Rugby Coach Weekly

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Dan welcomes Dr Kimberly Berens, founder of Fit Learning  and CEO of Fit Learning Online and author of Blind Spots: Why Students Fail and the Science That Can Save Them.

Fit Learning is a powerful system of instruction based in behavioural science and the Technology of Teaching, and it aims to transform the learning abilities of children, which it does in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia.

To find out more about Fit Learning, go to:
http://fitlearningonline.com/

In the podcast, they discuss:

• How Kimberly found watching her son's experience of being coached filled her with horror
• How there's too much talk and not enough practice
• Why measuring progress is vital
• The key to learning through reinforcement
• The huge variability in the learning process
• Simple methods of counting to help check individual progress and what you need to do next when you know the results
• What you need to master and why
• How to differentiate across a larger group
• Helping parents help their children to "work harder" without becoming too bossy

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Dan quizzes the Myths of Sports Coaching editors around how we deal with some of the muddling thinking coaches believe is true.

Dr Amy Whitehead is an Associate Professor at Liverpool John Moores University, and Jenny Coe is the Performance Well-Being Lead for the Women's Professional Game at the FA.

Their first edition was so good that they’ve been persuaded to do a second edition, which will be out in the autumn.

In the book, they invited experts to delve into myths about learning styles, deliberate practice, coaching women differently, and fundamental movement.

Here's a link to the first edition on Amazon.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What are the most pervasive myths in sports coaching?
• Is coaching girls any different to coaching boys?
• How do you approach a coach who is hung up on something you know is a myth?
• At what stage do you stop discussing, check and challenging as a group, and start making hard and fast decisions?
• How much evidence does there need to be until a “finding” becomes a myth?
• Should we use SMART goals?
• How do we discern the research validity from authors who have a vested interest in continually proving they are right?
• How evidence from verbal answers needs to be looked at carefully, because interpretation can easily not be what the respondent first meant.

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Dan chats to Telegraph sports journalist Fi Tomas about where women’s rugby needs to go next. 

Fi has worked on the paper since 2019, was number 11 on 2023 BBC Women's Hour Power List and recently nominated for the 2023 British Sports Journalism women’s category. She is a keen advocate for a stronger voice in female sports.

In the podcast, they look at:

• Why women want to play rugby
• The hurdles facing women in sport
• How the media portrays women in sport
• What needs to be addressed in terms of language and attracting a broader audience
• The issues that rugby faces, from male-dominated spaces to the role of governing bodies
• How sports should appeal to a new generation, and why commentators need to ensure they help grow the game

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Ralph Knibbs, Head of Human Resources at UK Athletics and a Bristol rugby legend, chats with Samba Ceesay, Broad Plain RFC’s captain.

In an extraordinary podcast, Ralph first describes his journey as a black player from a non-traditional rugby background, why he turned down playing for England twice and how his children made him more self-aware about being a role model.

He then asks Samba about his journey. Coming to rugby late, Samba talks about how Broad Plain stood up for him, allowed him to become a better player, and what led him to lead the club.

As the podcast unfolds, you will hear how Ralph helps Samba acknowledge his crucial role in giving others the confidence to follow their ambitions.

They reflect on the challenges faced by black players, both professional and amateur, but also the development of leadership skills, camaraderie, and a sense of family and belonging.

Listen to find out how two humble sportsmen, who love their sport, want to make rugby a more inclusive and diverse environment.

Click here to find out more about the Star Scheme

Click here to find out more about the Rugby Black List

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

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This podcast is dedicated to the memory of one of the guest's daughter, who passed away suddenly a few weeks after the recording.

The Peel family have set up a donation page for Katie in support of FarmAbility. Here's a link.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/katiepeelfarmability

Please listen to this inspiring journey of three coaches providing something amazing. It needs us all to reflect on setting up a SEND rugby programme.

Dan Cottrell speaks to Darren Rea, John Peel and Gareth Lewis of Gosford All Blacks, Wallingford and Whitney rugby clubs.

There are plenty of lessons for all of us, but specifically, we focus on:

• How to set up the programme
• How to make it a realistic and inclusive environment
• Easy ways to involve everyone
• Making everyone confident
• The pathways beyond training
• The joy of making rugby a meaningful place to express yourself

If you want to get involved, please reach out:
Gosford All Blacks
Website https://gabrfc.rfu.club/
Email [email protected]
Contact- Darren Rea 07531118213
Session times: Sunday 10 am to 11 am

Witney Wolves
Website https://witneyrfc.rfu.club/teams/witney-rfc-wolves-sen/470302/profile
Email [email protected]
Session times: Sunday 11 am to 12 noon

Wallingford Wolves
Website https://wallingfordrfc.rfu.club/teams/wallingford-rfc-wolves/467870/profile
Email [email protected]
Session times: Sunday 11 am to 12 noon 

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

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Dan chats with Dr Rachael Jefferson about fundamental movement skills and how to introduce them effectively into our coaching sessions.

Rachael is a lecturer in human movement studies and creative arts, and author of Fundamental fun: 132 activities to develop fundamental movement skills.

You can get a copy of her book here.

In the podcast, we explore:

• What is meant by fundamental movement skills (FMS)
• What do the terms body management, locomotor, and object control skills mean
• Why we need to coach FMS
• How to make it part of our training sessions
• Ways to help less skilful young people become better movers
• How we can use balloons and scarves to help catching
• The importance of choosing appropriate objects based on skill levels.
• Rachael's own journey on throwing the javelin
• How we need to know the biomechanics of movement to help players progress

More bio:
Rachael is a physical education, dance, inclusion and wellbeing specialist, who is fascinated by the moving and creative body. Her PhD focused on the governance of the body in physical education in England from 1902 to 2016. Rachael has nurtured her own wellbeing and self-awareness to a high level by training in yoga and also Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

Rachael is particularly well known for her work in the area of fundamental movement skills (FMS). This began in earnest in 2006, when she trained in a Western Australian research-led FMS professional development course by STEPS PD. Following this, she became the UK FMS consultant and worked with sport coaches, teachers and lecturers across England and Ireland for several years. During that time she was regularly publishing FMS works, including her play-based pedagogy book for teachers.

Rachael’s influence in FMS, PE and inclusion is global; she has worked on several long-term international projects in these domains for the University of Cambridge, UNICEF, UNESCO, and Montrose. Her curriculum design is especially valued for its creative, inclusive, and student-centred foundations. She has developed national PE curriculum (primary and secondary) and led teacher training for Kazakhstan, Egypt, Myanmar, and Mongolia.

Rachael enjoys social media and the wonderful connections she makes there. She has written popular gender and sport articles for ‘The Age’ and ‘The Conversation’, as she believes in the power of telling stories to raise the general public’s awareness of athletes’ inclusion issues and rights. 

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

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Dan chats with Chris Dossett, chair of the Professional Association of the Directors in Sport, and very experienced DoS himself.

In the podcast, they talk about:

• How a good director of sports supports their less-experienced staff
• Connecting with the players
• Making the less-able teams enjoy rugby as much as the top-flight
• What equality looks like in sports in a school environment
• How to make girls' sport part of the fabric of the school sports system

Chris gives many examples of practical ways to operate, not just as a director of sport but also as an example of good coaching for others to follow.

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

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Dan chats to Jess Hayden, author of The Red Roses: Behind the Scenes with the England Women's Rugby Team.

Jess, who was previously a sports journalist at The Times and The Sunday Times, is the editor of Contested, a new social app for sports fans.

In writing the book, she was able to get exclusive access to the England Women's team, known at the Red Roses, plus speak to former players and coaches.

In the podcast, she talks about:

• The highs and huge lows of a World Cup campaign
• Professionalism in women's rugby and the lessons to be learned from the difficulties in the men's game
• Why the audience for women's rugby is growing, but also, what's holding it back
• Should England have chosen a woman to be their new head coach
• The rise of WXV
• Why the Lions touring team isn't the right vehicle to grow women's rugby
• The simple misunderstanding that made the England players so angry 
• Who was the only player to watch the lost final on the plane home from 2021 World Cup

The book is out at the start of March.

Contested: Because every athlete and team sport deserves recognition.

A unique space for fans to join the conversation, debate predictions, and celebrate sports together. It covers lots of sports in the detail you won't get in the mainstream media.

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

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In this episode, Dan chats with Sean Lindersmith. They discuss how he created a coaches’ coffee club, and how he made it a genuine place to learn and support each other.

Sean is the Vice President of Operations at Premier Rugby Sevens and Silicon Valley Rugby - defence and forwards coach.

His past roles include University of MN Head Coach, US Coast Guard Sevens Head Coach, St Augustine High School Head Coach, MN Youth Rugby Youth and HS Director and USA Eagle’s National Team Manager (Men’s)

In the podcast, we cover

• Establishing the Coaches’ Coffee Club
• Mentorship and sharing initiative
• Practising vulnerability in coaching
• Coaching, trust, and celebration
• Creating supportive team dynamics
• Embracing change in coaching
• Coffee club vulnerability and connection
• Key concepts in coaching community

You can contact him on

LinkedIn: @SeanLindersmith

IG/X: @Snackattk

TikTok: @CoachSnackattk

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

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Dr Jocelyn Solomons joins Dan on the podcast to discuss her research on how dance can improve rugby players.

Based at the world-renowned Stellenbosch University in South Africa, she is a lecturer in strength and conditioning.

She has a PhD in women's rugby development and an MSc in Sport Science focusing on rhythmic movement and rugby.

In the podcast we explore:

• How you persuade rugby players that dance can make a difference
• How it did make a difference in the research project
• What happens if a player can’t dance
• How it can be made position specific
• Jocelyn’s passion to drive forward women and women of colour in all sports and in academic sports research
• How to continue to change the landscape for women in sport 
• What are her biases and how has she overcome them
• How to motivate those who are not as motivated as yourself

Here’s a link to her research

The effect of a rhythmic movement intervention on selected bio-motor skills of academy rugby players in the Western Cape, South Africa

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1747954120956909

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!