The Magic Academy

Stephen and Rusty chat triggers, self-awareness, reflection, catching players in, car trips and the 1st 15 minutes at home... enjoy!

Kevin (PhD, U10 rugby league coach and cricket umpire, father to 2) chats all things talent development with Rusty. From early specialisation to injury to motivation to being a parent to competition and players dropping out... enjoy!

Sam joins the pod for the 2nd time exploding Rusty's brain again... the paradox of pro-sport, 'who am I?', maps of the world and 'I'll be happy when...' enjoy!

Mark Woodrow and Simon Hunt join Rusty to chat (in a car park in Bristol) through some of the highs and lows of the Bees years. From liquidation to the Great Escape to Hunty's try scoring feats... enjoy! 

A trip down memory lane with Will, Sledge and Jeff... a policeman in Tokyo, World Cup deselection, winning in Wellington, altitude camps and how those stories have shaped our lives... enjoy!

Lambridge United, Jonah Lomu rugby, training with your heroes, early success, memorable moments... Longy and Charlie chat about their Bath years... enjoy! 

From college basketball in Canada to helping coaches in the UK, Jesse and Rusty chat about analytics, creativity, 5-player actions, the rise of 3 x 3, coaching in the grey and Wembanyama... enjoy!

Andy Lockwood returns (last seen Season 9, Episode 11) to chat all things @rugbyvacancies and getting a job in sport. The Savannah Bananas, being as little risk as possible, using your network and barriers to entry... enjoy! 

Eno and Rusty chat all things from Botswana to the City to chasing his dream of winning the Champions league...  McKinsey's, Arsenal Community, Coach Index, the Football Banker and an 8-0 humbling... enjoy!

No pod since 2025... Taks was getting impatient to we did one together! All things tactical warfare, problem-solving, tweaking or changing... enjoy!

Fletch, Danny and Rusty share their highlights, heroes and hardships from 2025 and look ahead to 2026... enjoy!

Byron Green, wheelchair rugby coach and player ( https://athletescan.ca/athlete-rep-spotlight-byron-green-wheelchair-rugby/ ) gets paid a visit from Taks at his provincial training camp and we chat all things coach development... geological formations, the funnel, the Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo Jump world heritage site, levels of communication and earning trust... enjoy!

Gerard and Rusty chat about his journey to coaching in the Cambodian Premier League... learning something from everyone, the reality of micropolitics and real politics, cultural differences, ST and LT thinking, presence and storytelling... enjoy!

Moff and Rusty chat all things Gamechangers conference... brain skills, talent ID, injuries, river swims, building a den and indoor rondos... enjoy!

Taks and Rusty catch up for the 3rd time to chat all things Vancouver Island, noticing skills, the Air Canada strike, headband levels, conviction and action, triangles, the Fork of Power and noticing... enjoy!

Kenny and Rusty chat all things staff football, experimenting, coaching attack and learning Spanish... enjoy! 

Pete's doctorate ( https://phecanada.ca/professional-learning/journal/pleasure-and-happiness-education-alternative-form-phe-peter-train ) leads to a discussion with Rusty about teacher's experimenting, having a more open framework, attention, taking the ego away, sensible lunatics, astonishing yourself and the museum of values... enjoy!

Jeremy's joins Rusty for the 2nd time on the pod following his book release to chat all things TRIBE... enjoy!  For the love of the game: How to coach identity, belonging and performance in sport.  Amazon https://amzn.eu/d/8hUMhxO Free chapter landing page https://mailchi.mp/cfte/for-the-love

Gary and Rusty chat all things expertise, decision-making and intuition... Pete Sturgess, Max Caldas, Daniel Kahneman, netball, rowing, feedback, getting in the head of a team-mate, pre-morteming, shadow boxing and mild suggestions... enjoy!

A 2nd appearance for Paul to chat all things scanning, secret codes, time-wasting, awkward finishes, going against the flow, feeding the bear and deliberately playing dead... enjoy!

Rich joins Rusty to chat all things Bhudesi Pride Foundation and changing lives through rugby...  https://bpfafrica.org/

Guests and Rusty reflect on all things coaching England Women U19 cricket... enjoy!

Harry and Rusty chat all things scout mindset, qui fait quoi, expecting chaos, falling out of love with rugby (and back in love with rugby in France)... Mange tout!

Ex-professional rugby player, diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma at 23 , retired due to concussion at 25 and now helping others find flow... an incredible story with so many great lessons... enjoy!

Fletch and Danny (Newcombe) chat coaching with Rusty... coaching cohesion, pre-mortem, anticipation, tactical vs emotional, flow and feel, coaching skills, the book... enjoy!