Dr Ed Coughlan: The whole coaching set-up must have skin in the game

What we see is what they got. Rarely, if ever, will an athlete do something they haven’t been coached to do or practised at length before the ball is thrown in. 

The athletes that take to the field, court or course are a representation of their training environment and practice history. However, that doesn’t stop them from being front and centre of the firing line for scrutiny. Yet they are a product of every coach and support staff that they have ever worked with.

While it is infinitely difficult to quantify the impact of coaches and support staff past or present, those currently sitting in the hot seat need to be aware of the importance of each and every role in a set-up.