physical, mental, and tactical skills come together to determine your leadership skillsThe story he shares about the creation of the Invisibles term to both motivate and define the record breaking test team that he led.And The importance of history, and how that can create a sense of belonging and energy within a team.This was a wonderful conversation, with a master coach and I hope you enjoy it as much as Jim and I did.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at paul@thegreatcoachespodcast.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Great Coach on this episode is pioneering Australian Rules Football coach, Peta Searle.Peta played football for ten years in the Victorian State Womens league, where she was named in the all Australian team three times.She then began her coaching career in 2005 with the Darebin Falcons and in 2006 she coached the first of her 5 successive premierships with the team.This led to her being awarded the Victorian Female Coach of the Year in 2010.In 2011 and 2013, she was the head coach of Victorian State Team in the AFL Women's National Championships and was named the All Australian Coach in 2011.In 2012 she was an Assistant coach for the Port Melbourne men’s team, and in 2013 led the Western Bulldogs in the first ever AFL women's exhibition gameIn 2014 she joined the St Kilda Football club in the AFL as a development coach, making her the first full-time female assistant coach in the league's history.Then In 2019, Searle was appointed the head coach of the St Kilda Football Club women's team,In addition, Peta received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2019.Peta is a coach with a unique combination of resilience, and the type of steely persistence, that only true pioneers possess.She is articulate and authentic; and focused on leaving a legacy that inspires others.At the start of this interview, Peta was guarded, almost distrusting, but as it progresses, she talks more deeply about the facets of coaching that are important to her.And some of the key parts that resonated with me were:How Great coaches care for you as a human first and want to grow and develop you, and they do this through both challenging and supporting you.How she focuses on understanding the barriers that are stopping someone from succeeding and then tries to help them remove them. And, in women's sport this can mean removing many years of socialized biases.There is always something that can be learned from sad or low times, if you are able to change the narrative you use to understand it.Peta is a coach that is changing the way we think about about coaches in elite sport; it’s a terrific interview, for me someone we are going to hear a lot more from in the future and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at paul@thegreatcoachespodcast.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Great Coach on this episode is Frank Dick.Frank Dick is the current President of the European Athletics Coaches Association.From 1970 until 1979 he was Scottish National Athletics Coach. Then in 1979 he was appointed as the British Athletics Federation's Director of Coaching. In this position Frank led the British Athletics team into its "golden era" with Olympic gold medalists such as Daley Thompson, Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe. And ultimately victory in the European Cup in 1989.His contribution to sport and coaching was recognized with the awarding of an OBE in 1989 and an induction to the UK Coaches Hall of Fame in 1999.He has also coached athletes from other sports such as F1 driver Gerhard Berger, Ice Skater Katarina Witt, Tennis player Boris Becker and Golfer Justin Rose.Amongst the many other successes on his impressive resume are a Fulbright Scholarship in 1965, the publication of 4 books, stints as chair of the British Association of National Coaches, and British Institute of Sports Coaches , the appointment as High Performance Director for the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, and strategic planning consultant for the England Rugby Leadership Team under Eddie Jones.Frank is a master coach, and a fabulous story teller and some of the key parts of this interview for me wereHis view that the great coaches have curiosity and try to look at the world differently to learn new things. They are also challenging and do this through asking good questions.His thoughts on learning faster than the competition, and holding your self to the same expectations around learning that you have for your athletes.And that Teams are selected for their diversity, and from that you must create harmony and so your job as a coach is often as the conductor of the orchestra.This was a great conversation, I left feeling inspired and educated. And I hope you enjoy it as much as Jim and I did.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at paul@thegreatcoachespodcast.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Great Coach on this episode is Bas Du Bruin.Bas is a Dutch paratriathlon coach.He started his coaching in the late 1990’s eventually becoming the coach of the National Para-triathlon team in 2013.At the 2016 Olympics the paratriathlon team won a gold and silver medal, Bas has also coached athletes who have won World and European championships, as well as Geert Schipper, who famously won the Hawaiian ironman in 2018.Bas hates the word para, he believes that it is just sport with equipment, and he loves the interaction of human performance and technology and using that to help people with a disability perform better.Bas believes in trust, he offers it unconditionally and his athletes respond by pushing themselves beyond their comfort zone to find where their boundaries are.His communication style is in his words, from the heart, and offers it in the moment, free from nuance. And focuses on helping athletes embrace their own responsibility and fixing their own flat tyres, because in the end the benefit for the athlete is greater if you don’t help.In fact, he doesn’t even see himself as a coach, for him it is not a job, its just fun.This is a terrific interview with a coach that has a deep passion for making a difference in peoples lives and I hope you enjoy it as much as Jim and I did.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at paul@thegreatcoachespodcast.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Great Coach on this episode is Surf coach Andy King.Andy says he that started walking, talking and surfing all at the same time so it wasn’t surprising that he became a professional surfer in 1996. His career lasted for 8 years but then on a night out with his girlfriend and now wife, Nadene; he was hit from behind and fell to the round smashing his cochlear. When he woke he was deaf and had lost his sense of equilibrium.With the help of other pro surfers he was able to receive a cochlear implant so that he could hear again. He re-learnt to walk and was eventually able to surf again, but his days as a professional were over. This led him into coaching.He started as a coach for young surfers on the Red Bull circuit in America, and went on to coach Mick Fanning on his way to 3 World Championships in 2007, 2009 and 2013.Then in 2013, with surfing confirmed as an Olympic Sport at the 2020 games, he was appointed as National Surfing Australia based at the Hurley High Performance Centre on the Gold Coast.Today he is a professional coach for many surfers on the world tour.In our interview we talk about the shark attack that Mick Fanning experienced in 2015; and the memory was particularly emotional for Andy as just 2 days prior a surfer had been killed at Greenmount Beach in Coolangatta, a place he surfs at on the weekends with his children.Andy blends a deep appreciation for life with a desire to be the type of coach that can help improve the lives of others and the culture of the sport he loves.This was a terrific interview, with a human that has embraced the 2nd chance life has given him and I hope you enjoy it as much as Jim and I did.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at paul@thegreatcoachespodcast.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Great Coach on this show is Briony Akle.Briony is a former professional netball players and now coach.Briony played for the New South Wales Swifts in the Australian Super Netball League and was part of their premiership team in 2001 and 2004.After retiring she transitioned into coaching, and progressed through roles with junior and senior representative sides. In 2016 she became Head Coach of the Netball NSW Waratahs and led them to the Australian Netball League Grand Final.This result led to her appointment as head coach of her old club the Swifts in 2018. In her 2nd season the Swifts won the championship and Briony was awarded the coach of the year.We recorded this interview at the start of 2021 season, and now the team is about to enter the finals series, where they hope to emulate their 2019 championship.Briony is a calm and empowering coach; the type of person who is able to both develop the confidence and resilience of individuals and at the same time, shape the type of team that thrives under pressure.She is a caring and insightful coach, who is in tune with the issues that both propel and hamper high-performance. And the type of coach who you would hope your own children can experience one day.There are many highlights in this interview, but the key ones that resonated with me afterwards were:How great coaches take a holistic approach and know the athlete both on and off the court. This allows them to understand what motivates the person and also what holds them back.Her use of role plays to prepare her team for the difficult conversations needed to build both team cohesion and to address issues with self-doubt and confidence.And wanting to leave a legacy where female participation in sport grows by addressing body image and confidence issues in young women.This was a terrific discussion with a coach who I have no doubt will one day be leading her country, I hope you enjoy it as much as Jim and I did.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at paul@thegreatcoachespodcast.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Great Coach on this episode is Brad Dubberley.Brad is the Australian wheelchair Rugby Head Coach and former player.Brad took up wheelchair rugby at the age of 14 as part of his rehabilitation process from an injury. Within a year he was representing Australia in a Test against New Zealand. He then won a silver medal as an athlete at the 2000 Sydney Games.After retiring Brad transitioned into coaching and led the Australian team to a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics. He then went on to coach the team to back to back gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.Brad is a calm and inspiring coach, the type of person you feel at ease with as you soon as you meet them. He speaks with deep insight about the rewards that come from taking athletes and their families on a journey towards both team success and individual improvement.You will also hear him talk about the need to keep coaching messages simply so that athletes can understand and not doubt themselves if they forget or scramble the instructions. How laughter, can relieve pressure and give the team a sense of confidence; and how his key message to everyone is Don't let the chair, stop you from doing anythingBrad is a terrific coach, and I hope you enjoy listening to him as much as Jim and I did.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at paul@thegreatcoachespodcast.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Great Coach on this episode is Australian Basketball coach, Rob Beveridge.Rob began coaching state representative sides at the age of 19. Over the next 27 years his career steadily progressed, with some of the key highlights being a Gold medal leading Australia at the World U20 Championships, a Paralympic silver medal, a Commonwealth Games gold medal, and a coveted National Championship with the Perth Wildcats in 2010.Rob has also coached in China, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Korea, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates the Scottish national team and for 6 years coached the World team at the annual Nike Hoops Summit in the USA.And along the way he picked up 14 coach of the year awards from various governing bodies.Rob is a coach with a deep focus on teaching people to become elite athletes, and to achieve this he tries to help them be the best possible version of themselves.He is a humble, self-reflective and with enough experience under his belt to know that great team cultures take time, patience and dedication to build.The key parts of this interview that resonated with me were:How to be a successful coach of an elite level team, you need to be able to understand every single role within the club, so that you can match the theory with how it is actually applied, and this why serving an apprenticeship to develop your craft is so important.The importance in re-enforcing athlete strengths in building their confidence, and getting them to focus during games.And that if you create a positive and fun culture, people will thrive, but if you micromanage, players they start to look over their shoulder, and this ultimately impacts their performance.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at paul@thegreatcoachespodcast.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Great Coach on this episode is American Basketball coach Michelle Clark-Heard.Michelle is a Louisville native and played basketball at Western Kentucky from 1986 where she was part of 4 NCAA teams.In 2005 she was appointed head coach at Kentucky State, before becoming the Head Coach for her alma mater Western Kentucky in 2012 and over the next 6 years won 77% of her games.In 2015 and 2017 she was an Assistant for USA teams.And in 2018 she became the Head Coach of Cincinnati University in the American Athletic Conference.Michelle is a coach with a relentless focus on self-evaluation by, as she says, looking in the mirror first, before she gives feedback to others.She also believes in the primary importance of care, for yourself as a leader, and for the people in your organisation.There are many powerful moments in this interview, and the key points that resonated with me were:How the belief you get from your mentors helps counter your own self-doubt and develop as a person.The role of support staff in helping you deal with self-doubt in times of low energy.And The importance of self-love in allowing you to be the best you can be every day.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at paul@thegreatcoachespodcast.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Great Coach on this episode is Alan Smith.Alan is the former football manager of Dulwich Hamlet, Crystal Palace, and Wycombe Wanderers.In 1994 Alan coached Crystal Palace to the Division One Championship and was also awarded the League Manager's Association ‘Championship Manager of the Year’. In 1995, he led the team to the semifinals of both the League and FA Cups.In 1997, he was appointed by Kevin Keegan to join his beloved Fulham Football Club as the club's new Academy Director, a role he held until 2000.In a career that spans over 40 years he has worked with some amazing coaches, and helped develop players like Gareth Southgate and Chris Coleman who have gone on to have successful coaching careers of their own.Alan is a positive and energizing person, with a lifelong passion for helping others develop. He is also a strong advocate for finding a mentor as a Head Coach to help you be the most effective leader you can possibly be.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at thegreatcoachespodcast@gmail.com.If you would like to send us any feedback or if you know a great coach, who has a unique story to share, then we would love to hear from you, please contact us at paul@thegreatcoachespodcast.com or contact us through our website thegreatcoachespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.