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Dan speaks to Stuart Welsh, founder of ALTA Education. 

With nearly two decades of experience in education, specialising in maths teaching and as well as coaching rugby in schools, Stuart is a well-sought-after speaker and presenter.

He has taught and led teams in schools worldwide, authored popular math textbooks, and founded a widely-used educational website used by tens of thousands of students every year. He is passionate about research-based pedagogy and committed to improving teaching and learning globally through ALTA Education.

In the podcast, we discuss:

• The importance of acknowledging the novice-expert continuum
• How novices and experts learn differently
• How to differentiate effectively
• How experts are novices, too
• What is variation theory in education, and how it could work in a training session

If you want to contact Stuart, email him at [email protected]

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We speak to Ben Lazenby, Head of Youth at Wakefield Trinity RLFC in this episode.

Focusing on game understanding we are going to cut to the root on how a player-centred approach might lead to a shared collective team cohesion.

The first question: Is a player-centred approach to game understanding just us waiting for the players to give us the right answer?

Previously, Ben was the Academy Pathway manager at Ealing Trailfinders, Academy General Manager at Hull Kingston Rovers, Yorkshire Carnegie academy manager. Plus had roles at Warrington Wolves and as a coach educator at Rugby Football League.

His philosophy is to fill the gaps and provide the players and staff with what they need through collaboration, openness, and detailed analysis.

You can contact him on LinkedIn: Ben Lazenby

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

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Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be!

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Dan speaks to Cath Bishop about what winning really means and how we can create the right sort of winning in our sporting environments.

Cath is a highly sought-after consultant and coach, an Olympian, former diplomat and author of The Long Win, the second edition published in May. She is also a regular contributor to the Guardian and a podcast host.

Visit her website here, where she offers lots of practical ways to improve your decision-making. You can also purchase the book.

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

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Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be!

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In this short podcast, Dan speaks to Gary Townsend, head of rugby at Switch Rugby with a focus on developing young players, coaches and clubs. 

He is former RFU National Player Development Manager and Bristol Bears Junior Academy manager.

In this episode, they discuss what players want from your coaching sessions.

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

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Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be!

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Welcome to the Coaching Knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Jason Gilmore, Waratahs Senior Assistant Coach (Defence) and Australia A head coach.

Note! He was with the Waratahs when we recorded this. He is now defence coach with Harlequins.

Focusing on defence, we are going to cut to the root of who is the most important player in ruck defence.

Previously, Jason worked for Queensland Rugby as Elite Development Head Coach Assistant Coach and Junior Wallabies coach, as well as four years in teaching as a 1st XV head coach

Philosophy

Create better men and players

 You can contact him on 

LinkedIn

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

To find out more about our Partner Club offer

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Dan speaks to Tom Morris from Progressive Rugby, an independent player welfare lobby group founded in 2021 to drive change that both better protects player brain health and the game’s long-term future.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Separate strategies to make rugby safer and more appealing at both the community and professional level
• Improving education and the need for a concussion communication system in youth rugby
• Helping young players understand the benefits of learning proper tackle technique
• Implementing a community of care in grassroots rugby and sharing best practice
• Whether the age when contact is introduced in youth rugby should be adjusted
• The importance of attracting and maintaining players in the community game

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

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Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be!

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Dan chats to Sean Phelan, the brains behind Fill Your Boots, the way that players and clubs can connect to fill the gaps on a Saturday.

In the podcast, they discuss:

• How Fill Your Boots works
• Why clubs struggle to find players and creative ways to solve this
• How clubs can welcome players
• How can the women's game grow now
• How do we help retain volunteers

If you want to find out more, go to the Fill Your Boots website, it's totally free!

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

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Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be!

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Dan chats to Kris Stafford, Rugby Development Officer at Leeds Beckett, MSc in Sports Coaching, U.K Coaching award winner, and host of the @bigbreakdownhq podcast.

In the podcast, they discuss:

• Making sure the players are valued and integrated into the coaching process
• How to genuinely engage with the players outside their sport
• How to have entire team conversations
• What a positive and supportive learning environment looks like
• Ways to design a practice to make purposeful
• Using the STEP model to develop practices
• What is meant by the MOTs of the ABCs
• Where to use a self-directed learning approach, where players spend time exploring and practicing key skills both with and without coach guidance
• Where players need guidance and where they can take control
• Using all the coaches in the session to run an effective game
• How to make player huddles more impactful

 To find out more about the The Big Breakdown: A Coaching Podcast, click here.

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

To find out more about our Partner Club offer

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Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be!

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In this short podcast, Dan speaks to  Gary Townsend, head of rugby at Switch Rugby with a focus on developing young players, coaches and clubs. 

He is former RFU National Player Development Manager and Bristol Bears Junior Academy manager.

They discuss how you make a U12 player more skilful and what that might look like in training.

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

To find out more about our Partner Club offer

CLICK HERE

Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be!

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Callum Adam, Currie RFC Senior Mens Assistant Coach and Edinburgh University Women’s 2nd XV Head Coach.

Focusing on defence we are going to cut to the root on what comes first, tackling or defence

As well as coaching with Currie Mens and the Edinburgh Uni women, Callum has coached with the Scottish Rugby Union with their age grade development teams, plus a stint at Dundee RFC.

His philosophy: To make a difference in people's lives on/off the pitch.

You can contact him on: LinkedIn Callum Adam

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

To find out more about our Partner Club offer

CLICK HERE

Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be!