Our latest student story features Daniel Courtney, a Hypertrophy and Strength Coach and current student on the MSc in Performance Coaching at Setanta College.
Daniel provides insights into his coaching philosophy, his role as a coach and his experience of studying with Setanta.
From Athlete to Coach
From a young age, Daniel was a keen athlete, intrigued by athletic performance and gaining a competitive advantage as an athlete. “Growing up, I was always fascinated in physical performance and gaining an edge,” he shared. “The best way I thought was to study the science.”
This passion led him to pursue a career in coaching, working with a range of clients from the general population to athletes.
“I mostly work with athletes and general population clients looking to improve body composition and put on muscle,” he said. “I try to explain deeply the nuances and requirements behind proper hypertrophy training and the detail and consistency it takes to actually build muscle and lose fat.”
He also works closely with GAA athletes, helping them develop speed and explosiveness while educating them on often overlooked factors that contribute to performance. “I coach GAA athletes to get more explosive and faster, and again aim to educate them on the importance of weekly sprinting, rest, sleep and so on. I aim to educate athletes that small, consistent habits like proper rest, weekly sprinting, etc, really do add up and make lasting changes,” he explained.
A Science-Based Philosophy
At the core of Daniel’s coaching philosophy is a strong foundation in evidence-based science blended with his own personal experience.
“I always strive to coach off the back of strong theoretical science and then blend that with personal experience of what I’m coaching,” he explained. “This allows me to get into the athlete’s head and understand the physical toil of what they’re putting their bodies through.”
Education plays an important role in his approach, helping his clients to fully understand the reasoning behind every aspect of their training.
“I also enjoy educating the athlete on the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind what we’re doing. I find this gets better buy-in and thus a more potent stimulus.”
With each client presenting different needs, Daniel takes an individualised approach, beginning with a detailed assessment.
“Nailing the individual’s needs analysis is a great start. Understanding what the athlete or client wants is great, but as a coach, it’s our job to meet the athlete where they’re actually at, not where they think they are,” He noted. “Then the coaching process begins, getting that individual from point A to point B and so on!”
Backing Experience with Education
Although self-taught initially, Daniel recognised the importance of formal qualifications to strengthen his coaching practice and chose Setanta College to expand his knowledge and gain his MSc in Performance Coaching, highlighting the flexible course delivery and resources as key benefits.
“I think education is power. I’m self-taught, but it’s important to showcase to yourself and the world that you can put in the work and get these high-end qualifications.
The flexibility to study whenever your schedule allows, and then the resources to dig deeper into a topic if you wish, has been great. The online forum is excellent for this, ask a question and the lecturers and other students point out where to go next,” he explained.
Since beginning the MSc in Performance Coaching, Daniel has been able to immediately apply knowledge from the programme to his coaching role.
“I have been able to apply literally everything from the very first lecture,” he said. “It’s so powerful to learn something in the morning and immediately apply it that evening and see how it unfolds in real life. This adds another layer of understanding.”
For aspiring coaches, Daniel highlights the importance of continuous learning.
“Learn. Just keep pursuing knowledge, you can never know enough,” he advised. “You can never stop learning as a coach; it’s a lifelong process, and education is a huge tool in that process!”
Balancing Act
Balancing running a growing online presence with coaching and client programming, along with his in-person coaching and studies, is not an easy task.
A typical day for Daniel involves client programming and check-ins in the morning before moving on to his studies and training. “I’ll then study and train. In the evening, I’ll coach in person in the gym or out on the GAA pitch,” he said.
“I think patience is king, really; growing a brand is hard and takes time. I try to get out there as much as I can, do podcasts, etc. My main focus right now is nailing my education with Setanta, which has been great so far, and studying for the CSCS exam. The more knowledge I can acquire now, the better my brand can be long-term. I love programming so that always helps the process.”
Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, Daniel has aims to continue developing his coaching and open his own facility. “The focus is on studying for the moment, but opening my own facility would be the plan in the next two years so I can really take my coaching to the next level!”
