Listening to Test Match Special early on Sunday morning, on the way to the airport for a flight to Cologne, I found myself thinking deeply about something that has been bubbling in the back of my mind for a while. The commentary was discussing England’s current batting philosophy, known widely as Baz-ball . The idea is simple: attacking intent, pressure on the opposition and an unwavering commitment to that style. And the commentators raised the question, is this approach bec

When I first started coaching, injury prevention  was the buzzword. Every conference, every article, every social media post was pushing the idea that if you followed this  warm-up, that  strength plan or this  stability routine, you could somehow “prevent” injuries. It sounded great. It was marketable. It made everyone feel in control. But over the last few years, and through working with international netballers, professional track athletes and countless youth players. I’ve

And why every athlete who lifts should sprint. When coaches think about improving athletic performance, the conversation usually goes straight to the weight room. Increase your squat, clean or trap bar deadlift and your speed on the field will improve… right? The reality is more nuanced. While strength training is essential for tissue robustness and force potential, sprinting itself is one of the most powerful drivers of strength and power development, often more than lifting

When people think of international sport, they often picture world-class facilities, full-time staff and endless support. But the reality for many national programmes, ours included, couldn’t be more different. As Head of Strength & Conditioning, my role is to design and deliver a physical preparation programme for our international netball athletes. The challenge? We don’t have the funding or infrastructure that most of our competitors take for granted. That means no central

As well as being the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for Netball Ireland  and a professional Track & Field coach , I have the honour of wearing another hat. That of a PE teacher . It’s a role I’ve now been in at my current school for just under a year, and one that’s given me an entirely different perspective on what truly drives performance and growth in young athletes. At my current school, I have an input in every sport however, the real focus and passion is in the prog

This is a really interesting thing that got me thinking today. I overheard a student talking about an athlete how they must be good as they look strong so therefore they must be fast. Then with the algorithm working it's magic I scrolled across a post talking about Neural athletes and before I could read it I accidently closed the app. So it got me thinking.... Performance Begins and Ends in the Nervous System When we talk about performance, we often start with muscles; how

Should athletes focus on their strengths or fix weaknesses? A deep dive into balance, identity and long-term athlete development. Which...

Is the Pursuit of Professional/Elite Status Ruining the Development of Junior Athletes and Our Approach to Coaching? Walk into almost any...

Seren Redmond – Netball Ireland – WA/C. One of the most efficient and effective movers on the netball court. I’m sitting down to write...

Acceleration is the cornerstone of success in both sprinting and team sports. Whether you’re exploding out of the blocks or breaking free...

Introduction Over the past decade and alarmingly so in the last three to five years —non‑contact lower‑limb injuries have risen sharply...