What separates a good coach from a great one?

In this episode, Dwayne Nestor talks with rugby coach Colin Phillips about the real psychology behind high-performance coaching.

From growing up playing club rugby in northeast Scotland to working in Scottish Rugby's academies and coaching state teams in Perth, Australia, Colin has seen coaching from every angle.

He opens up about reading the room during sessions, managing individual behaviour without disrupting the group, knowing when to apply pressure and when to ease off — and why curiosity might be the most underrated coaching trait of all. Whether you're a coach, player, or leader, there's something here for you.

What separates a good coach from a great one? It's not technical knowledge — it's the ability to truly understand people.

In this episode, we sit down with Paolo Franzoni, a Level 3 accredited cricket coach who has worked with players of all abilities — from six-year-olds to state and national representatives, including players with intellectual disabilities and the visually impaired Australian team.

Paolo shares how a deputy headmaster standing at square leg with a shooting stick shaped his entire coaching philosophy, why he puts the person before the player, and the moment he realized he'd been listening to respond rather than listening to understand.

What we cover:

• Why the first session is never about coaching
• How to build relationships that unlock player performance
• Pre-season vs. in-season coaching approaches
• The role of curiosity, silence, and body language
• Character over cover drives — building team culture that outlasts any coach
• From IT specialist to Level 3 coach: Paolo's unlikely journey

Whether you're a coach, a leader, or someone who works with people — this one's for you.

In this episode of The Sporting Mindset Show, host Dwayne Nestor sits down with Western Force rugby player Doug Phillipson. Doug opens up about growing up on a farm in country New South Wales, making his Super Rugby debut, and battling through multiple injuries — including two shoulder reconstructions, a broken jaw, and an ACL. He shares how curiosity, perspective, and the influence of experienced players like Nick White and Ian Prior have shaped his mindset, and why being a "sponge" is at the heart of his development as a professional athlete.

Alana Thomas has walked in every pair of shoes in high-performance sport — as a player, a head coach, and now as High Performance Manager at Netball Australia. In this candid conversation with Dwayne Nestor, she opens up about the mindset shifts, hard lessons, and relationship-first approach that have defined her career.

From juggling accounting and coaching to making the leap into rugby full-time… from navigating the culture of Fiji to stepping into one of the most successful netball programs in the world — Alana's story is one of curiosity, courage, and continuous growth.

In this episode you'll learn:
✔ What high performance actually looks like day to day
✔ Why questioning is a skill most people underestimate
✔ How Fiji changed the way Alana leads
✔ What she looks for psychologically in a player
✔ The difference in mindset between player, coach, and administrator
✔ How to build a culture where values are genuinely lived

If you work in sport, lead a team, or simply want to perform better — this one's for you.

🔔 Follow for weekly conversations with elite coaches, athletes, and sports leaders.

Are you tired of the Hollywood version of mental toughness—emotionless, unfeeling robots? Real mental toughness is dynamic, psychological, and within your control. It’s the secret weapon that lets you thrive under pressure, bounce back from setbacks, and keep pushing forward when others fold. If you think toughness means denying your feelings, think again. I’m revealing five game-changing strategies rooted in cutting-edge science that’ll transform how you handle stress, mistakes, and motivation.In this episode, we debunk the myth of stoic silence and build a toolkit for true resilience. You'll discover why surrounding yourself with the right people matters more than wins, how to normalize errors so they become your best teachers, and why third-person self-talk is just as powerful as a coach on your side. We break down the science behind each tactic—like Dr. Carol Dweck’s growth mindset, the neurobiology of error processing, and self-determination theory—to show you how to implement them today.These strategies aren’t just abstract ideas—they’re practical, actionable, and designed to make you unshakable in the heat of competition. From taking control of your decision-making to regulating your emotional storm, this is mental conditioning like no other. Miss out, and you risk mental fragility—embrace it, and you’ll unlock a new level of performance and resilience.Perfect for athletes, coaches, parents, or anyone hungry for mental mastery. Gear up, because your mind is the most powerful muscle you’ve got—train it right, and watch your performance soar.

Does your child have big sporting goals but struggle to follow through? In this episode of The Sporting Mindset Show, host Dwayne Nestor shares a powerful six-point goal-setting framework that goes way beyond just writing down what you want to achieve. We cover the six key areas — Actions, Needs, Obstacles, Motivation, Promoting your goal, and Rewards — and how parents can use this process to become a genuine support system for their young athlete. Whether your child plays golf, football, athletics, or any other sport, this framework will help them build the habits and mindset needed to give themselves the best chance of success.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on the mental side of sport.

Consistency beats intensity — and when it comes to raising young athletes, this idea changes everything. In this episode of the Sporting Mindset Show, host Dwayne Nestor explores why showing up regularly matters more than occasional bursts of effort, and how parents can create a home environment that supports their child's athletic development. Drawing on James Clear's Atomic Habits, Duane breaks down the real distractions holding young athletes back — and how to remove them.

Are you the calm parent on the sideline — or the one adding pressure without realizing it? In this episode, Duane Nestor shares practical tools to become the parent your young athlete actually needs.

Are you helping your child thrive — or adding to the pressure? In this episode of The Sporting Mindset Show, host Dwayne Nestor explores one of the most underrated skills in sports parenting: self-awareness. Discover how understanding why you react the way you do at games can transform the support you give your young athlete. From sideline anxiety to emotional over-investment, Dwayne unpacks the real reasons parents struggle — and the practical steps to change. A must-listen for any parent who wants to be a genuine source of calm, confidence, and encouragement.

"You're not my coach!" — three words that have echoed across car parks and back seats everywhere. But what if that moment is actually an invitation to become the parent your child really needs?

In this episode, Dwayne Nestor explores one of the most important roles in youth sport — the sporting parent — and why getting it right can be one of the greatest performance advantages your child ever has.

Dwayne shares a simple but eye-opening exercise: write a job description for your role as a parent, have your child do the same, then compare. The gap between the two lists often tells you everything.

He also shares the story of a former Australian elite athlete whose well-intentioned shift into high-performance mode at her daughter's national championship had the opposite effect — and what it reveals about the power of calm, consistent support at the moments that matter most.

Whether you're a sports parent, coach, or athlete, this episode will give you something practical to take into your week.