A coaching philosophy is the guiding framework that shapes how a coach interacts with athletes, manages development, and builds a long-term vision. In a recent webinar, Sam Dodge, a high-performance strength and conditioning (S&C) coach, offered an insightful and practical deep dive into how coaches can build, adapt, and apply a coaching philosophy across sports and career stages. 

His reflections highlighted the importance of adaptability, athlete-centered development, and clear direction in shaping an effective coaching approach. Drawing on over a decade of experience across rugby, judo, tennis, MMA, and AFL, Sam shared both successes and mistakes that shaped his personal philosophy. 

Foundation 

A coaching philosophy serves as a foundation for decision-making and ensures consistency in how an athlete or team is guided toward success. 

“Direction is far more important than speed. Lots of people are heading nowhere fast. But for me, the real challenge is making sure we are actually heading in the right direction.” 

A defined coaching philosophy: 

  • Provides clarity in coaching decisions. 
  • Helps athletes and staff understand expectations. 
  • Ensures consistency in training and development. 
  • Allows for adaptation while maintaining core principles. 

A well-defined philosophy goes beyond sport-specific skills. It integrates physical, mental, and tactical preparation, ensuring that an athlete is developing holistically. 

Key Components of an Effective Coaching Philosophy 

  1. Understanding Your Core Values and Principles

Every coach must first define what they stand for and what their key priorities are. These core values act as a filter for decision-making when coaching in different environments. While Sam had a strong foundation in rugby, he also spoke about working in sports he knew little about.  

“I knew absolutely nothing about the sport (AFL)… I had to upskill really quickly to make sure the work we were doing complemented these guys.” 

Despite the challenge, Sam believes that a good philosophy should be sport-independent: 

“Your philosophy has to be universal. It shouldn’t be situation or sport-specific – it should be something you can translate. 

I’ve had to adapt my philosophy across sports – rugby, judo, Aussie rules football – but the principles remain the same: enhancing performance, creating the right environment, and ensuring athletes are physically and mentally prepared.” 

  1. Athlete-Centered Approach

Sam emphasised that coaching is not about the coach, it is about helping athletes reach their potential. 

“Every time we walk into the weights room or onto the pitch, we have a bunch of different animals in front of us. Our job is to maximise each one’s strengths and qualities to make them as effective as possible.” 

A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Instead, an effective philosophy tailors training to: 

  • Athlete needs and development stage.
  • Physical and mental strengths/areas ripe for growth.
  • Position-specific demands within the sport.

  1. Balancing Specific and General Preparation

Sam highlighted the importance of blending general and sport-specific training within a structured development framework. He referenced Bondarchuk’s classification system, which helps categorise exercises based on their transferability to sport performance. 

  1. The Event – The actual game or match.
  2. Competitive Exercises – Closely mimic game scenarios, but with slight constraints.
  3. Specific Development Exercises – Target technical-tactical and physical qualities under controlled conditions.
  4. Specific Preparatory Exercises – Gym or field work to build sport-relevant traits.
  5. General Preparatory Exercises – Non-specific lifts and movements that build broad athletic capacity. 

“It’s not about one being better than the other. You have to get a blend of all this stuff.” 

Sam’s approach stresses event-relevant preparation: 

“The more like the event you’re training, the better you’re going to get for the event.” 

He reinforced this with examples showing how different drills and exercises map to real-world movements on the pitch – whether in rugby or AFL. 

  1. Profiling: If You’re Not Testing, You’re Guessing

A strong coaching philosophy relies on data-driven decision-making, ensuring that training interventions are effective and progress is tracked over time. 

“If you’re running a physical performance programme and you’re not measuring anything, you’re guessing.” 

Key assessment areas Sam highlighted: 

  • Strength and power testing (e.g., peak force, jump analysis).
  • Speed and acceleration tracking.
  • Fatigue monitoring and recovery assessments.
  • Sport-specific performance indicators (e.g., tackle success rates, sprint efforts per match). 

Sam also stressed the importance of accountability, both for coaches and athletes. If an intervention isn’t leading to improvements, adjustments must be made. 

“If we said we wanted to improve power, but our data shows no progress, then we need to ask why. Did we programme incorrectly? Was the execution off? Were there external factors? We have to reflect and refine constantly.” 

  1. Adaptability and Learning from Experience

While a coaching philosophy provides structure, it must also be flexible enough to evolve based on new experiences, research, and challenges. 

“If your philosophy is so rigid that it doesn’t adapt, it’s probably not a great philosophy.” 

Some lessons Sam learned from working across different sports: 

  • Rugby taught him the importance of strength and contact readiness.
  • Judo exposed him to individualised movement strategies and weight-class-based preparation.
  • Aussie Rules Football forced him to rethink training volume and endurance demands.

Common Mistakes in Coaching Philosophies 

  1. Lacking Clear Direction

  • Flawed Approach: Having no defined philosophy and making random training decisions. 
  • Better Alternative: Establishing a clear set of principles to guide all coaching interventions. 

“You can be moving fast, but if you don’t know where you’re going, you’re just heading nowhere quicker.” 

  1. Sticking to a Single Training Method

  • Flawed Approach: Relying on only one training style, regardless of athlete needs. 
  • Better Alternative: Blending different training elements to create a well-rounded program. 

“Some coaches get stuck in their way—‘I’m a strength guy’ or ‘I’m a skills coach.’ The best coaches integrate everything into one effective system.” 

  1. Failing to Track and Adjust

  • Flawed Approach: Assuming training is working without measuring progress. 
  • Better Alternative: Using objective and subjective data to continuously refine training programs. 

  1. Overcomplicating the Process

  • Flawed Approach: Trying to implement overly complex drills that don’t translate to the sport. 
  • Better Alternative: Keeping training simple, focused, and effective. 

“If your players don’t understand the ‘why’ behind what they’re doing, you’re overcomplicating things.” 

Building a Philosophy That Lasts 

A great coaching philosophy balances structure and adaptability, ensuring that athletes are consistently improving, mentally engaged, and physically prepared for the demands of their sport. By defining core values, integrating data-driven decision-making, and continuously refining their approach, coaches can develop athletes who are not just physically capable, but also mentally resilient and technically proficient. 

Download the full webinar at www.setantacollege.com/webinars.