A podcast for everyone involved in the game, as we are joined by 3 time author, Gavin Freeman, to discuss Sports Psychology. There is something in there for coaches, players and parents, as we dive into how the mind works around sport, how starting or coming off the bench can impact on performance, the sometimes complex car ride to or from games, and how content at training sessions can help the brain – which can be lazy!
Jun 27, 2025•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 164
Delving into the world of coaching philosophies for this week. We discuss what they are, why they’re vital for coaches to have at all levels, how you would use it to work better with players, and how coaches can go about building one for themselves no matter what level they’re coaching at. It’s also a sad pod this week, as Coops is finishing one heck of a job at Basketball Victoria. Coops has brought energy, passion, knowledge and vulnerability to his time in the role and especially the podcast ...
Jun 20, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 163
Great to welcome into the podcast Cassie Dover, Head Coach of the Women’s Indigenous Basketball Association (IBA) team. Cassie takes us through her pathway to get where she is, the experience she has had in coaching her own daughter, what she does in the coaches space, the work that the IBA is doing to promote basketball in the community for players, and how as coaches we can make an impact with our players.
Jun 13, 2025•47 min•Ep. 162
Thanks to one of our listeners Coach Funz, we were made aware of a report commissioned by Luka Doncic on the state of the junior game around the world. It’s a fascinating look at what the landscape is in the sport, and the impact that we as coaches can have with our own development, but also player enjoyment. We unpack the 8 Core Principles of the Total Hoops Approach and how it applies to our landscape as coaches. If you’re interested, you can download the report here: https://lukadoncicfoundat...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 161
With the back half of many seasons fast approaching we are anticipating some tight games, so we discuss what the late game tactics are that coaches might need to consider when the pressure comes on! Strap in as as Besty takes us through his recent Japan and US travels, some of the basketball experiences he’s had, and the different styles of basketball from around the globe.
May 29, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 160
For a lot of coaches, they’re approaching the mid-point of the season and what better time than now to get a check in with your players? It’s a great time to sit down with players and review goals from the start of the season, see if you can set new goals, find out more about your team culture, and give both coaches and players the opportunity to deliver and receive feedback to make it as positive an experience for everyone involved.
May 23, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 159
We have talked a lot about development on the podcast over the years, so we look to unpack it a little more this week. How does it feel, how does it happen and what can we do as coaches to help assist in the development of the players, when we all live in a world where winning is prioritised by so many? Any coach shoutouts you’ve got, send them through and be sure to check out the Talking Split pages on Instagram and X!
May 16, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 158
Back for another block of podcasts, and we are discussing some of the things that might go unnoticed from players or parents, about the coaches. There is a whole dynamic that some may not be aware of and can be explored to create a more harmonious environment for all involved. Along with building resiliency in athletes, and the U18 Nationals, there is something for everyone this week!
May 09, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 157
It’s taken us a while, but we’ve finally got Besty back on the podcast this week and the carrot we had to throw out there was talking about one of his favourites – Shell Drill. It’s a staple of most team training sessions, with onball defence, offball defence and all kinds of cutting and screening options being worked on, so we discuss the different areas of focus, why it’s important and some of the different ways you can run it at your training session.
Apr 03, 2025•42 min•Ep. 156
Joined on the pod this week by one of the other people that make Nick has to answer to, Luke Brennan (Trig) the South East Melbourne Phoenix Assistant Coach. Hailing from WA, we talk about his pathway in coaching, the things he believes in as a coach, NBA Summer League, his Boomers experience and advice for those younger in their coaching with aspirations to progress. Lots of takeaways for coaches of all levels regardless of where they are on their journey!
Mar 28, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 155
One of the things coaches discuss the most, is how to get the ball inbounded against pressure defence. So we’ve got you, just over an hour of inbound talk for this week! Actually, with the multiple tangents we go on, it’s probably a fair bit under an hour, but either way, lots of discussion points to hopefully help with one of the bigger pain points we deal with as coaches. If you’ve got a Coach Shoutout, let us know and we will start building up a bit of a list to get through again.
Mar 21, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 154
We asked, and you delivered! We are back for a second round of parent questions, and how they apply to the coaches out there. Team Selection, Structures for development, and even how to choose the correct shoes feature in this week! Coops fills us in on his Japan trip, we have a Coach Shout in there (keep sending those in), and we have our Social Split Talk back for another week too.
Mar 14, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 153
Fortunate to be joined this week by Michelle de Highden to discuss her coaching journey, and in particular the work that she has done with Fixing the Leaky Pipeline project. Something in this one for coaches of all levels, ages and genders as we unpack the experience for everyone in coaching, and where it can go in the future to create the best environment possible. For more information on “The Leaky Pipeline”, head here: https://www.ais.gov.au/coach-development/wihpc For women interested in app...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 152
Over the years we have had heaps of questions from parents that listen to the Talking Split podcast, so whilst it’s a pod for the coaches we’ve thrown this one open for some of the questions we’ve had loaded up, along with Coach Shoutout, Book Club and Social Split Talk all in the podcast. We’ve still got a few questions we need to get through, so stay tuned for a part 2 on this one, and any questions parents might have – hit the Talking Split socials and send them in!
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 151
Whilst it seems like we have been going for a while, believe it or not we aren’t too far off the season actually starting for junior and senior representative basketball. This week we go through some of the important things that all teams should have in place before the season begins, and unpack how to many the most of your time throughout. And a tip for everyone, work on your passing or you will be hearing from Jenna!
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 150
Back for another year of the Talking Split pod, and we are starting on the topic of Coach Wellbeing. We can’t have our coaches not in their best shape to help our players, so the team highlight some areas where we as coaches can be better and focus on to start the year. Are going to do a whole month on Coach Wellbeing this year, so if there are any specific topics you want discussed around that, be sure to send us a message on socials!
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Season 9Ep. 148
It’s our last pod for the year, and to make up for it, we doubled the length to a 2 hour Mailbag extravaganza! All the segments are in play this week, Coach Shoutout, Book Club, Social Sightings, multiple story times, oddly enough no Stoicism, but the answers to a heap of questions that the listeners sent in, including is Die Hard a Christmas movie, favourite BBQ side dishes, and even real basketball questions like Team Balance, Switching off after games, and favourite coaches to watch. Huge tha...
Dec 06, 2024•2 hr 6 min•Season 9Ep. 30
When you talk Strength & Conditioning in the Basketball Victoria space, Durham McInnis from Core Advantage springs to mind straight away. We put it out to the listeners last week to come through with any questions and they delivered! We talk about the need for a good hinge, plyometrics, the best warmup in a short amount of time, some myths around strength training and the ice bath and sauna landscape.
Nov 28, 2024•53 min•Season 9Ep. 29
We are getting into that time of year again as the competition winds down, and there is some downtime coming up – but only for some! This is also the time of year where players and coaches get to work on various areas of their game, and try to make their good, great and work on some of their weaknesses. We cover off what a workout should look like, content, time, and some things that can make a big impact in the off season.
Nov 22, 2024•55 min•Season 9Ep. 28
One of the age old debates in coaching, is do you teach the system first, or the skill set? And even then, do you start with the offence or the defence? How do you become time efficient, over the course of a season with limited practice time? We bounce around a few of these topics throughout the pod this week, in the hope that we make it easier for the coaches, but still remaining fun and enticing for the players.
Nov 15, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 9Ep. 27
There was a warning before we started the pod this week that this may not have been a good idea, and what was supposed to be a podcast coaching behaviours, wasn’t. What we are left with though, is an hour of varying thoughts on coaching, winning, development, how the game is played and coached, and nearly any other topic or tangent we ventured down. In theory we will get to the behaviour topic in a few weeks time, just maybe not with this group of coaches involved on the pod…
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr•Season 9Ep. 26
It’s the time of year where we focus on the other orange circular object and talk about the things that can scare us as players, coaches and spectators. We enlist the help of some of our loyal Talking Split listeners who sent in their ideas for the pod combined with some of our own thoughts on the subject. Reminder that we have our Mailbag podcast coming up soon, so any questions for the team, just send them in!
Nov 01, 2024•58 min•Season 9Ep. 25
On the back of sometimes feeling we are an imposter last week, a little bit more self-reflection this week as we look at how coaches can progress with their own coaching. We discuss how it can change over time, some of the more underrated ways to improve, and some things we wish we knew when we first started out coaching. Far less Oasis references, but plenty of “Story time” and “Aurelius” drops in there to keep you occupied all the same!
Oct 25, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 9Ep. 24
A topic this week that raises the question for a lot of coaches, am I good enough to do this? Imposter syndrome is something that a lot of coaches go through, trying to work out if they fit, if they’re the right person, or even if they’re doing a good job with the team they’re coaching. We look back through some of the examples we’ve had in our own coaching, but also some tools and strategies that we have used to work through this. Bonus points for every Oasis song reference you can find – this ...
Oct 18, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 9Ep. 23
Busy time of year for everyone in the coaching world (is there ever a time where it isn’t?), with selection trials happening around the state, and new teams being formed. As coaches, we have the difficult task, of knowing what the first things are that we can do with our teams and parents to tip off on the right note. We discuss parent meetings, training content, and getting everyone on the same page. It’s also the podcast debut for Nick Mihai, who’s recently joined Basketball Victoria in a Bask...
Oct 11, 2024•57 min•Season 9Ep. 22
Bit of a different take on things this week, as we go over what players can do at their trials to give themselves the best possible chance of success. We look at some key things they can do before getting there, things players can do on court to contribute to their experience, and how to deal with the outcomes afterwards.
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 9Ep. 21
It’s a crazy stressful time of year about to come up, with multiple clubs about to go through selection trials for the coming season and lots of kids wandering around the state with permanent marker on their bodies! With Coops AWOL, Rob & Zoe cover off what coaches need to be aware of, such as what content needs to be in a selection trials, how you would evaluate players in a short period of time, and why it’s important to look after your admin people on the day!
Sep 13, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 9Ep. 20
Bit of an extended Book Club this week, as we delve into the 2009 article from Jay Bilas, on Toughness. What it is, who exhibits it the most, how do we coach it, what are some of the things that are considered to be “tough”, and how it may have changed since the article and book first came out. If you’re keen to read the full article, you can find it here: https://www.ncacoach.org/uploads/Glines2.pdf
Sep 05, 2024•1 hr•Season 9Ep. 19
It’s finals time for a lot of our junior hoopers out there, and as coaches we want to have a couple of tricks up our sleeves to help give them the best chance of getting over the line. We discuss how to prepare for late game, adjustments you might be able to make, and hear from Besty on his trip to China with the Victorian athletes.
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 9Ep. 18
Things that are inevitable extend to anytime that Zoe, Coops and Rob are on the pod together, it ends with a 2-part episode. Back again this week to discuss things that seem to happen all the time, like team selection problems, re-penetration after a drive, non purposeful dribble, and putting too much weight in statistics. A reminder again, for any coach shoutouts or any book club recommendations, to send them through and follow along on @talkingsplit Instagram and X!
Aug 23, 2024•59 min•Season 9Ep. 17
