BCAB Coaching Podcast

S3 Ep.11 COACHING - The Role of the Pathway Development Coach

In this episode Imogen Collins talks to Lee Pooley (Director of Coaching and Qualifications) about her new role with British Canoeing as the Pathway Development Coach and how she will be working with clubs and athletes. Imogen also gives an insight into her life and baking skills.

S3 Ep.10 TALENT - Getting Help for Clinical Mental Health Conditions

This episode is the third and final episode of a three-part Mental Health Series, in this part we talk about Clinical Mental Health conditions when it might be important to get professional help, and what that might look like. Joining these discussions are Imogen Collins (Canoe Sprint Talent Pathway Coach) and Zofia Campbell (Performance Wellbeing Coach). 

S3 Ep.9 COACHING - Rafting: Flipping

During this podcast Rafting Technical Chair, Jon Best, explains the changes to the assessment criteria within the rescue section, providing a rationale and alternative methods that could be used. During the podcast Lee Pooley, Director of Coaching and Qualifications explores Jon’s involvement in Rafting, trips around the world and why British Canoeing Awarding Body rafting awards are held in such high regard.

S3 Ep8 TALENT - Talking to your child if you think they are struggling

This episode is the second of a three part Mental Health Series, in this part we talk about how to speak to your child if you have a concern about them and might be worried that they’re not coping with stress or otherwise struggling with their mental health. Joining these discussions are Louise Ramsdale (Canoe Slalom Central Regional Academy Coach) and Zofia Campbell (Performance Wellbeing Coach). 

S3 Ep.7 TALENT - Helping your child to manage stress and promoting self care

This episode is the first of a three part Mental Health Series. In this part we will be talking about helping your child manage stress and promoting self-care. We're all affected by stress from time to time, and it’s something that seems to affect us more and more in modern life. Stress can have a big impact on our personal wellbeing and can cause mental health issues and in serious cases it could become chronic.

To discuss this important topic we are joined by Luke Smyth (Canoe Slalom Academy Programme Technical Coach) and Zofia Campbell (Performance Wellbeing Coach). We hope this podcast helps parents to talk to their children about stress and support them to manage it as best as possible.

S3 Ep. 6 MINI-SERIES - The role of a Performance Psychologist

Sid Sinfield starts a new strand of episodes this season that focus on supporting staff working in British Canoeing World-class Programmes and their pathways into their roles. In the first episode in this strand, Sid speaks with Jonathan Smith, Performance Psychologist on the Olympic Sprint and Paracanoe programmes. 

Jonathan explains the role of a performance psychologist and his own professional journey into that role.  He also suggests other routes into that role and gives helpful advice for those who are interested in becoming a performance psychologist. 

He discusses how performance psychologists can measure effectiveness of their interventions on athlete performance and how his role contributes to the wider team of support staff in promoting optimal athlete development. 

 

S3 Ep.5 - TALENT: Parenting at Events

In the next episode of our Talent strand, we are joined by Louise Ramsdale, Canoe Slalom Central Regional Development Squad coach and Happy Wright, Volunteer Psychologist for the England Talent Programme to discuss some key principles that parents should aim to follow when parenting at events and the importance of having good communication channels with their child and coach.

S3 Ep.4 - TALENT: Sleep

In the first of our podcasts from the British Canoeing England Talent Programme, we are joined by Luke Gupta (Physiology Consultant for the English Institute of Sport) to discuss the importance of sleep, the key principles of sleep and getting into good sleeping habits.

UK Programme athletes and Tokyo 2020 Olympians Mallory Franklin, Kimberley Woods, Deborah Kerr and Katie Reid are also guests on this podcast epsiode where they share their sleep routine, how this has differed as they have moved into the senior age group and their experiences of sleeping prior to a big race.

S3 Ep.3 - COACHING: Performance under pressure: How to create clutch performances and prevent choking

Lee Pooley speaks with Lucy Boyce, who is a Coaching Adviser at British Canoeing, a recent masters graduate in Sports and Exercise Psychology at Loughborough University and a keen canoe polo player. 

They discuss Lucy’s research into the subjective experiences of athletes of choking and clutch performance in order to reach a better understanding of the factors that can impede or promote superior sport performance. Lucy explains the importance of creating a psychologically safe training environment for athletes to reduce choking performances to improve their mastery and performance. Lucy and Lee also explore what is involved in creating that environment, the factors that can lead to choking performance and how coaches can identify and support those likely to choke in pressurised situations. She also makes very practical suggestions on how to capitalise from choking and clutch performances.

Lucy's dissertation is available from the British Canoeing Awarding Body Digital Library here.

S3 Ep.2 - COACHING: Aspects of the coach-athlete relationship that impact on athlete performance

Sid Sinfield speaks with Kieren Dews, a Sprint Canoe Coach. They discuss Kieren’s research into the perceived factors that underpin the coach-athlete relationship and the health and well-being of athletes within elite performance. They explore the importance of aligned goals between the coach and athlete, the concept of ‘closeness’ in developing a trusting relationship with effective communication, as well as the application of the research findings for wider coaching practice.