What Every Coach Should Know.
Episode: #032.
Emily KileIndustry Expert: Human Behaviour & Wellbeing
In this episode of Almost Pro, we welcome back Emily Kile for a powerful conversation about coaching and the human behind the athlete.
After our first episode with Emily, we found ourselves diving deeper into a conversation about equipping coaches with the knowledge and tools to develop not just great players, but great humans too. Then an email landed in our inbox from Emily titled “10 Things I Wish Every Coach Knew,” and we immediately recognised the importance of sharing it.
In this episode, we explore some of the ideas behind that list, including:
• Shiny Object Syndrome
• Training for pressure
• Psychological safety
• The dangers of over-relying on data
• And why great coaching is ultimately about stewarding humans, not just producing results.
This conversation is packed with insight for coaches, athletes, parents, and anyone working in sport.
Below is Emily’s full list of “10 Things Every Coach Should Know.”
10 Things Every Coach Should Know
1. Shiny Syndrome: “New tool… now what?”
Technology can easily become a distraction rather than a solution. Without a strong foundation and clear purpose, new tools can overwhelm coaches and athletes rather than help them.
Coach takeaway:
Before adopting new technology, ask:
What decision will this change tomorrow?
How will we validate it?
What behaviour will we coach differently?
What will we stop doing so athletes aren’t “statted to death”?
2. Stop coaching lagging indicators like they’re leading indicators
Scoreboard stats are lagging indicators. If you want consistency in performance, coaches need to focus on the first domino — the processes and behaviours that lead to the outcome.
Coach takeaway:
For every skill or position, identify:
1–2 technical/process indicators
1 mental indicator (breath, self-talk, reset)
1 communication indicator (talk, posture, spacing)
3. Ask better questions — or stop asking them
Questions should create ownership, not fake engagement. Poor questions lead to surface-level answers and missed opportunities for learning.
Coach takeaway:
Use the sequence:
What? (facts or observations)
So what? (meaning or impact)
Now what? (choice or action)
4. Skill acquisition in the wrong environment doesn’t transfer
Skills learned in perfectly controlled environments often fall apart under real pressure.
Coach takeaway:
Train for transfer by:
practicing under uncertainty
reducing overthinking in high-pressure moments
building repeatable reset routines
5. Make a game out of worst-case scenarios
Athletes don’t build composure by avoiding pressure — they build it by training with it.
Coach takeaway:
Ask athletes what their worst-case scenario is and train for it intentionally:
crowd noise
bad calls
early mistakes
distractions
6. Home life leaks into play life
Athletes are humans first. Social dynamics, relationships, and life outside sport directly influence performance.
Coach takeaway:
Normalize the human side of sport and teach athletes strategies for managing attention and emotional shifts under pressure.
7. Psychological safety isn’t soft coaching
When athletes feel heard, valued, and respected, they’re more likely to speak up, learn, and perform.
Coach takeaway:
Create multiple ways for athletes to communicate, and build voice and choice into team standards.
8. Championship coaching is about stewarding humans
The real job of a coach isn’t just producing wins — it’s helping athletes become better people.
Coach takeaway:
Embed human development into your program values and language.
9. Know your battles — and know when you are the problem
Burnout and reactive coaching can damage trust and team culture.
Coach takeaway:
Focus on the standards that matter most and address issues directly rather than tightening control across everything.
10. Rest, spiritual health, and loneliness matter more than we admit
The pressures athletes face today extend far beyond sport.
Coach takeaway:
Build recovery, community, and wellbeing into the rhythm of your program.
Stream Episode. 44:36mins.
