Like so many of us, Tom Stannard came to a crossroads in life. One path led to music, a passion that had fuelled a fire within. The other led to sport, his other pursuit. Growing up, he’d split his time between both. It was a balancing act that by his own admission had left his […]

Antonia Harrison recalls being screamed at by a coach who would throw chairs and break clipboards. But it inspired her to be the exact opposite as a coach. Harrison is the head coach of the New Zealand A beach volleyball programme, returning home after playing and coaching at North Florida University. When she finished high […]

Following a long list of success stories with other teams, coach Ben Sawyer had to persevere a little longer before his time with the WHITE FERNS turned the cricket world on its head. On a record 10-game losing streak heading into the United Arab Emirates-hosted T20 World Cup tournament last October, the WHITE FERNS form […]

Andy is a team performance expert with a background in psychology & applied neuroscience, who will over the coming months share insights ground the art and neuroscience of high-performance coaching. Each article will share a little of the latest applied neuroscience plus give simple tips on how to practically bring it to life in your […]

Andy is a team performance expert with a background in psychology & applied neuroscience, who will overthe coming months share insights ground the art and neuroscience of high-performance coaching. Each article will share a little of the latest applied neuroscience plus give simple tips on how to practically bring it to life in your own […]

When Megan Signal stands on the side of the platform, she knows her athletes have all the tools they need to succeed – not just in weightlifting, but outside of the sport too. It’s a very important philosophy for Signal, who only recently retired from her own competitive weightlifting career. “For me, I think coaching […]

Not so long ago a coaching pathway in performance sport was not always a clearcut option for James Sandilands but it has taken him little time to land in a spot that most coaches can only dream of. Becoming the lead coach of high jumper Hamish Kerr less than a year out from this year’s […]

Sara McGlashan was one of the first Kiwi women’s cricketers to receive a professional contract, and now the players she coaches can see a career in cricket for themselves, and even the chance to be world champions. In 2013, four White Ferns, including McGlashan, were awarded with one-year contracts to be able to focus on […]

Savouring the moment is often a short-lived experience for Cory Sweeney, who instead, spends much of his time looking ahead and plotting the course of continued success for the Black Ferns Sevens. From Black Ferns assistant coach (2016 – 17) to Black Ferns co-coach (2019 – 2021) to Black Ferns head coach (2021 – present), […]

A deep-seated passion for horses, a thirst for knowledge, and a fondness for problem-solving have helped propel Andrea Raves to the top echelon of dressage coaching in New Zealand. Andrea’s career highlights included assisting the late Julie Brougham at the Rio 2016 Olympics and the World Equestrian Games in Tryon 2018. More recently, she has […]

(CK Coaching) Eleven years after taking a leap of faith, there’s been no looking back for Craig Kirkwood, his expertise in helping two rookies, in particular, transition from aspirants to world-class athletes rubber-stamping his decision. Taking a circuitous route before making the plunge into fulltime coaching, Kirkwood had a wide-ranging resume across many facets of […]

Chelsea Lane doesn’t back away from a challenge. The woman who once had to Google how many players wereon a basketball team is now the proud owner of two NBA championship rings and a reputation as one of the very best in developing high-performance systems. “My whole reason for being on the planet is the […]