The podcast was a UK Coaching 2023 Finalist and focuses primarily on Junior Cricket Coaching.

The podcast hears from people who share a passion for developing the next generation of young cricketers.  Part of our work here at WWPIS supports coaches and parents in both international and county cricket programmes.

The podcast has guests from grassroots clubs, schools, district and county age group junior cricket who specialise in different areas of cricket development.

To listen to the podcast click here.

In this episode former Great Britain and England hockey coach Danny Kerry MBE joins Gordon MacLelland to discuss high performance sport, creating amazing cultures and sports parenting.

During the conversation they discuss amongst other things:

• Danny’s fondest memories of professional sport
• Creating a values based culture based on behaviours and actions
• The importance of ‘Psychologically Safe’ environments
• Having a clear vision of the aims of our children’s sporting programmes
• The importance of equipping our children with a range of character and life skills along the sporting journey
• Being prepared to sacrifice a short term win for a longer term success
• The challenges of sports parenting and having really good conversations with our children
• The differing demands of professional sport to a performance pathway
• Danny’s key learnings from his sporting experience as a child

Danny Kerry has had a prolific career involved in high performance sport.

During his career he has coached both the Great Britain and England Mens and Women’s teams.

Highlights include an Olympic bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games, at that time the first British Olympic hockey medal in 20 years. Post London 2012 Danny was appointed Performance Director to England and Great Britain Hockey and was responsible for the national teams and strategic development of performance hockey across the UK.

In late 2014 Danny once again took on the role of Head Coach to the England & GB Women’s hockey teams, winning historic Gold medals in the European Nations Cup in 2015 with England and at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with Great Britain. Danny was voted FIH World Coach of the Year for 2016 and Team GB coach of the year 2016. Subsequent to the Rio Olympic Games Danny has been awarded an MBE for services to hockey and Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Loughborough and Roehampton.

We have been chatting ideas around understanding what good coaching looks like for parents and where we might see examples in HP sport for parents to watch and reflect on. This discussion has coincided with the English Premier League concluding for another year; the last weekend seeing Manchester City become champions and the top 4 are now set for Champions League Football next year.

However, the strange part of this conversation is that the most successful team in the Premier League era, Manchester United was part of none of these conversations; not fighting for top four or the league title come the final weekend.

So, Gordon and I shared ideas and opinions and shall follow on with a podcast conversation considering what has gone wrong at this extremely successful club and was their clues along the way?

Late November, Ole Gunnar Solskjær was sacked as Man United head coach after losses in Champions League and 5-0 loss to Liverpool, their worst result to their rivals since 1925. In an interesting move by one of the premier clubs in the soccer world, they announced an interim manager, Ralf Rangnick. Rangnick is regarded as the “godfather” of modern German football and is credited with developing Gegenpressing, whereby the team, after losing possession, immediately attempts to win back possession, rather than falling back to regroup together with evolving player’s spatial coverage by increasing memory space and processing pace. Rangnick has said that a parental seminar about “raising kids with love and consequence” influenced his relationship with people he works with, something that certainly seemed needed at United yet what did he bring and offer to this side for us to consider as coaches or parents?

Possibly ruining this blog post by stealing the ending headline, for me coaching is all about relationships and there was a number of red flags during the year where Rangnick was neither showing compassion or control for the group of players he was working with. Just this week, in preparation for the season’s final league game, he said:

It has got to do with confidence, team spirit and togetherness. This is my biggest disappointment that we didn’t establish that team spirit.

This comes after reports of an internal investigation was launched by the club and it would seem as if they have found the culprit, allowing Manchester United hierarchy to report as confident that dressing room leaks will not be an issue Erik ten Hag has to contend with next season.

My question around that is how safe an environment is this to openly speak your mind as players or leaders to identify areas of improvement? If the players feel they cannot speak up or a sense of unease from their practice environment, are we facilitating an environment to grow and improve?

Following on from this, after another loss by Man United, Rangnick was quoted as saying a few weeks ago:

It’s obvious quite a few players will leave and there is a need for top-quality players. I strongly believe that if everyone works together we can bring Man Utd back to where we need to be.

As parents of athletes or grassroots coaches, what can we see is lacking here?

What areas of concern are flagged by these comments and attitudes from the interim coach?

The main area we want to learn from this example for our young athletes is the idea of offering and developing a psychologically safe environment. Psychological safety is about removing fear from human interaction and replacing it with respectful and accepting behaviors. Psychologically safe environments in sport and all walks of life, have been identified as group environments where there is a shared belief that team members are safe to take interpersonal risk without fear of being ridiculed, punished or rejected. Research by Prof Sophia Jowett and others recently investigated and found that coaches whom attended athletes concerns and needs, empowering and inspiring athletes to achieve more and encouraged to work towards their identified goals created psychologically safe environments, aided and supported by connected, stable and cooperative relationships. Negatively, the lack of these quality relationships can weaken interpersonal relationships and even augment exploitation, intimidation and humiliation in interactions which can effect the involved athlete’s wellbeing. Taking this into consideration, you can see my confusion around Rangnick’s actions and comments regarding the playing squad versus his philosophy of coaching with love and consequence….

Looking at understanding or creating psychologically safe environments first, there could be a seemingly obvious juggle between balancing performance markers and being a caring and considerate coach. However, when investigating social and task cohesion between sporting team members, research by Prof Sophia Jowett (2003) found a stronger relationship between social cohesion (which is the degree to which team members like each other) to performance markers than task cohesion (cooperation to common goals). This research strengthens the importance of creating a psychologically safe environment in HP sport, to both allow and encourage interpersonal risk taking for athlete well being and subsequently creating an environment to encourage and enhance performance improvements, an area which has possibly been identified by Rangnick too late by his comments around team spirit.

The best predictor of athlete’s positive developmental experiences are transformational behaviors as a coach; these ideas include individual consideration, articulating a vision and individualized support. To gain these ideas, I believe it is achieved and built on by understanding your athletes, understanding them as players and as a unique person standing in front of you.

What ideas could have Rangnick introduced or developed to help create a psychologically safe environment, which in turn would develop into a high performing environment?

We could start by adopting a transformational leadership style, which helps develop effective relationships by focusing on positive developmental relationships. This leadership style (which can also be seen as shared leadership) is defined as where a leader works with teams or followers beyond their immediate self-interests to identify needed change, creating a vision to guide the change through influence, inspiration, and executing the change in tandem with committed members of a group. Again, research shows that this style of leadership reduces conflict, increased learning and develops a psychologically safe environment. The positive relationship properties in 3+1 C’s will offer high levels of team or group cohesion; basically, understanding and acknowledging fellow coaches and players has more correlation to performance than understanding what technical and tactical elements could make up elite performance.

Sticking with the ideas of transformational leadership and using examples from the EPL to help parents or coaches identify positive, effective coaching, is there current examples of coaches at the highest level coaching with care, connection and this focus on relationships for greater impact and success? Interestingly, some of the best examples come form the league’s current top two sides yet Gordon and I shall have a podcast conversation later this year to discuss current and previous examples further. Let’s start with Gordon’s beloved Liverpool and their charismatic leader, Jurgen Klopp. Back in 2020, Klopp outlined his ideas and methodology to his leadership style, where he discussed the importance of relationships and meaningful actions:

All we do in life is about relationships.

As a football team, we have to work really closely together. Each of our players knows the name of each person who works at Melwood.

It’s not for me to create an atmosphere in a room – each person in our team is responsible for that. It’s worked out well. We all win for each other; we do it for (kitchen staff) Carol (Farrell) and Caroline (Guest), because we know how important it is for them.

That makes it more valuable, more worthy. If you have a bigger group to do it for, it feels better for yourself.

Turning out attention to Man City’s manager Pep Guardiola, earlier this year he was interviewed and asked what his best characteristic was as a manager. Even being seen as a tactical genius with current club, Man City and displayed at former clubs, Bayern Munich and Barcelona previously, his response: I’m learning to be more patient. Before, I was too anxious, I was not a good manager. Now, I’m better, more patient.

The Catalan tactician also revealed that he has changed his intense ways during his career as a manager and his knowledge of players and when he discusses a result with the squad in the aftermath of a game. With these comments in mind, I want to focus on the aspects of relatedness that a good coach-athlete relationship offers, supported by comments made by Klopp and Guardiola.

All coaching environments need to adopt and offer players ingredients for genuine motivation; mastery, autonomy and purpose. These ingredients are echoed within research conducted in sports coaching involving study of self-determination theory, which addresses innate psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness. Amorose supported that “the more athletes felt autonomous, competent and have sense of relatedness, the more reasons for participating were self-determined in future” (Amorose, 2007); tying in the point of psychological safety, it would be safe to suggest that the environment created by Rangnick did not allow players to feel connected or building competency due to his actions and comments. Prof Cliff Mallet researched and explained that “self-determination theory underscores the role of environment in fuelling people’s perceptions of (autonomy, competence and relatedness) in contexts of sport” (Mallett, 2005).

We understand drive in most sporting participants is found from intrinsic motives; their internal desire to master their sports and challenge themselves through committed engagement in highly repetitive activities.

So parents, do we understand where coaches fit within developing these motives and keep perspective in a culture where performance and winning are seemingly the most important outcomes?

The challenge of successful coaching is acknowledging social interactive dilemmas within individual and team goal setting and development, offering suitable scenarios and choices with all members’ involvement and collaboratively dealing with matters as opposed to eradicating them. Klopp’s understanding of Mane’s decision and Pep’s acknowledgement of Sergio’s influence on the club speaks volumes of the players as people as opposed to solely athletes. Past research by Mageau and Vallerand regards the “actions of coaches as (possibly) the most critical motivational influences within sport setting”. Coaching should be recognized as an educational dynamic relationship, where the coach can satisfy player’s goals and development but both sides have an investment of will capital, where human initiative and intentionality are both dedicated to show commitment towards goals and relationships.

The role of performance coach for age grade athletes is highly important; coaches are “preparing athletes for consistent high-level competitive performance” (Côté, 2009a) through effective tactics such as integration of professional, interpersonal, and intrapersonal knowledge and developing player’s specific competence, confidence, connection, and character needs on regular basis. Both Klopp and Guardiola have openly discussed their roles in developing the player as a person and not solely as an athlete.

These autonomy supportive practices allows coaches to act as mentors for instances highlighted by Klopp and Guardiola, focusing on relationships between coach and athlete while supporting players to develop meta cognitive skills where the athletes are aware of and take responsibility of appropriate practices and thinking strategies.

This method positions coaches as mentors where they shift from knowledge expert for athlete as in early stages of development to learning manager or facilitator (Carnell and Lodge, 2002), offering constructive feedback for the player to investigate further. Understanding, not ignoring, the importance of a coach’s role in the wellbeing of their athletes as people as well as players is crucially important to create positive developmental experiences.

I feel asking the right questions can both build relationships and close the gap through understanding athlete’s motivations, areas of importance for their development and how can the environment be structured to suit their needs. I believe sports coaches of athletes of all ages should adopt comprehensive and holistic roles in the moral development of their athletes through their adopted and shared practices, languages and beliefs.

Like described by Klopp, if coaches are to develop wholesome, knowledgeable athletes who are willing and able to make decisions, capable of performing learned tasks when under pressure and not under direct instructions, I believe this shall require collaborative transfer of knowledge or greater ownership by athletes of their development, with support from the coaches as “more capable other” in an involved yet scaffolding style approach to their athlete’s development. Research by Kidman (2001) addressed ideas such as coaches developing player’s complex skills and tactical knowledge through encouraging abstract thought processes by asking high order questions, which require athletes to apply, analyze and synthesize information.

Parents should be aware of and encourage this transformational style of leadership where the coach is steering as opposed to controlling decisions and actions, encouraging player discovery through evolutionary planning and organising of tasks whilst keeping sight of overall objectives and showing empathy to get the best from the athletes. This may require some transparency from coaches to offer rationale for processes. It may also require negotiation of processes with players to meet individual and collective performance measures of those being coached whilst matching evolving circumstances for learning and development against attempting keeping sight of overall objectives but shall eradicate many of the areas of athlete burnout and develop strong interpersonal relationships for development.

Coaches: asking questions using the linked document as a start, understanding the answers and whom they’re coming from will give you a snapshot for your athlete’s needs today yet this needs to be continually addressed and worked on, understanding people, personalities and environments shall change. The art of coaching is knowing how and when to communicate, and how this varies for each individual. Work on empathetic relationships and having a better understanding of your athletes or players as this will allow you to modify your environment or approaches for greater impact and understanding. As suggested, this focus on empathy and close, meaningful relationships between coaches, players and parents alike offers meaningful impact and actions by the players. Players drive their own development and reflect on personal and collective performance to allow the coach to offer closeness and desired commitment to their relationships through autonomy supportive practices.

As mentioned, Klopp and Guardiola focus on relationships, empathy and player-centered approaches led them to strong finishes this year but has set behaviours which shall strengthen and develop their squads for years to come.

Likewise, we as coaches should reflect and build our interpersonal skills to allow us to take time in future to better know and understand our athletes to gain a holistic view of involved players and we as parents should understand and appreciate this shall be a long, “messy” process in building these connections.

The art of coaching is knowing how and when to communicate, and how this varies from individual. Work on empathetic relationships and having a better understanding of your athletes or players as this will allow you to modify your environment or approaches for greater impact and understanding. Know your players, know their story, know their context and then put it into practice and parents can certainly help you with this.

Jonny McMurtry has been involved in high performance age grade rugby programs across Australia for over 10 years and has recently completed research in conjunction with University of QLD and Rugby Australia, investigating age grade player’s engagement and understanding what motivates, engages and drives players’ participation.

He is also working on sharing coaching concepts and findings in written format via blog and practical format directly with coaches in other sports such as soccer, swimming and golf.

In this episode Jacqui Agyepong and Gordon MacLelland discuss Jacqui’s athletic career, her coaching journey and her experiences of coaching her own daughter.

During the conversation they discuss amongst other things:

• The importance of role models including older siblings
• Treating every child as an individual
• Evolving as a coach, learning on the go and recognising that coaching goes way beyond just the athletic performance
• Separating the hat of parent and coach
• Giving ownership of the sporting journey to your child and allowing them to make their choices
• The pride at watching our children develop as an athlete and a person
• The challenges of continually motivating our own children within a group
• Recognising when to give our children space and the importance of managing confrontation effectively
• Avoiding the school sports day
• Working with our children to develop the mental side as well as the physical side of sport
• Focussing on the processes and continual self improvement

You can hear more from Jacqui in our book ‘Two Hats’ featuring advice, support and encouragement for all parent coaches including 23 interviews across 14 sports from leading figures in the sporting world.

“It is a great privilege to be part of this project alongside so many leading figures from across the sporting world covering such a wide range of sports. It is certainly enlightening seeing so many similarities across sports in terms of coaching your own child as well as some of the uniqueness that each sporting environment can provide.” Harry Redknapp

Order your copy today by clicking here.

In this episode Jo Davies and Jurgen van Leeuwen join Gordon MacLelland to discuss sports parenting and coaching your own children. Drawing on their vast experience in the world of badminton as Olympians, coaches and now parents to England Badminton internationals Ethan and Estelle, they share many pearls of wisdom, portraying a very honest and humorous reflection of their very unique situation.

In this episode Zak Jones (GB and England Hockey Men’s Assistant Coach) and Gordon MacLelland discuss coaching your own children.  Zak shares many of his personal experiences from his own career, his life in coaching and education and his early experiences of coaching his own young children.

He shares a fascinating insight into the world of being a parent and as a high performance coach himself offers some really sound advice for those involved in the role or thinking of coaching their own children.

During the conversation they discuss amongst other things:

• The challenge of being a parent coach and the fear of some volunteers
• How amazing it is to see up close our children develop both on and off the field
• Being prepared to learn from our own mistakes
• The difficulty of managing the emotion of the experience despite knowing what we should be trying to do
• Having a different approach for son’s and daughter’s
• Allowing frustration to pass over us and take a step back (not an easy thing to do!)
• The importance of being consistent in our messaging to parents and the behaviours we display
• The value of role models and experiencing different learning environments

You can hear more from Zak in our book ‘Two Hats’ featuring advice, support and encouragement for all parent coaches including 23 interviews across 14 sports from leading figures in the sporting world.

“It is a great privilege to be part of this project alongside so many leading figures from across the sporting world covering such a wide range of sports. It is certainly enlightening seeing so many similarities across sports in terms of coaching your own child as well as some of the uniqueness that each sporting environment can provide.” Harry Redknapp

Order your copy today by clicking here.

In this episode Gavin Grenville-Wood and Gordon MacLelland discuss sports parenting, the unique challenges that it provides as well as some elements around coaching and the importance of building positive relationships between coaches and parents.

Being the father of a professional golfer Gavin shares amazing insight into his journey with real life stories delivered with a good dose of realism and humour.

During the conversation they discuss amongst other things:

• Acknowledging that there is no such thing as being a perfect sports parent
• Life in lockdown
• Challenges of parental peer pressure
• Giving feedback in conversations inspired by our children
• Getting the timing right for crucial conversations
• The importance of parents and coaches being on the same page
• Parents recognising they have the privilege of having the most influential role
• Ensuring our children are intrinsically motivated and they truly want to play the sport
• The challenges of parenting sporting teenagers
• Learning and evolving throughout the journey together, finding out what works best for you and your children
• Being aware that our children will not be immune from failure and how we can handle those moments as parents

Gordon MacLelland joins Jamie Fowler for a second time on ‘The Poolside Pass’  to discuss how coaches can develop effective lines of communication with parents in swimming and bust the myth that coaches and parents can’t work together!”

The Poolside Pass aim to promote lifelong learning and development for coaches and swimmers by communicating and sharing information as a community.

To listen to the podcast please click on the audio file above.

To find out more visit their site by clicking  here.

Parents are often asked to step up into the role of coach; it’s a big step from watching on the side-lines to being responsible for the wellbeing of not only your child but also the rest of the team.

In creating this new book, CEO Gordon MacLelland has tapped into the world of the parent/coach viewing it from not only his experience but of that of some of the UK’s top sports personalities and other coaches involved at grassroots level.

Featuring interviews from 23 of the UK’s leading sports figures including Michael Vaughan, Stuart Lancaster, Liz McColgan and David Leadbetter.

“It is a great privilege to be part of this project alongside so many leading figures from across the sporting world covering such a wide range of sports. It is certainly enlightening seeing so many similarities across sports in terms of coaching your own child as well as some of the uniqueness that each sporting environment can provide.” Harry Redknapp

Author Gordon MacLelland says, “I am delighted to bring this unique product to the sporting world, inspired by personal experience and what I have heard and observed from so many parent coaches.

These parents are the bedrock of many sporting communities and I wanted to play my part in helping to support them on their coaching journey.

The feedback to the project has been astounding and I am humbled by the time and encouragement given by so many leading sports stars, across such a wide range of sports.”

Taryn Johnston, Executive Director of FCM Publishing says: “Having been a parent coach myself, I know first-hand the ways in which you can be pulled both emotionally and with your time. I wish that there had been a book like this when I set out as it explains, simply and easily the things to consider, before accepting the coach position.”

This book was created to provide a resource for anyone who may be considering coaching. With sport now back on our TV and schools returning this September, there will be a push to get children back involved in sporting activities, along with this, the vacancies of coach slot, which will inevitably, need to be filled.

“I think it’s really important for a parent to explain their plans to their children so that they understand where it is going and what the end goal is.” Liz McColgan

In Two Hats we look at mindset, psychology and family challenges – ensuring that home life doesn’t suffer when becoming a coach. It also offers tips on how to engaging other parents, keeping your head under pressure and gives amazing insights from professionals on the parts they enjoyed the most, and crucially, the things they’d do differently.

To order your copy now please click here.

To access all of their infographics and further support please click here.