The Talent Equation Podcast

David Thomson is an ex army veteran who became a leading financial advisor turned education technology entrepreneur. David is the Founder and CEO of 'Suada' a game changing learning platform that combines the

Troy Urdahl is an award winning high school athletic director, a hall of fame coach and a college professor with more than twenty years experience in leadership and coaching. He is now an accomplished author of a fantastic book called 'Chasing Influence' which uses storytelling as a means to put forward lessons about leadership. Troy shares his journey from a sports-filled childhood to advocating for multi-sport participation, and delves into the philosophy of coaching with an emphasis on 'why' we coach and building life skills through sports. We talk about the balance between high expectations and support, the power of resilience, and the significance of 'soft skills' in coaching. Additionally, discover concepts like the Finnish notion of 'Sisu' (which roughly translates into 'never giving up'), allyship in sports and Troy's thoughts on the universal value of creating a culture that prioritises relationships over winning.Hope you enjoy. Want to learn with me and a global network of committed individuals that

Stuart Morgan is a high performance coach and performance director working with elite golfers and aspiring players across Europe. Stuart makes a welcome return to the podcast for another frank and forthright conversation about the state of coaching and athlete development. He is also a co host on the brillient 'Practice Thinker' podcast alongside Ian Renshaw and Peter Arnott. In this conversation we discuss Stuart's experiences working in multi disciplinary teams and uncovers some of the toxicity that surrounds some of these environments. Stuart also shares his experiences of working as a Performance Director and how he has uncovered coaches that have very little understanding of their approach and how he encourages players to be more questioning of their coaches to avoid path dependency. We discuss the latest state of skill acquisition and also get into a deep dive around the way that he field has emerged and the lack of awareness among the vast majority of coaches. It's a really fascinating conversation tha

In this episode, I discuss the changing nature of coach education, particularly focusing on the concept of 'deconstructed delivery.' As we move towards more learner-centered models in education, it's crucial to rethink the delivery methods to tailor them to individual needs. I explore the challenges of implementing these models at scale, the limitations of traditional education systems, and the new suite of professional standards in the UK that bring flexibility and transferability in qualifications. The discussion also touches on the necessity of continuous professional development and how adopting a deconstructed, individualized approach can transform the sports workforce and improve outcomes for participants.01:36 What does 'learner centred' even mean? 03:50 Why don't people do this already? 05:18 Barriers to change08:08 How professional standards open up new opportunities for a more dynamic, learner centred model11:50 Deconstructed Learning: A New Approach13:56 RIP CPDIf you would like to discuss any of t

Tom Hartley is the Coaching Lead at UK Coaching and Foundation Phase Lead Coach at Oxford United women. In this very overdue episode (aren't they all!) I sit down with Tom Hartley to explore his extensive background in coaching and player development.Tom discusses his journey in coaching including pivotal career moments at clubs like Swindon Town and Arsenal, and unique experiences such as coaching in prisons and internationally. We discuss some of his coaching influences and also expore some of the creative ways that he develops coaches. 01:38 Career journey17:37 The role of a coach developer - 'having someone hold onto you while you lean over the edge'45:30 Creative coach development - 'jelly beans and cocktail sticks'49:45 How we can support community coaches to 'collect memories rather than medals'01:04:50 Designing effective individual development plans01:13:48 Parents as a 'multi-disciplinary team'01:16:41 Conclusion and future conversationsSupport the show on Patreon or join my learning community: http

In Episode 6 of the Coach Education is Broken series, I discuss the need for a significant shift in the way we think about and approach coach education by embracing the natural complexity that comes with people operating in a range of contexts. I represent the views of coach educators, system builders and coaches themselves that we need to move beyond linear development pathways, particularly if we want to engage those working in community settings with individuals that experience social and/or economic disadvantage. I would love to hear your thoughts about this and would be keen to help any organisations that are looking to tackle some of these challenges. 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview01:57 Understanding the Linear Coach Development Journey04:43 Challenges in Recognizing Expertise in Youth Coaching09:52 The Need for Non-Linear Coach Development 12:03 Addressing Diversity and Inclusion in Coach Education16:21 Reforming Curriculum Design for Coaches19:34 Conclusion and Call to ActionBecome a supporte

Alex Lascu is a cricket coach that has doen in depth acadmeic study in coaching and skill development before turning her attention to coach development. She now works for one of the major state sports associations in Australia. Alex joined me to discuss all things coach educationa and development having listened to my recent 'Coach Education is broken series'. Through the discussion we explore some of the 'system shifts' that I have been covering and how they manifest into her work within cricket. We look at some of the practical solutions that are being implemented and how they seek to address the need to reducce the burden on coaches through enhanced support. I hope you enjoy...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

Reposting a classic episode!  ------- This was recorded to reflect on the journey of the England Football Team during the previous European Championships but it still feels apt today in the wake of another final appearance and Gareth Southgate’s tenure as Head Coach coming to an end. I have been fortunate to spend time with Gareth Southgate, the England Head Coach on a couple of occasions and I was able to glean some insights from those interactions that I think are relevant to the success that the team are currently enjoying and would be useful for any coach. Hope you enjoy! *GB actually won 1 gold medal in Atlanta (not 1 bronze as I said in the recording) among a total medal haul of 15. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podca....

In Episode 5 of the 'Coach Education is Broken' series,' I explore the importance of addressing systemic barriers in the sports workforce that mean that the worksforce continues to lack diversity. This episode delves into real-world examples of how local community engagement can drive participation, social impact, and talent development but how this can only happen by utilising the qualities, skills and attributes of coaches from within that local community. Through a compelling story of a martial arts club in a deprived area, I showcase the importance of localised, bottom-up approaches to coaching and education and the impact it can have on the lives of young people. 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview00:23 Understanding Workforce Diversity01:55 The Importance of Local Community Coaches05:19 Challenges Faced by Unqualified Coaches11:27 Decentralising Education for Greater Impact14:44 Call to Action and ConclusionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podc

In episode 4 of the 'Coach Education is Broken' series, titled 'Fixing the Leaky Bucket,' I delve into the systemic and mindset shifts required to change and modernise the way that the sport sector develops it's frontline workforce. I call for better insight and data collection to inform decision making into coach education and I challenge the isector's over emphasis on recruiting new coaches instead of focussing on how we support and retain the skilled practitioners that we already have. 01:50 - The Problem with Coach Education insights02:44 - Understanding Coach Supply and Demand07:00 - Retention Challenges in Coaching08:55 - Shifting Focus to Retention and SupportBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

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 and he coaches athletes, trainers, students and teachers. He 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

Alex Sarama makes a welcome return to the podcast to discuss his fantastic new book 'Transforming Basketball' and to unpack some of the ideas that are within it. Although Alex is a basketball coach and the book is based on Basketball, it is actually a briliiant read for coaches of any sport, especially team sports. This conversation explores many of these ideas including: Why '2 ball dribbling' is a complete waste of timeWhy coaches are so dependent on blocked practice and drillsWhen, how and why to use set playsSome of Alex's brillient practice designs like 'floor is lava', 'mosquito shooting' and 'jungle shooting'. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Use this link to get a copy of Alex's book (I get a small commission which helps to support the show). Support the show on Patreon or join my learning community 'The Guild' hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

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-

Mark Bennett makes a welcome return to the podcast. This time to help me out with some challenges that I have experienced during my last season of coaching. How to establish an agreed set of performance behaviours with a group that is equally spilt between wanting to be recreational and wanting to be driven by performance goals. We also explore how you deal with people who are self deluded and think that they want to be performance driven but then behave like recreational athletes. Mark shares a few new tools that he uses when supporting a group to be self reliant and self organising inclusing the 3As I got a lot out of the discussion...I hope you do to...BTW - Mark has launched a new online training space with loads of courses, videos and resources check it out at https://www.needcentred.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

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-worl

Episode 1 of 'Coach Education is broken' - 'Transformation not transaction' I take a hard look at the nature of coach education courses as a machanism to provide coaches with the kind of support they need. I criticise the thinking behind this approach and the 'culturally resient practices and beliefs' that fosters their continued use. This focus on efficiency means that coaches often get their qualifications without genuinely engaging with the material or retaining what they’ve learned. As a result, they’re left unprepared for the real-world challenges they will face in their coaching careers.I call for a shift towards newer, more agile and dynamic educational approaches that prioritise quality learning experiences and practical application.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

A new dog walk diary where I begin a new multi part series talking about all of the ways that coach education and development needs to change to meet the needs of a new generation of learners.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

Scott Young makes an extremely welcome return to the podcast having written a new book about learning that follows up on the smash hit 'Ultralearning'. 'Get Better at Anything' has a different flavour as it takes us on a more practical journey to explore the development of skill in multiple domains. I was gripped by this conversation as we explored: What Tetris players can teach us about getting better.Why the mind is not a muscle! Why we should value variability over repetition.Why improvement is not a straight line. Why practice must meet reality. Amongst a whole heap of other things. I hope you enjoy as much as I did. Link to Scott's podcast Link to the blog and newsletter Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-talent-equation-podcast--2186775/support.

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 sol