Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter The traditional definition of a coach is someone who gives instruction to help an athlete or direct team strategy. The problem with this definition, however, is that it can result in a one-way flow of information - from coach to athlete - which doesn't necessarily line up with how young people learn. On the show today, I chat with coach developer and researcher , Rob Mason ( @rob_mason12 ). Rob holds a Ph...
Nov 30, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 129
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter The Wellington Phoenix is the only professional football club in New Zealand. Today on the show we explore the academy system in charge of developing their elite players of tomorrow. To better understand the club's processes - and how they get the balance right between striving for success and looking after the young people at the heart of it - I sat down with Phoenix Academy Director, Paul Temple ( @paul...
Nov 24, 2022•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 128
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter This week on the show, I sat down with my good friend, Dave Wright. Dave is head of coaching at Birkenhead United FC in Auckland, New Zealand and Co-founder of Player Development Project , a platform offering a massive collection of coach education resources and online courses. Dave and I often catch up to talk coaching, kids and athlete development, so we thought why not record our conversation and share...
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 127
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter Stephen Cobley is an Associate Professor in motor control, skill acquisition, and sport and exercise psychology at The University of Sydney . He earned his Bachelor's degree at Loughborough University, his Master's degree at Queen's University in Canada, and his PhD at Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK. Steve's research examines developmental factors that constrain learning, development, and perfor...
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 126
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter Nick Webb ( @nick_webby ) is a strength and conditioning and performance specialist. Over the last 15 years, Nick has worked for the NZ Warriors, NZ Cricket, the Indian Cricket Team, and more recently, Pakistan Cricket. In 2011, Nick earned a Master of Health Science with First Class Honours from AUT University and he is currently studying towards a Master of Business Administration at Massey University. ...
Nov 02, 2022•46 min•Ep. 125
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter After experiencing a magic moment playing golf when everything seemed to click and his performance excelled, my guest in this episode began a research journey into psychological states of peak performance. You may have heard athletes talk about being 'in the zone'. It's a time when you're so engrossed in the task at hand that you lose track of time, become supremely confident, and nothing can stop you fro...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 124
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter We all need to feel like we belong to something. And in a world that is, right now, full of more uncertainty and struggle than ever, nothing is more important. This conversation is with performance coach, speaker and international number #1 bestselling author, Owen Eastwood . Owen works with high performing groups in sport and business, including the English Football team, the South African cricket team a...
Oct 09, 2022•54 min•Ep. 123
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter Andy Milne ( @carmelhealth ) is a teacher, creator, TEDx Speaker and father of two young boys. Originally from England, Andy taught physical education in London for 12 years before moving to America in 2008, where he now teaches Kinetic Wellness and Health at New Trier High School, just north of Chicago. Andy received his BA (hons) in Sports & Recreation at Staffordshire University and his Post Gradua...
Oct 03, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 122
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter Erin Bowerman ( @dancestrength_nz ) is a movement specialist working in dance. She holds a Masters Degree from AUT University, where she carried out her research at the Australian Ballet School in conjunction with High Performance Sport New Zealand looking at the risk factors for overuse injuries in elite adolescent ballet dancers . Erin works as a strength coach for the New Zealand Dance Company and the ...
Sep 23, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 121
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter James Mortimer ( @jamesmortimernz ) is a former national hurdles and sprint athlete, having represented New Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. James now coaches a group of some of our fastest athletes, including Zoe Hobbs , who recently ran 11.08 seconds at the Athletics World Championships in the US to set a new New Zealand record. He also works at Diocesan School for Girls i...
Sep 12, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 120
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter Coach, writer, educator, pioneer in skill acquisition and deliciously inquisitive guy Austin Einhorn ( @apiros.team ) rejoins me for another episode of The Curious Mind. In this one we discuss being a reflective coach, building rapport with your athletes, important questions to develop your awareness, parenting, Austin's new course and much, much more. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a s...
Aug 22, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 119
Host one of Craig's talks at your club or school Sign-up to receive Craig's free newsletter Tom Willmott ( @tomwillmott ) is the head coach of the park and pipe program at Snow Sports New Zealand . Tom leads a team of coaches that looks after ~20 athletes from the very elite, including winter olympic gold medalists Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Nico Porteous, to 11 and 12 year olds in the national development programme. Tom is a former snowboard competitor and national champion, has a Professional Do...
Jul 07, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 118
Jamie Salter ( @jay_salter ) is a researcher and senior lecturer in sport science and Injury at York St John University where he delivers theory and practical based sessions to undergraduate and postgraduate students in the areas of injury prevention, rehabilitation and strength and conditioning. Jamie is also an accredited Strength and Conditioning coach and Sport Scientist and has worked in physical preparation roles with youth and adult athletes at Barnsley FC, Middlesbrough FC, York City Kni...
Jun 28, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 117
On the show today I chat with Shaun Matthews, Community Coaching Advisor at Harbour Sport . We dig into: The importance of a coaching philosophy; What Shaun has learnt about talent; Coaching mindset; Developing self-reliant learners; Balance; And much more. Please enjoy the show. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts . It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps me keep producing the show. I also love hearing your feedback! Sign up for Craig's free...
May 27, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 116
Youth sport coaches are undervalued. In this conversation, Dr Vince Minjares ( @PlayerLearning ) tells us why and how we can go about changing it. Vince leads game and coach development at Harbour Basketball, on the North Shore of Auckland, and holds a PhD in Coaching and Pedagogy. Please enjoy the show. Kia ora! If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts . It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps me keep producing the show. I also love hearing your ...
May 19, 2022•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 115
Feedback is not just about what is said but what is heard. In this conversation, Jamie Taylor ( @JTGreyMatterUK ) tells us more. Jamie is a senior coach developer at Grey Matters , an evidence-based organisation that consults across a wide range of sports to raise their game. Prior to this, Jamie coached at Leicester Tigers for 7 years, developed coaches at the English Institute of Sport and taught school children. Jamie holds a PhD in Coaching Science and professional qualifications in teaching...
Mar 24, 2022•54 min•Ep. 114
Professor Arne Güllich is a sports scientist and researcher at Technical University of Kaiserslautern, in Germany. He's published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, including his latest paper "What Makes a Champion? Early Multidisciplinary Practice, Not Early Specialization, Predicts World-Class Performance" , and has coached across multiple levels in sport for number of years. In this conversation, Arne and I discuss his latest research findings on talent development, coaching, how to develop mot...
Dec 15, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 113
We all know the benefits of sporting success. But what happens when it all goes wrong? Kimberly Carducci grew up engrossed in sport and started breaking records in the pool as a 6-year-old. Winning felt good and Kim quickly wanted more of it. As a D1 swimmer in the US, Kim was a 4-time State Champion, 4-time Scholastic All-American, 4-time All-State Selection and an 8-time All-American honoree. But after retiring from the sport that she'd dedicated her life to, Kim had a moment of outrage on a t...
Nov 15, 2021•47 min•Ep. 112
Kathryn Berkett - Raising Resilience On the show today is neuroscience educator , Kathryn Berkett. Kathryn delivers information about the brain to a variety of groups including teachers, parents, mental health professionals, corporates and, more recently, sports organisations. Kathryn has her Masters in Educational Psychology, is a certified Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics practitioner and a TEDx presenter. She also co-hosts the podcast "I've got questions" with Pio Terei about all things ...
Oct 31, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 111
Des Ryan - Strong Young Gunners Des is the Director of Coaching and Performance at Setanta College - a provider of online Strength & Conditioning and Athletic Development education. Prior to this, Des spent 8 years at Arsenal Football where he led the Sports Medicine and Athletic Development department for the club's Academy. Des cut his strength and conditioning teeth working with Irish rugby. In this conversation, Des shares all that he has come to understand about getting the best out of ...
Oct 27, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 110
Courtney McGregor - What Adversity Can Teach Us At 12:41 pm on Tuesday 22nd of February 2011, a major earthquake hit Christchurch killing 185 people. Located 6.7 kilometres south-east of the city centre, the shake caused widespread damage across Christchurch, changing life as people knew it. Artistic gymnast Courtney McGregor (@_courtneymcgregor_) , was 12 at the time. Courtney remembers the earthquake being a pivotal moment in her sporting journey. It shaped the way she approached her gymnastic...
Sep 09, 2021•44 min•Ep. 109
Jay Thooft - Mindset Matters Today we hear from a coach of the mind, Jay Thooft ( @trainwithperc ). Jay is dedicated to providing developing athletes with the tools necessary to elevate their mental game and perform in the face of stress, pressure, and adversity. Currently, he oversees the mental performance training for 16 organisations in the Greater Denver area in the US and impacts approximately 5000 athletes, performers, executives, business owners, parents, and coaches every year. Prior to...
Aug 24, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 108
Brooke Neal - Finding Balance Brooke was an independent and stubborn kid growing up. She knew what she wanted and was highly driven to go out and get it. Chasing her dream of elite sporting success, Brooke first made the New Zealand Blacks Sticks as a 19-year-old. But it wasn't what she expected. Instead of fame and fortune, it was a massive struggle. She was training harder than ever before and yet her performance was getting worse. Something had to change. Over the next 10 years of her life, 1...
Aug 10, 2021•49 min•Ep. 107
Train Smarter, Not Harder Today's conversation is with double Olympian, Anna Simcic. Anna represented NZ at two Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games where she won a gold and two silver medals in the backstroke. She was consistently ranked in the top 10 in the world and in 1992 when she set a short-course world record. Anna now works for High Performance Sport NZ as an Athlete Life Advisor. She believes in a values and strengths-based approach to her work, full of energy, compassion and good humo...
Aug 02, 2021•54 min•Ep. 106
Connection is Key On the show today I chat with former international cricketer, Andrew Ellis. Andrew played first-class cricket for Canterbury from 2003 until 2020 and represented his country in both the One Day and Twenty20 formats of the game. Andrew is now a dad of two young children and works for High-Performance Sport New Zealand as the manager of the Christchurch region. In this conversation, Andrew and I discuss age and stage appropriate coaching, finding the courage the take risks, conne...
May 18, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 105
Tennis Fit Howard Green ( @HGreenTennisFit ) is a strength and conditioning coach working in tennis. He coordinates the sports science and medicine team at Bolton Arena International Tennis Academy and works privately with many up and coming and elite players, including Ana Ivanovic. Prior to his work in sport, Howard was a Commando in the Royal Marines. After completing his basic training just out of school, the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre happened and changed the world. Howa...
Apr 26, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 104
Talent Is Not Objective Dr Alex Roberts ( @AlexHRoberts ) teaches at La Trobe University in Australia and conducts research focusing on skill acquisition, talent identification and the science of coaching. In this conversation, Alex and I discuss her childhood growing up as a high-achieving Aussie, her journey as an athlete in the NCAA system and her fascinating PhD research that sheds new light on the role of the coach in talent identification, selection and development. Kia ora! Craig If you e...
Mar 29, 2021•1 hr 4 min
Movement is Life Aaron ( @movement_yoda ) works at Apiros , a movement culture based in Santa Cruz, California, where he connects with athletes from developmental level to the professional. Aaron graduated from the University of California Davis with a degree in Genetics before going on to earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Azusa Pacific University. He then did a 9-month residency program in Vallejo California, specialising in Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF). Aaron tau...
Mar 15, 2021•55 min•Ep. 102
Using Science to Help People Daniel Greenwood ( @DanielGreenw00d ) is a scientist. He spends his days with athletes, coaches and other service providers solving interesting problems in sport. Dan started his sport science journey in Sydney as an undergraduate student. After earning his degree he moved to Canberra to complete postgraduate study at the Australian Institute of Sport. Next, Dan broadened his horizon with a job in Singapore at the Sports Council. Studying towards a PhD came next, as ...
Mar 09, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 101
Reflections on the first 99 Shows Wow! 100 Epidoses! It's been awesome! Today, with the help of my good friend Dan Cooke ( @cooke_dm ), I take a look back on what I've learnt from the first 99 shows. A massive THANK YOU to you all for sticking with me and I look forward to sharing many more episodes with you. If you have any burning questions you'd like tackled on future shows or guests you'd really like to hear from, please flick me an email to let me know - craig@athletedevelopmentproject.com ...
Mar 02, 2021•54 min•Ep. 100
