This is a thought challenge for coaches
What subjects would you be confident to talk about
What subjects would you like to hear about from others
Every coach carries ideas, experiences and beliefs worth sharing
This challenge is designed to help you explore your own coaching knowledge while learning from others.
Talking about them – not just thinking about them – often reveals new perspectives. It will encourage you to reflect on your current knowledge and beliefs. Explaining your thoughts in a safe environment may cause you to reflect on them in a different way.
How the challenge works
Imagine you’re asked to speak about a topic you feel passionate about.
Choose one subject from the list. In my version of the challenge, each coach speaks for 15 minutes, uninterrupted, to a small group of 4–6 coaches. Notes or handouts are optional.
After the 15 minutes, the group has 10 minutes of Q&A — a chance to explore ideas, challenge viewpoints and ask for clarification.
Then the next coach takes their turn.
This can be done on or off court.
This is a simple group activity aimed at sparking conversations between you and your coaching friends.
You decide how far it goes — it might end with a chat courtside, in a café, or during a long car journey. It can also be a private, reflective exercise if you prefer.
There’s no preparation required. Just choose 3 + 3 topics from the lists below.
Why take part
The aim is simple: to reflect on your own coaching passions and allow others to benefit from your perspective.
Your thoughts might spark new ideas in someone else. Their questions might help you refine your own understanding.
Within your 15 minutes, you can pose questions to stimulate thinking — but the discussion happens in the Q&A section.
If you want, you can prepare a short handout (no more than one side of A4).
The preparation tasks
Task 1 - Topics you want to talk about
Select 3 subjects from the list.
Rank them in order of how motivated you feel to talk about each one.
Depending on what you intend to do next, either send the list to each other or begin to create thoughts for your 15 min teach-back to your friends.
In my challenge, we decided just to create a list of all the subjects that inspired us. Our list is at the end of this post for your interest.
Task 2 — Topics you want to hear others talk about
As previously, select 3 subjects from the list.
However, this time, select based on what you want to learn. An opportunity to explore.
Think about the questions you already have, or areas you want to explore further. This is your chance to hear new viewpoints and discover fresh ideas.
When selecting the subjects, consider whether you want to compare thoughts and opinions you already have or to learn about something new.
What strategies would you use when selecting subjects for each of these tasks?
The subjects
Choose 3 to talk about and 3 to hear and learn more about
1. The differences between Technical & Tactical practices
2. The advantages and disadvantages of multi-shuttle practice
3. The different uses of Multi-shuttle training
4. The various ways to make a practice harder
5. What are the various ways a coach can establish that development and learning are happening
6. Giving feedback to a player in an individual practice
7. What early singles tactics would you present to a beginner player and how would you do this
8. Advice to players on how to cope with a weak backhand
9. The advantages and disadvantages of shadow training
10. The different ways a coach can acquire and gain knowledge
11. The advantages and disadvantages of repetition in practice
12. Introducing and coaching the split step
13. If you £100,00 to allocate to improving your coaching knowledge, what 3 or 4 things would you do
14. What are the benefits and challenges of working with another coach
15. The things I want to know more about and why
16. My top 3 coaching methodologies: the strategies and methods I use in my coaching
17. Conditioned Games – design, implementation, benefits, etc.
18. How to analyse a Badminton match: various systems and methods
19. Should coaches vary their coaching styles with different players
20. What does good (effective) practice look like
Task 1
I would like to talk about these
- .....
- .....
- .....
Task 2
I would like to hear more about these
- .....
- .....
- .....
What will you decide
Which three topics would you feel confident talking about?
Which three topics would you want to hear more about?
What questions would you expect from other coaches?
Would your choices be about learning something new, or checking your current understanding?
Please let me know which 3 +3 topics you selected
Are there any other topics, subjects, or questions that you would add to the list
Workshop ideas to start a discussion
Download this free resource
A worksheet to help Coach Developers stimulate discussion and explore ideas through conversations.
🧩 Step 1 : The purpose of the task
🔍 Step 2 : Preparation and action tasks
🎯 Step 3 : The benefits to coaches taking part.
This challenge encourages coaches to talk about what they know, listen to others, and explore new perspectives.
It is designed for coach developers who want to stimulate deeper reflection, peer learning, and confident knowledge sharing.
Do you want a conversation?
I’d like to hear from you if you have a viewpoint on anything that you’ve read
We don’t need to agree, but explore viewpoints.
It would be great to hear from you, send me an email : contact@badmintonandy.com
This is part of a series of conversation starters.
Although not in detail, the posts are written to get you thinking and talking with others.
![Early Preparation always - Duplicate - [#38141]](https://badmintonandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/early-preparation-always-300x168.webp "Early Preparation always")
![Keep your racket up - Duplicate - [#38056]](https://badmintonandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/keep-your-racket-up-300x168.webp "Keep your racket up")
![Early Preparation always - Duplicate - [#38141]](https://badmintonandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/early-preparation-always-scaled.webp)
![Keep your racket up - Duplicate - [#38056]](https://badmintonandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/keep-your-racket-up-scaled.webp)