RW Sport Performance

10/15/2026

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla isn't afraid to try something new. Over the past week, Mazzulla has coached from the stands, handing the bench role to two assistants, and delegated substitutions to veteran Mike Conley.

Why? Empower his people. Give them a different perspective on the game. Change the rhythm.

Now, this is the preseason, a perfect time to experiment, but it is clear that Mazulla is prepared to innovate in an effort to get the most out of his staff and players.

In leadership circles, we talk a great deal about empowerment, but do we always align our leadership behavior in a way that commits to creating an empowered "workforce"? I think there is more talk than action, but Mazzulla's efforts, without question, will create greater awareness of all the moving parts of the team and leave coaches and athletes feeling like they have more influence.

Don't we all want this for our teams?

Take a risk. Try something different. You never know what might happen!

Conley hasn't decided if he'll become a coach after his playing career. But he learned the job is "a lot harder than you think."

08/24/2026

Our avoidance of conflict stands in the way of great performances.

In the latest episode of The Interview, Priya Parker argues that our inability to normalize conflict is holding us back—at home, at work, and, in my view, in sport.

The highest-performing teams don't avoid difficult conversations. They develop the ability to have them well.

Healthy conflict isn't about arguing more. It's about creating an environment where people feel safe enough to challenge ideas, surface concerns, and hold one another accountable. That's how values become real, trust grows stronger, and relationships deepen.

The good news? Like any performance skill, productive conflict can be learned.

So how do we help our teams lean into conflict?

• Develop self-awareness. The more aware we are of our emotions, triggers, and behaviors, the less likely we are to avoid uncomfortable conversations.

• Double down on purpose and values. A clear, shared purpose keeps people grounded. When everyone knows what they're working toward and what they stand for, conflict becomes about improving performance—not protecting egos.

• Build a debriefing culture. Review every meeting, practice, and performance—even if only for a few minutes. Regular reflection normalizes honest feedback before issues become major problems.

Conflict doesn't divide great teams—it refines them.

Healthy conflict = stronger relationships, better decisions, and ultimately better performance.

What is one thing your team does to make healthy conflict part of its culture?

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/an-expert-on-conflict-says-your-relationships-are/id1624946521?i=1000785038554

07/20/2026

🚨 What keeps elite coaches performing at their best when the pressure is highest?

🎙️ Take a Swing Podcast | Episode 014

Stacia Strain
🏑 Assistant Coach, Hockeyroos Hockey Australia
🇦🇺 Coaching Development Lead, Australian Institute Of Sport

Stacia isn't just coaching athletes at the highest level—she's also helping develop the next generation of world-class coaches.

🎧 In this episode, she shares one of the most powerful tools in her coaching journey: a Personal Coaching Mission.

We explore:
✅ Why every coach should have one
✅ How to create a mission that is authentic and meaningful
✅ How it provides clarity and consistency when the pressure is on
✅ Why it helps coaches bring out the best in athletes, staff, and themselves

With the Hockeyroos preparing for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hockey World Cup, Stacia also offers practical insights on continuous self-development, raising your coaching impact, and staying aligned with what matters most.

Whether you coach in sport, lead a team, or develop people, this conversation is packed with ideas you can put into practice immediately.

🎧 Give it a listen and let me know what resonates most with you.

07/14/2026

Take a Swing - Episode 013 - Dr. Harlan Austin - VP, Premier Sport Psychology

Harlan has worked with some of the world's highest performers. From the NFL, NBA, and MLB to the U.S. Special Forces, he has helped athletes, coaches, and leaders perform at their best under significant pressure.

🎧 In this episode, Harlan explores one of the most important factors in elite performance: attention. He explains how, when, and why we direct our attention under pressure—and how that choice can dramatically influence performance.
The conversation is grounded in the work of Premier Sport Psychology CEO Justin Anderson, Psy.D., LP, CMPC, whose book Intentional Attention provides the framework that shapes much of Premier's work with leaders in both sport and business.

If you're looking to perform more consistently in high-pressure moments, this episode offers practical insights you can apply immediately.

Enjoy this conversation with one of the leading experts on performing under pressure.

07/10/2026

Enjoy the Take a Swing Podcast with Carly Clarke, Assistant Coach with the Toronto Tempo. In her first year with the Tempo, Carly shares her thoughts on the transition from university to the pros and what is essential for coaches to thrive at every level.

06/01/2026

I know Wemby is the headline, but what I saw in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals was a TEAM victory.

Oklahoma City, without two key contributors, became heavily reliant on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (a Canadian 🇨🇦 and two-time MVP). When that happens, even great teams can lose some of the collective rhythm and balance that made them successful in the first place.

Whether in sport, business, or the military, success often comes from applying pressure to your opponent. The more ways you can create that pressure, the harder you become to defend against.

The best teams understand this. While stars matter, championships are rarely won by individuals alone. The Warriors, Spurs, and even the Bulls of the 1990s all had elite talent—but they also played exceptional team basketball. Their ability to share responsibility, trust one another, and attack opponents from multiple angles made them difficult to beat.

Great players can win games.

Great teams win championships.

Let the best team win the Finals.

04/06/2026

🏆 Coach of the Week: Cori Close, Head Coach, UCLA Bruins basketball 🏆

If you watched any of the women’s championship game, you saw more than just a dominant performance over a loaded South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team—you saw what belief, connection, and culture can produce at the highest level.

Yes, the Bruins executed at an elite technical level—but what stood out even more was their edge, their togetherness, and their joy. That combination proved too much to match.

A disciple of John Wooden, Close has led the program since 2011 with a clear foundation: character, discipline, and personal growth drive performance. Not just on the court—but in life.

Lauren Betts, a pivotal addition after transferring from Stanford Cardinal women's basketball, summed it up best: “I wanted to be somewhere that truly believed in me—and where I could be myself.”

This wasn’t just a championship. It was a culture on display.

Congrats to Coach Close and the Bruins.

03/30/2026

Another tough loss for the Duke Blue Devils. And, as always, the spotlight turns quickly to the coach — in this case, Jon Scheyer.

That’s the nature of high-performance sport.

The questions come fast and loud:
Why wasn’t the best free-throw shooter available to inbound?
Why didn’t the player simply hold the ball?
Why keep passing instead of closing the game at the line?

Fair questions. Important questions.

But here’s the reality — we can only truly answer them if we do two things exceptionally well:

Debrief with honesty and discipline
Use the moment to understand how we operate under pressure

This is where growth lives.

Too often, teams and individuals rush past the moment. They move on. The best programs do the opposite. They lean in. They dissect. They learn.

In the military, debriefing isn’t optional — it’s embedded in the culture. Every mission, every time.

Why? Because performance under pressure is never accidental. It’s trained, examined, and refined.

Sport should be no different.

I’ve learned this: without disciplined debriefing, teams and coaches aren’t fully armed for the next critical moment.

Lean in. Learn. Be ready for the next one.

01/28/2026

I attended a college basketball game this weekend (Auburn at Florida) that left me thinking deeply about NIL and the transfer portal, and their impact on college sports.

Xaivian Lee is a standout player for the Gators, but he seems stuck in the new NCCA world of money, movement, and professionalization.

https://rwconsulting.org/post/aloneingainesville

The crushing blow of big NIL money and expectations

01/12/2026

🏆 Coach of the Week: Tim Lewis, Eneos Sunflowers (Japan) Professional Basketball Team 🏆

This past weekend, the Sunflowers, led by Head Coach Tim Lewis, captured the Empress Cup—the most prestigious and coveted championship in Japanese basketball.

The run was nothing short of remarkable. Coach Lewis and his team upset both the No. 2 and top-ranked teams, winning four games in six days on their way to the title. An extraordinary accomplishment by any standard.

Coach Lewis has coached around the world, most recently with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he is clearly making a powerful impact at ENEOS. He is building a program—and a culture—that players, staff, and supporters can be proud of.

His superpower? Positivity. And last week, that mindset translated directly into belief, resilience, and championship performance.

Congratulations to Coach Lewis and the Sunflowers on an outstanding victory. 👏🏀