“I joined John’s mentorship programme because I was really struggling to find someone who would be willing to invest in me for my coaching development in all aspects (philosophy, practicality and knowledge). I didn’t know where to turn to get advice and I wasn’t improving as I would like professionally, it’s all well and good reading some journals and articles but I didn’t have someone who could guide me and answer my questions. As a result I felt I was getting stagnant and struggling to improve results for clients and expand my knowledge. Having worked with John previously I knew his depth and breadth of knowledge would allow me to grow as a coach and a practitioner.
Since starting the programme I have managed to improve many aspects of my practical coaching ability in terms of how I interact with clients and staff members. Whilst John is willing to give you the answers to the questions you have, he also challenges you as a coach and a person to become better and this shows in how I am managing situations and tasks a lot better at work. I have gained a lot of informative and practical knowledge as well which has led me to improve the initial assessment and monthly review process we conduct at work.
I love the fact that there are always pages and pages of notes to go over after a call. Sometimes the volume of information can be a bit overwhelming but having a pen and paper at hand to make sure I take detailed notes on means I can always refer back and usually after a second look I’ve managed to process it all. Every call is thorough and covers all bases. I usually go into a call with a question or topic in mind and we end up covering every angle.
Unexpected benefits to the programme:
– I’ve been able to manage situations with co-workers a lot better and move them in positive directions.
If you are on the fence about joining the programme, I would say 100% go for it, even if it’s only 1 call a month like me, you will be having all sorts of ideas and things to work on until the next call. There’s no investment like an investment in yourself.”
Initial thoughts
“Before applying to go onto the mentorship programme with John I knew of his credibility as a coach but not as a mentor. From the initial video call with John, it was very apparent that his knowledge, ideas and stories he could pass on were next level. I did not hesitate to get on board with the mentor ship programme and from the word go I was a developing as a coach.”
Starting the programme
“It’s very clear that John has a plan and structure to the way he does things and it isn’t just an off the cuff conversation where you may get some information by chance. By elaborating on what I think I am like as a person and finding my drivers to be successful in S&C, John has highlighted areas in me that I am eager to expose but also areas that I am keen to develop. Off the back of seeing which areas I need to develop, John then advises clear and concise actionable points for me to put in place. This has helped me massively continue to develop myself as a person during a time where I was struggling to do so. What I found really useful is a syllabus that feels very tailored to you as a coach for what you need to develop. This gives me a clear pathway of my development.
Second to this is Johns advice on gaining employment. There has been a real eye opener as to what employers are looking for in this industry and only someone who has skin in the game can pass this knowledge onto you. I would strongly advise any aspiring strength and conditioning coach to get on board with John to develop themselves straight from the word go.
Further, because of Johns experiences there is also the chance to touch on more niche topics which he is more than happy to elaborate on and share ideas with. I find this invaluable as being a younger coach this gives me an insight into what works in the real world.
It is clear he invests a lot of time into the development of not only myself, but the other coaches on the mentor programme so it makes it easy to carry out the tasks set for you to a high standard. Revisiting and refining these tasks such as a personal profile, values and beliefs is something that John is constantly drilling, in attempt to make me a better coach that continues to develop.”
“Over the past few years I have had the pleasure of getting to know John. Engaging in many conversations during this time, I always felt like John provided me with different perspectives and thought processes around different topics, naturally engaging my interest further. As a result, as soon as I heard John was starting up his mentorship programme, I picked up the phone, and made him aware of my interest in joining his group.
For those who have had the pleasure of meeting, or talking with John, you will know just how knowledgeable, approachable and helpful he is as a person. Despite my previous experience of knowing John however, I have to admit, I was initially a bit apprehensive around how the whole mentoring process would work. Needless to say all my questions have been answered. When looking at my overall development as a coach, John has proved an extremely important influence in aiding my development, challenging me across many areas, and helping me to organise my time more effectively.
Creating a platform allowing me to improve both my strengths and weaknesses, John has consistently provided me with his own insight and experience, as well as a structure and organisation to help keep me on track in terms of my overall development.
The time and commitment John has invested in supporting my overall long term development has been beyond what I could have imagined.
Thanks John!!”
“I have been working with John since early June 2019, this initially started with him prescribing me a weekly training and corrective programme. This soon transitioned to me doing more formal Coach Mentoring. However, even the initial exposure to Johns methods of assessment and prescription was insightful, which had a positive impact on me reflecting on my own methodologies.
Since focusing on the mentoring, we have explored both my personal and professional philosophies, both of which took time to complete to a high standard, but the process really made me think hard about who I am, why I do things a certain way, and allow me to identify development areas.
We have subsequently focussed on specific topics such as energy system development, which has included question and answer, case studies, as well as a bespoke presentation John put together for me.
Another task was putting together a systems document that covered the training strategies I implement within the tennis academy, where I am the Head of Sport Science. This proved to be a positive process in which I involved the other team members, cementing our thoughts on all of our systems.
Finally, by going through the above tasks and gaining experience of John mentoring methods, has subsequently enabled me to improve my own mentoring skills, which has including running coach development sessions for both our S&C and tennis coaches.
I would certainly recommend Johns mentoring services. For sure, he is the mentor that I have been searching for, he uses both his personal and professional knowledge and experience to challenge me to become the best practitioner I can be.”
“I joined Johns mentorship program 4 months ago and in that short space of time the effect it has had on my professional development has been massive.
I had finished my strength and conditioning course a few months prior and was looking for some guidance within the field and a source of high quality, reliable information. I was not disappointed. The free consultation call alone opened my eyes to a number of different ways of doing things.
I was worried with it being online that communicating and connecting with John would be tough. However, being both incredibly easy to talk to and professional meant that communication was both easy and effective.
I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to take their business to the next level.”
“I was admittedly quite tentative when first signing up to the mentorship programme as I had reservations over how much value the programme would present. But I can honestly say the programme has exceeded my expectations to this point. Johns knowledge and experiences have been incredibly useful in helping to guide me through a transition within my own professional career. His ability to offer perspective, empathise, and delve into detail, has given me a confidence and a structure to progress personally. I have left every call so far with clear objectives which have guided my learning, and with a motivation to continue to progress and develop. The provision of regular tasks and relevant materials means that I remain focussed on our pre-agreed development plan and I can honestly say that I am excited about continuing to utilise John’s tutelage moving forward.
It’s great to have a mentor that is clearly emotionally invested in my development, and one whom I would have no second thought about recommending to any fellow professional.”