The Coaches Network Podcast

🎙 Episode 365 – Steve Whelan | Coach Identity, Trust & Creating Environments for Growth

In this episode, Coach Yas sits down with Steve Whelan (Senior Coach Developer & Leadership Specialist) to explore what it really takes to develop coaches and build trust-filled environments where people thrive.

With a background spanning high-performance sport, corporate leadership, and coach development, Steve brings a unique perspective to questions around coach identity, psychological safety, and the invisible forces that shape how we show up on and off the pitch.

This conversation goes beneath the surface of Xs and Os to ask: Who are you as a coach? And how do you build environments that reflect that identity with honesty and intent?

💡 Key Talking Points

Why identity is central to your coaching—not just what you know, but who you are.

How trust and vulnerability underpin long-term growth in coaching relationships.

Why coach development must move beyond competence to connection.

The power of language in shaping the culture of your sessions and wider environments.

How Steve uses principles from leadership and psychology to support coaches in navigating uncertainty.

Why the best environments balance high challenge with high support.

🧠 “If you don’t know who you are, how can you know how you coach—or why anyone would trust you?” – Steve Whelan

📣 Whether you're mentoring others, leading a team, or still figuring out your own coaching voice, this episode will get you thinking deeply about identity, trust, and the kind of culture you're really building.

👉 Like, share, and follow if this sparked reflection around your own coaching journey!

💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn—tag us and share how you're building meaningful environments in your setting.

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🎙 Episode 364 – Alex Stylianou & Darren Murray | Objectivity, Mentorship & the Complexity of Modern Coaching

In this episode, Coach Yas sits down with Alex Stylianou (UEFA A Licence Holder) and Darren Murray (UEFA A Licence Holder) to explore what it really means to develop as a coach in today’s complex, content-heavy world.

Alex and Darren bring unique perspectives from working across national teams, academy football, and international development settings. This conversation unpacks the subtle tensions between objectivity and subjectivity in coaching, the real value of mentorship, and the importance of grounding your learning in frameworks rather than trends.

💡 Key Talking Points

• Why “objective” coaching isn’t about being cold and clinical—but clear and consistent.
• How Alex’s and Darren’s diverse pathways shaped their views on coach learning and reflection.
• The danger of mentorship becoming “guru-led” instead of dialogue-driven.
• Why complexity in coaching demands more humility, not more hacks.
• How to build a learning environment that challenges assumptions and encourages critical thinking.
• What coaches can do to filter noise and focus on what actually matters in their own practice.

🧠 “It’s not about who you follow—it’s about what you’re asking, what you're reflecting on, and what you're applying.” – Darren Murray

📣 Whether you're early in your coaching journey or leading development in your club or organisation, this episode will push your thinking around mentorship, learning, and what it takes to coach with clarity in complex times.

👉 Like, share, and follow if this conversation sparked new reflections for you!

💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn—share your takeaways and tag us to let us know how you’re navigating the complexity of modern coaching in your own setting.

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🎙 Episode 363 – Jake Lister | Designing a Coaching Curriculum That Actually Works

In this episode, Coach Yas sits down with Jake Lister, Youth Pathway Lead at Sheffield United Women's Academy, to unpack the realities of curriculum design in elite football environments.

Jake shares how he moved beyond traditional linear curriculum models to co-creating a living, breathing framework that evolves with players, coaches, and the demands of the game. Drawing on real-world examples and reflective practice, the conversation highlights how designing a curriculum isn’t about having all the answers—but asking the right questions.

💡 Key Talking Points

• Why building a coaching curriculum is more than a PDF document—it's about culture and collaboration.
• How Jake's experience in different club environments shaped his approach to curriculum design.
• The role of learning environments in fostering coach and player development.
• What it means to align coaching intentions with daily behaviours across all age phases.
• How clubs can bridge the gap between theory and practice in coach development.
• Lessons from designing “backwards”—starting with the end in mind and working in reverse.

🧠 “You’re not just creating a document—you’re curating a shared language that lives across your environment.” – Jake Lister

📣 Whether you’re refining a curriculum, building one from scratch, or just trying to better understand how to connect planning with practice—this episode will stretch your thinking on what good really looks like.

👉 Like, share, and follow if this episode sparked new ways of thinking!

💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn—drop a comment and tag us with your biggest insight from Jake’s reflections. We’d love to hear how you’re approaching curriculum design in your own setting.

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🎙 Episode 362 - Professor Andy Abraham | The Art of Professional Judgement in Coaching

In this follow-up episode, Coach Yas reconnects with Professor Andy Abraham to dig deeper into the nuanced world of coaching, professional judgement, and decision-making.

Andy expands on the idea of coaches making "bets"—calculated decisions based on their perceptions, prior experiences, and contextual understanding. Together, they explore how these decisions are not just intuitive but informed by a blend of tacit knowledge and professional reasoning.

💡 Key Talking Points

• The meaning of professional judgement and decision-making in coaching.
• Coaches as cognitive apprentices, modelling their thought processes for others.
• The tension between topic-based coaching and game-realistic scenarios.
• The importance of creating curiosity in coaches by highlighting what they don’t yet know.
• How experienced practitioners often hold "folk theories" that align with academic ones.
• Why working with both experienced and novice coaches requires a flexible coach development mindset.

🧠 “You’ve created a sense of deprivation… people get curious, and they start going on a journey with it.” – Andy Abraham

📣 Whether you’re an emerging coach or a seasoned practitioner, this episode will challenge how you view planning, reflection, and the development of coaching expertise.

👉 Like, share, and follow if this episode sparked some thoughts!

💬 Drop a comment on LinkedIn and tag us with your biggest takeaway — we’d love to hear how it’s shaping your coaching practice.

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🎙️ Episode 361: Andy Abraham | Evolving Coach Education, Judgement, and Trust in Development

In this episode, Coach Yas sits down with Professor Andy Abraham, Head of Subject for Physical Education & Sports Coaching at Leeds Beckett University, to explore the shifting landscape of coach education, professional judgement, and what it really takes to support coaching excellence.

🧠 With over 27 years in education, Andy brings a unique lens to how coach development is facilitated across contexts—from universities to elite sport, including his work with PGMOL and the FA. This conversation digs deep into the evolution of coaching standards, balancing structure with adaptability, and how we move beyond "skilled robots" to develop “knowledgeable doers.”

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

• Why coach education must move beyond standardisation
• The power of embedded coach developers
• What “good” looks like—and who gets to decide
• Trust, judgement, and the real-world complexity of assessing coaching
• How coaching frameworks can unintentionally hinder creativity
• The concept of espoused vs. enacted theory in coaching practice

💡 Quote of the Episode:

“Do you want skilled robots or knowledgeable doers? Competence frameworks are great at creating the former—but we need more of the latter.”

🎓 Guest Bio:

Professor Andy Abraham leads one of the UK’s most recognised coaching departments at Leeds Beckett University. His research and practice sit at the intersection of coach education, professional judgement and decision making, and applied learning. He has collaborated with major organisations such as The FA, Premier League, and PGMOL to reshape coach development pathways in elite sport.

📢 Connect with Us:

🔗 Follow @TheCoachesNetwork on Instagram and Twitter

🎧 Subscribe & Review the Podcast

💬 Join the conversation with #TheCoachesNetworkPodcast

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🎙️ Episode 360 – Fishbowling & Unlocking Coaching Potential with Russell Earnshaw

Welcome back to The Coaches Network Podcast! In this special episode, Coach Yas is joined once again by the ever-insightful Russell Earnshaw – known to many as Rusty – for a rich conversation exploring what it truly means to coach with purpose, flexibility, and curiosity.

🔑 What’s Inside This Episode?

Rusty and Yas dive into:

• 🧠 The lock and key analogy for coaching – why no coach holds all the keys and how collaboration opens more doors for players.
• 📋 The critical importance of intentional session planning – and what happens when coaches aren’t aligned.
• 🔄 How self-awareness and honesty about your coaching preferences (e.g., not enjoying 1:1 coaching) can enhance player outcomes.
• 🧩 The value of understanding your own coaching strengths and blind spots – and when to hand the reins to someone better suited.
• 🗺️ Why identifying team values (like confidence, decision-making, or self-organisation) must shape your planning.
• 🤝 How involving players in the planning process can foster autonomy and resilience.

This episode is packed with golden takeaways for coaches at all levels who are keen to reflect on:

• Their intention behind planning
• How to design environments that reflect core values
• And how to collaborate better with co-coaches to unlock collective potential.

📌 Whether you’re a coach developer, grassroots leader or elite performance coach, this episode will get you thinking differently about how and why you plan.

🔗 Connect with Rusty:

Twitter/X: @_RustyEarnshaw

Website: The Magic Academy

🗣️ Let us know your thoughts and biggest takeaways by tagging us on social media or using the hashtag #TheCoachesNetwork.

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🎙 Episode 359: Creating Coaching Cultures That Care – with Temisan Williams (Coach Accelerator)

In this episode, CoachYas is joined by Temisan Williams, founder of Coach Accelerator and a seasoned academy coach with over 15 years of experience across clubs like Tottenham, Southend United, and Fulham. Temisan shares his powerful journey from aspiring footballer to coach, diving into the personal moments and pivotal lessons that shaped his mission to support coaches and players with care, empathy, and intention.

💬 In this episode, we discuss:

• Why Temisan left a Biomedical Science degree to pursue coaching
• The importance of creating player-first environments in academies
• Supporting coaches globally through the Coach Accelerator community
• The reality of player experiences beyond the pitch – including a powerful story of loss and resilience
• Learning from transitions between elite and grassroots environments
• How coach adaptability and awareness can transform development journeys

🧠 Whether you're working in grassroots or the academy system, this episode unpacks the human side of coaching and reminds us of the bigger picture behind player development.

🔗 Connect with Temisan & Coach Accelerator:

Instagram: @coach_temisan

Website: www.coach-accelerator.com

🎧 Listen now on RedCircle, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more.

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Episode #358 of The Coaches Network Podcast.

The guest for this episode is Adam Kelly.

Adam is an Associate Professor of Sport and Exercise and Course Leader for Professional Doctorate in Sport (DSport) at Birmingham City University, United Kingdom. I am also Leader of the newly established BCU Research for Athlete and Youth Sport Development (RAYSD) Lab. Alongside completing a PhD at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist (BASES CSci), and FA UEFA A Licenced Coach. Join us as Adam shares his thoughts on how talent can be better identified and practitioners and organisations can implement more robust, effective and nurturing talent development systems and environments. Enjoy!

Why not become an official member or supporter of The Coaches Network?

The Coaches Network is proud to formally reveal our very first Patreon membership. This membership consists of monthly donations with a price worth as much as a cup of coffee! Only £3.50 per month! What benefits will there be you say? Click here to find out more.

Click here for more information on our upcoming Coach Education Webinars and Mentor Programmes.

Enjoy and be sure to subscribe & connect with your host on social media to make your up to date with everything we’re doing.

Coach Yas - Instagram - Twitter - LinkedIn - Facebook - Patreon - Podcast

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Episode #356 of The Coaches Network Podcast.

The guest for this episode is Sarah Murray.

Sarah Murray is a high performance coach and experienced performance psychologist. Sarah works with teams, individuals and leaders to enhance and develop understanding of themselves and those they lead.

She uses her expertise to develop high performance people, pathways and leaders. Her aim is to enable individuals to thrive in fast paced, dynamic performance worlds by connecting them with their super strengths and using these effectively.

Sarah has over 14 years experience working with individuals in elite sport , business and education. She has worked with a range of national sporting teams and organisations including many years working with a premier league football club. Enjoy!

Why not become an official member or supporter of The Coaches Network?

The Coaches Network is proud to formally reveal our very first Patreon membership. This membership consists of monthly donations with a price worth as much as a cup of coffee! Only £3.50 per month! What benefits will there be you say? Click here to find out more.

Click here for more information on our upcoming Coach Education Webinars and Mentor Programmes.

Enjoy and be sure to subscribe & connect with your host on social media to make your up to date with everything we’re doing.

Coach Yas - Instagram - Twitter - LinkedIn - Facebook - Patreon - Podcast

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Episode #354 of The Coaches Network Podcast.

The guest for this episode is Stephen Maxwell.

Stephen is a Lifelong Learning enthusiast, Coach Education Manager with Cricket Ireland, Founder and Creator of No Other Game Around, Performance Analyst, Coach Developer across multiple sports and High Performance Coach. Join us as Stephen shares his thoughts on how coach and coach developers can uphold high standards for themselves and challenge one another to be the best versions of themselves. Enjoy!

Why not become an official member or supporter of The Coaches Network?

The Coaches Network is proud to formally reveal our very first Patreon membership. This membership consists of monthly donations with a price worth as much as a cup of coffee! Only £3.50 per month! What benefits will there be you say? Click here to find out more.

Click here for more information on our upcoming Coach Education Webinars and Mentor Programmes.

Enjoy and be sure to subscribe & connect with your host on social media to make your up to date with everything we’re doing.

Coach Yas - Instagram - Twitter - LinkedIn - Facebook - Patreon - Podcast

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy