This week inside the SKILD Coaches Community, conversations centred around managing the balance between coaching and personal life, especially during busy holiday periods. We also shared a key platform update as we move closer to launch, welcomed a new coach focused on grassroots participation, and celebrated strong results from remote coaching at a national level. 

Key Highlights This Week

 🧠 What We’re Learning

A valuable discussion this week focused on how coaches manage the balance between work, family, and recovery — particularly during school holidays when demand for sessions tends to increase.

Glen, a Melbourne-based coach, shared his approach to avoiding burnout. He spoke about the importance of having support at home, being mindful of overcommitting to sessions, and listening to physical limits — especially when actively involved in training.

Andrew added to this by highlighting a common tension for coaches: holidays can be a key revenue period, but long-term sustainability depends on building in time to rest and reset. Finding that balance is essential for longevity in coaching.

📍 What’s Going On

There was also a key update on the SKILD platform.

Following a question from Toby, Andrew confirmed that internal testing is expected to wrap up shortly after Easter. The next phase will involve onboarding a small group of beta coaches to test the platform in a live environment.

Coaches selected for this phase will be contacted directly in the coming weeks.

Andrew also opened up a broader conversation to the group around how different coaches manage their schedules and commitments — an ongoing topic that remains highly relevant across the community.

👋 New Faces

We welcomed Trav to the community.

Trav is a Level 2 AFL coach who now runs GeckoSports Gippsland, a business focused on delivering school-based sports programs. His work introduces students to a wide range of activities — including ultimate frisbee, volleyball, hockey, table tennis, squash, and badminton.

His focus is on helping young people explore different sports in a fun, low-pressure environment, allowing them to discover what they enjoy without the emphasis on competition.

🏆 Wins and Shoutouts

Mike Armstrong shared a strong coaching result this week, highlighting the effectiveness of remote coaching.

After two seasons working together, his athlete achieved her goal of making her first Australian final in the Victorian Open female beach flags, finishing 5th overall.

He also coached Pipi Tepania to a win in the U19 Ironwoman final.

These results reinforce that high-quality coaching outcomes can be achieved even without consistent in-person sessions.

📅 What’s Next

The SKILD platform launch is approaching.

With internal testing nearly complete and beta testing around the corner, the next phase will involve bringing coaches into the platform and continuing to build out the community experience.

More updates will be shared soon as we get closer to launch.

Final Thoughts

This week’s conversations reflected a key theme for coaches at all levels — balancing performance, workload, and sustainability.

Whether it’s managing session demand, supporting athlete outcomes remotely, or helping young players find their place in sport, the shared experiences across the community continue to highlight the practical realities of coaching today.

As SKILD moves closer to launch, these insights will play an important role in shaping how the platform supports coaches moving forward.

Sources:

SKILD Coaches Community - A WhatsApp Group