Episode 1429 The Coach Who Knew the Finish

Episode 1428 — Blind Magic in Alice Springs with host Murray Stewart. In this episode Murray recounts a vivid 2021 memory coaching junior athlete James Swayo to a dramatic win in the Australian U17 400m championships and uses that story to explore the power and responsibility coaches have over young athletes. Topics covered include: the fine line between intense coaching and harmful radicalization, ensuring coaching is always for the child’s benefit and safety, counterbalancing negative online influences with positive affirmation, and the role of coaches in shaping not just athletes but good humans. Murray also shares recent conversations he had with two athletes on missed opportunities, overcoming illness and reclaiming form, and stresses the need to respect competitors while ethically disrupting their plans to help your athlete succeed. Key takeaways: double-check your motives, focus on athlete wellbeing, use powerful positive reinforcement responsibly, and cultivate character as well as performance. The episode is framed around practical advice, moral reflection, and an uplifting anecdote about resilience and strategic race execution.