Having had the enormous privilege of representing my country in sport has left me with a compelling obligation to assist other young aspiring champions to realise their dream. In a sense, I have been blessed with many opportunities to do just that, as the Border region has virtually delivered talent at my front door. The next best thing to competing myself is coaching and mentoring the young up-and-coming talent.

To be successful, there are a number of principles that need to be adhered to.

Coaches need a sound knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, sports nutrition and scientific training principles.

These principles are nothing fancy, but without them success will remain an activity as productive as chasing a rainbow. Here are my 6 needed to reach the top of the pecking order.

1. Balance – take account of the player’s physical attributes, mental stability and social well-being.

The training programme must have balance between strength, power, stamina, agility, flexibility, and aerobic capacity.

It is important to understand which energy systems are being used and focus accordingly to get the correct balance needed.

2. Authenticity – it is critical to simulate the conditions of the actual contest as closely as possible. It’s not ideal to exercise in a cold climate if you are going to compete in a hot humid setting. Sure, there is only so much you can do, but it is essential to give to body the chance to be as close as possible to the competitive environment.
3. Appropriateness – focus should be placed on the skills needed to compete and it is important for the trainer to have knowledge of the physiological effects of the various training systems on the players or individuals. The demands placed on the body are very specific to different sports and this even applies to other positions within the team.
4. Consultation – a good coach should always be prepared to build a network of other professionals for referral or advice. The players themselves can be consulted to assist in planning and design of their training schedule thereby giving them a sense of self worth and promoting greater motivation.
5. Planning – take into account the time of the year and where the pre-season, season and off-season occur, designing the appropriate training regime for each cycle. Take care not to over-train the players/athletes in the off-season and do testing for burnout, commitment and focus. Develop and adhere to a coaching philosophy with set values for best results.                     
6. Variety– there is no doubt that training for top level sport is gruelling, making mental toughness an absolute must, therefore it helps when amongst all the “guts and glory” the coach can still maintain a sense of humour helping the players to get through the many hours of dedication required.

It is also important to have a variety of training sessions that can be applied as well as the ability to use more than one location when possible.

A good coach or trainer is someone who understands what it takes to win and can prepare the competitors physically and mentally to endure the stressing demands of competition, being magnanimous in victory and gracious in defeat.