Dr Ed Coughlan: Training can’t be all about control because coaching is coaxing

As my coaching philosophy continues to evolve, the creation of a fluid structure to guide my approach has helped, writes Dr Ed Coughlan.

Coaching is both an art and a science. The problem with this truism is it can become the source of debate between those who do not coach, or worse still, those who coach in a way that is neither artful nor scientific.

At the core of this long-standing debate about coaching is the tug-of-war between whether games or drills are the most optimal way to coach a team. A team, not an individual. The essence of a team dynamic is the emergence of a group of athletes working in-sync with each other on the field of play, against an opposition who themselves have their game plan to execute.