The Coaching Arena

James Shaw

In this podcast, I sit down with professional coaches and high performing athletes to explore what it truly means to become a better coach. Through honest conversations and real world experiences, I ask questions, challenge assumptions, and learn directly from those that have lived the process at the highest levels. Each chat is a deep dive into coaching philosophy, leadership, communication, athlete development, and continuous growth. This podcast isn't about having all the answers, it is about being curious, staying coachable, and committing to lifelong improvement. Whether you are a coach, athlete, or leader looking to grow, these conversations offer practical insights, fresh perspectives, and lessons you can apply both on and off the field. If you believe great coaches never stop learning, this podcast is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

  1. Understanding The People You Are Working With - Craig Stewart, Kobe Steelers Skills Coach

    3d ago

    Understanding The People You Are Working With - Craig Stewart, Kobe Steelers Skills Coach

    On this episode, it was awesome to chat with Craig Stewart, skills coach at recent Japanese League One winning rugby union side, Kobe Steelers. This was a fantastic chat, jam packed with insights from an elite coach. We spoke of many things, including : Understanding the people you are working withThe love of the game and enjoymentTraits of elite playersKeeping clarity with simplicityBeing a 'player first' coach and allowing the player to be the most important part of the puzzleThe power of creativityNot having to be the cleverest in the roomHaving a growth mindsetWhy you should allow players to experimentFrameworks but why it is important to have players self correctingWhat is the most under coached and under valued skill I really hope you enjoy this chat, let me know what you think Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min
  2. Know Your People, Know Your Purpose - Damian McGrath, International Rugby Coach, Author and Speaker

    May 31

    Know Your People, Know Your Purpose - Damian McGrath, International Rugby Coach, Author and Speaker

    On this episode of The Coaching Arena, I had the absolute privilege to hear the insights of world renowned rugby coach Damian McGrath. Damian has been a professional coach since 1990, and has coached at elite levels in both Rugby League and Rugby Union. Damian has coached at domestic and international sides, including Leicester Tigers and at 7s level, with England, Spain, Manu Samoa, Canada, Germany and Kenya. In addition he is a leading author and speaker and is an expert on communication and leadership. I found his insights in how to get your message across as being invaluable, jam packed with useful and practical tips. This was a brilliant chat, speaking on many things including : Knowing your peopleUnderstanding the ABC, audience before contentChecking for understandingMaking your players feel valuedHow a message is given across, not just the contentCultureKnowing your purpose, your people, your business and yourselfWhat is success?Start, stop, continue approachDamian's 'Doubt Percentage' concept I took so much from this chat, and I hope you do too. This chat is full of key take aways that can be easily adapted at any level Let me know what you think Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
  3. Developing People, Players and as Coaches - Warren Spragg, Sale Sharks Kicking Coach

    May 17

    Developing People, Players and as Coaches - Warren Spragg, Sale Sharks Kicking Coach

    On this episode, I had the absolute privilege to speak with Warren Spragg. Warren is the kicking coach at Prem Rugby Club, Sale. He has played for Italy, Italy 7s, England u21s and England u18s. He has over 20 years experience in elite level rugby as a player and coach. I am blown away with the coaches and athletes that have given me their time and insights on the Coaching Arena. These chats are gold, and this chat with Warren has completely changed my mindset on coaching and how I thought my son was results driven, when perhaps in hindsight, he isn't. This was an incredible chat on developing people, players and as coaches. We spoke of many things, including : Common coaching themes from juniors to elite levelInside out coaching, Transformational Coaching vs Transactional Coaching Understanding people and what motivates them and what players needCollaboration Superpowers of a playerBeing curious Minimum standards and the consistency of practice habits and skill challengesMindset, routine and clarityThe rewards of sportHow you know you are making progressThe importance of feedback loopsSkill sets, not pigeon holing I really hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did and thanks very much for listening Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min
  4. Care, Connection, Standards and Challenge - Paul Delport, International Rugby Coach

    May 3

    Care, Connection, Standards and Challenge - Paul Delport, International Rugby Coach

    On this episode I had the absolute privilege to hear the insights from International Rugby Coach, Paul Delport. Paul is currently Head Coach of India Women's 7s, having previously coached South Africa Women's national rugby 7s team. As a player, Paul played for the Lions and Stormers before focusing on rugby sevens, where he captained the Blitzboks and has won the IRB Sevens World Series. Paul also captained South Africa at u19 and u21 level and has won the IRB World Championships. This was a brilliant chat, really focusing on the human element of coaching and understanding the why. Paul has a huge amount of experience and shared his insights into coaching, speaking about : Care, Connection, Standards and ChallengeUnderstanding the 'why'Showing the players you care and having a willingness to connectPutting the team firstNurturing a player's growth and developmentOutlining standardsPassing on knowledgeA coach doesn't need to have all the answersA team's immune system Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min
  5. The Importance Of A Mentor - Alex Laybourne, International Rugby Coach

    Apr 19

    The Importance Of A Mentor - Alex Laybourne, International Rugby Coach

    It was absolutely fantastic to chat with international rugby coach, Alex Laybourne on this episode of The Coaching Arena. Alex is Head Coach of Sweden Men's rugby team, having previously been Scotland's Women's u20s Head Coach. This was a brilliant chat, with Alex giving his insights on : The importance of a mentor in order for coaches to developUnderstanding the playerConnection with players and having open and honest dialogueWinning is important but results do not define a good coachCoaching in different environmentsStandards not rulesMetrics to measure progress I really hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42 min
  6. Always Learning, A Growth Mindset - Rod Seib, Connacht Rugby Senior Assistant Coach and former Brumbies Assistant Coach

    Apr 5

    Always Learning, A Growth Mindset - Rod Seib, Connacht Rugby Senior Assistant Coach and former Brumbies Assistant Coach

    On this episode I had the huge privilege to chat with elite rugby coach, Rod Seib. Rod's CV speaks for itself. Rod is a former player for the Queensland Reds and Glasgow Warriors. He has also played for Australia in rugby sevens. In March 2025, Rod signed with Irish side, Connacht Rugby as Senior Assistant Coach with responsibility for team attack. Prior to this, he was Head Coach of the Queensland Reds Academy, assistant coach at ACT Brumbies and in Nov24 coached the Australia XV on their UK tour. This was an incredibly enlightening chat and I took so much from it. We spoke of many things, including : Always learning, learning from both good and bad coachesKnowing your audienceBe it elite or learning, the best coaches are the ones that want to be thereFacilitating the knowledge to the athletes so they can problem solveHow to ask questions to get good learningNot always needing to have the answers, but you do need the logic to your thoughts The importance of body language, not just wordsFocusing on the growth, not the scoreThe biggest mistake new coaches makeA coach can learn from everyone, from u7 player to international athlete Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
  7. Embracing The Journey - Grand Slam Tennis Player and Coach, Sofia Shapatava

    Mar 22

    Embracing The Journey - Grand Slam Tennis Player and Coach, Sofia Shapatava

    The willingness of elite athletes and coaches to sit down and share their insights on what makes a great coach has blown me away. I have learnt so much from these chat that that would have otherwise taken me years. On this episode, I had the absolute privilege and joy to sit down and hear the views of Grand Slam Tennis player and coach, Sofia Shapatava. This was an incredible chat as we spoke of many things, including : PatienceThe trust between a coach and athleteUnderstanding the individualHow and when to give feedbackWhy the post match car journey home is so importantSport does not define the personThe importance of embracing defeat, not dwelling on itEmbracing the journeyAvoiding burnout and maintaining your love of the gameQuantity vs qualityAlways learning I really hope you enjoyed this chat as much as I did. Let me know what one lesson resonated most with you Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
  8. Understanding Your Environment - International Coach and Rugby Player, William Broderick

    Mar 15

    Understanding Your Environment - International Coach and Rugby Player, William Broderick

    On this episode, I had the incredible fortune to sit down and chat with International Rugby Coach and former international player, William Broderick. An incredibly enlightening chat, full of insights and advice from a highly talented coach. We spoke of : Connecting and adapting to people and the situationUnderstanding your environmentEngagement playersResults vs Process The types of mistakesThe how, not just the what - a coach's tone, body language and demeanour Treating players as humans, not machines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  9. Understanding The Human - Rhys Davies, Saracens Academy Coach

    Mar 1

    Understanding The Human - Rhys Davies, Saracens Academy Coach

    On this episode I had the privilege to speak with professional rugby coach, Rhys Davies. Rhys is a rugby coach at Saracens RFC academy and was previously at London Irish. This was an incredibly insightful chat jam packed with advice on becoming a great coach We spoke of : Understanding your playersFalling in love with the processGoals, process and outcomesCore ValuesBecoming a professional rugby playerBuilding connectionsBeing open to changes and adaptingMeasuring progressLeadership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min
  10. Always The Person First, Then The Player - Scott Hall, Professional Rugby Player and Coach

    Feb 15

    Always The Person First, Then The Player - Scott Hall, Professional Rugby Player and Coach

    On this episode I had the absolute fortune to speak with professional rugby player and coach Scott Hall. Scott is the Women's head coach at Oxford University, founder of Rugby Allstars, professional rugby player at Chinnor and an academy coach at Bath. This was such in inspiring chat, full of insights, experiences and knowledge that Scott passed on, including : Why it is the person first, then the playerBeing approachable to ALL playersThe sheer importance of honesty and consistencyTaking opportunities.Despite setbacks, opportunities will still exist. It is the role of the coach to help provide solutionsHaving a leadership groupUnderstanding your environment and finding your own wayCreating an environment, culture and tools for players to excel in life, not just sportWhat three points create good culture Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
  11. A Coach's Most Underrated Skill - Tim Swiel, Professional Rugby Player

    Feb 1

    A Coach's Most Underrated Skill - Tim Swiel, Professional Rugby Player

    On this episode it was absolutely fantastic to be joined by elite rugby player, Tim Swiel. Tim has played at the elite level across the world, including with Western Province, Sharks, Stormers, Harlequins, Newcastle Falcons, Saracens and Chicago Hounds. Tim is embarking on his own coaching journey and it was brilliant to chat on many topics, including : What is the most underrated coaching skillWhat a coach looks for in a playerWhat a player looks for in a coachThe importance of a team's cultureThe process versus outcomesDealing with individualsHow do you know you are making progress Thanks for listening and let me know what advice resonated most with you Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min
  12. A Coach's Ultimate Goal - Mike Friday, World Renowned Rugby Coach

    Jan 18

    A Coach's Ultimate Goal - Mike Friday, World Renowned Rugby Coach

    On this episode I was hugely privileged to be joined by world renowned rugby coach Mike Friday. I learnt so many things in this chat as we spoke of many things, including : What makes a good coachWhat is a coach's ultimate goalWhat is the biggest responsibility a coach hasThe power of flexibility and communicationThe importance of being able to adjustReframing performance, not resultsWhy you should get it wrong to get it rightDeveloping people by using rugbyShort term goals, long term mission I really hope you enjoyed and took as many things away as I did from this chat with Mike. Thanks for listening and let me know what advice resonated most with you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    42 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

In this podcast, I sit down with professional coaches and high performing athletes to explore what it truly means to become a better coach. Through honest conversations and real world experiences, I ask questions, challenge assumptions, and learn directly from those that have lived the process at the highest levels. Each chat is a deep dive into coaching philosophy, leadership, communication, athlete development, and continuous growth. This podcast isn't about having all the answers, it is about being curious, staying coachable, and committing to lifelong improvement. Whether you are a coach, athlete, or leader looking to grow, these conversations offer practical insights, fresh perspectives, and lessons you can apply both on and off the field. If you believe great coaches never stop learning, this podcast is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    James Shaw
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © James Shaw
  • Show Website
    The Coaching Arena

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