Talking Split

You read that title and immediately think of the Talking Split crew (or half of it anyway), but we are talking about what are the most important traits for our athletes to have if they're going to succeed as a High Performance athlete. For each of the traits we give a NBL and WNBL player comparison that we feel best exhibits that trait. (Hint: Schueller didn't make the cut with the shooting trait comparison...)

With Justin now on other duties, the team has reached out to the academic field and recruited Dr. Adam Gorman! In this episode, the Talking Split team and Dr. Gorman will talk about skill acquisition in junior athletes and what coaches can do to help develop athletes and improve their skill bases and decision-making skills.

It’s Justin’s goodbye episode and we delve into the Mailbag – with a massive thank you to all the coaches that sent in some great questions for this week.  We also have a very special goodbye message from a favourite of the show, and test Justin's knowledge of BV staff…

The news that shook the basketballing world dropped this week, with Justin announcing the worlds worst kept secret – that he’s off to Melbourne United as their new Assistant Coach. Whilst we wish Justin well, but do have to ask the question, where can we get someone that shows the same level of commitment and professionalism to the podcast as him? Not talking into the mic and leaning back in the chair can't be done by just anyone! It's that time of the year, where coaches start applying for positions, and this week we discuss coaching job interviews, and resources to help with your coaching development.

The Talking Split team recap Justin’s Green & Gold experience in Argentina, the Navy Blue and white performances at U16 Nationals, the Orange & Blue of the U12 Showcase, whilst Rob & Mike venture out to Dr.Grant Blashki from Beyond Blue to talk about mental health, and some of the tools available to coaches to help the athletes, and also themselves.  If you or anyone you know needs any help or support with their mental health, you can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

With Justin still away, we’ve searched far and wide for a suitable replacement. Look no further, than Cki Porter the work experience student. Cki came loaded with research previously unmatched on the Talking Split podcast and brought a level of professionalism that Justin will struggle to live up to upon his return. If he returns… Australian Opal, Canberra Capital and beloved Bendigo-arian (not sure if that’s a word, it means people from Bendigo if there’s any confusion), Kelsey Griffin phones in and takes us through her journey to Australia, her experience in College & the WNBA, and what she values in coaches that she has had over her career.

With Justin on location in Argentina investigating what’s going on with their soccer team, Rob & Mike chat with Dr. Julia Walsh, Senior Lecturer in Sports Coaching at Deakin University, and look at her background in coaching, and also her work done in the Intellectual Disability space where she is the Head Coach of the Australian Boomerangs. We revisit some of the proposed rule changes from last week, and Mike has some fun facts about Argentina. The question is, will Justin be getting Botox whilst away?

They debate changing junior basketball rules to boost skill development, from lower rims and a closer three-point line to banning half-court zones. They compare European tournament formats and free-flowing play that increase possessions. Practice tweaks are suggested: small-sided games, scoring bonuses and layered progressions. Plans for an experimental under-12 showcase and ways to collect data are discussed.

Justin Crow, Physical Performance Manager at Essendon Football Club who leads physio, conditioning and athlete development. He talks about building a high-performance culture, blending data and intuition in decision-making, long-term player development versus short-term wins, talent ID and why basketballers convert well to AFL. Conversations also cover routines, wellness checks and coaching alignment.

We welcome back Justin after a little bit of “time away” last week, and catch up on a wide range of topics such as the NBA Finals, Coach Attire & Etiquette, Tournament Preparation, Individual Training Sessions, and Coach Welfare. Mike is still inactive on Twitter, or is he actually very active and just setup a number of strategically placed “burner” accounts…