Whether you're coaching grassroots or high performance, how do you manage the mental load and avoid coaching burnout?

Former Clifton and Southgate coach Steve Bryant joins host Kiran to unpack his coaching journey – from running FA football sessions as a teenager to managing elite hockey environments. Drawing on personal experience with emotional overload and squad fatigue, Steve offers candid reflections on how coaches can set boundaries, focus on core skills, and protect their energy.

00:00 - Intro & Steve’s Journey Into Coaching

04:28 - Core Coaching Principles & Gamification Over Drills

08:37 - Session Design & Favorite Coaching Memories

14:39 - Unpacking Coaching Burnout, Energy & Overload

19:54 - The "Superhero Complex" & Player Responsibility

25:45 - Setting Boundaries, Decompression & Preventing Fatigue

33:48 - Making Coaching Sustainable: Contracts & Reducing Noise

43:34 - Quickfire Round & Closing Thoughts

Steve's most recent coaching role was at Bristol University. He also coached in the player pathway at the Bristol Performance Centre, having built up his skills and experience in previous roles at Clifton Robinsons HC and Southgate HC. He is another graduate of the GB Hockey Advanced Coach Programme, having graduated in 2020.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• The core principles behind "gamification" in hockey and why modern players reject drills.

• The "superhero complex" in coaching and how taking on every team problem leads to severe burnout.

• Practical boundaries for coaches, including fixed "office hours" for selection feedback and mandatory fallow weeks.

• Why clubs need long-term multi-year contracts instead of relying on "gig economy" arrangements.

• How cutting out tactical "noise" and focusing on execution yields better results than shiny tech.

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