"Providing handrails not handcuffs" - a conversation with Olly Logan

Olly Logan is 'Analysis Lead' at British Swimming. This is a rather misleading title as it doesn't really do justice to the role that Olly plays in supporting the development of elite British swimmers. As you will see from this conversation Olly's role is about using analysis, data, research and skill acquisition knowledge to devise interventions that will help the best get better.

In this fascinating conversation we explore a range of topics including:

• Why all road cyclists should do cyclo-cross

• Why we should keep the 'technical groove' as shallow as possible for as long as possible

• His very different take on 'the rule of 3'

• The ways he helped an existing Olympic Champion to become even better

This is one not to be missed...

"Coaching is a mystery rather than a puzzle" - a conversation with Alex Twitchen

Alex Twitchen has spent all his life in coaching.

It is something that he has been able to combine as a career and as a practitioner. He is passionate about learning and development and is as passionate about helping other coaches develop as he is about the development of the players he coaches.

His most recent career move has seen him working in the 'University in the Cloud' so that he can bring more opportunities to help more coaches learn and develop.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode but here are some of the nuggets you will take away by listening...

• Jelly Tot Football

• Trashcan Challenge

• The 'Open Box' curriculum for coaches

• His new project to help coaches to develop other coaches

• The flow between games based and constraints led approaches

Lots to take away!!

Hope you enjoy

Practice Design Academy - Navigator

Here is a new game that I created recently that is designed to challenge players abilities to move the ball into different areas of the pitch collectively as well as develop their awareness of what their opponents are doing and develop strategies to counteract them.

Here are the boys working out their strategy during one of their 30 second huddles in between games.

For more games ideas like this you can subscribe to my games and practice ideas channel. More games are added each month as I try new ideas and share them. Subscribe here