Hi Reader

Welcome to the April edition of the Coach Lead Collective, your go-to resource for coaching leaders like you, committed to supporting and developing our coaching community.

In this edition, we’ll explore how to manage our time with 'split shifts' and embrace ChatGPT to streamline our tasks. And remember—if you find value in this monthly newsletter, please share it with your colleagues! (Sign up below)

Also, last month I shared a workshop planning hack to save time and increase impact. Apologies for the broken video link. Here it is now - either Click HERE or on video below:

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Working Split Shifts

You may be in the thick of workshop season right now—running back-to-back sessions, juggling travel, admin, and everything else that comes with supporting coaches. I’ve heard some of you call this time of year Mad March, but let’s be honest—April and May aren’t much quieter! With packed schedules and late-night workshops, the challenge isn’t just delivering great content—it’s managing your own energy and well-being too.

Back in my university days, a few mates did a Ski USA working holiday season in Aspen, Colorado. I visited to ‘hit the slopes’ (or, more accurately, to spend most of the week on my bum while learning to snowboard). The ski field culture was all about ‘split shifts’—working two of the three key blocks of the day (morning, afternoon, or evening) and using the extra time to get out on the mountain. It was a system built around balance, allowing people to work hard while still making the most of why they were really there—to ski and board.

There’s something in that for us during this hectic time of year. When your days are stacked with sessions and your nights are full of workshops, can you adopt a ‘split shift’ mindset? Maybe that means starting your morning a little later after a late-night session or carving out time in the afternoon to recharge, spend time with family, or get outside. For me, I take a break in the afternoon when the kids get home from school—hanging out, feeding them (a lot), and if the timing’s right, having a cuppa with my wife. But everyone’s different.

So, what’s your version of a split shift? How do you carve out time for yourself during the madness?

Embracing Chat GPT

"Wait… what? That took 10 seconds!"

That was the reaction from a Coach Developer I recently worked with. We had just finished brainstorming for an upcoming workshop, scribbling ideas about purpose, audience, key outcomes, call to action, time frame, etc., in a notebook. Instead of spending the next hour or so typing it all up, I took a quick photo, uploaded it to ChatGPT, and asked it to summarise our notes into a structured session plan for junior rugby coaches. Within seconds, we had a reasonably polished workshop plan—ready to tweak and deliver.

AI isn’t here to replace the face-to-face magic of coaching and coach development, but it can make the behind-the-scenes work a whole lot easier. Whether it’s drafting emails, summarising meetings, or adapting activities for different coaching levels, tools like ChatGPT can save time so we can focus on what really matters—supporting coaches.

Like any tool, AI works best when you know how to use it. Here are a few quick tips to get the most out of ChatGPT (according to ChatGPT when I asked it):

💡 Be specific with your prompts – Instead of asking "Create a session plan," try "Draft a 60-minute junior coaching workshop focusing on creating a 'fun learning environment' with 3 activities and key coaching points."

📸 Use images & transcripts – Upload a photo of your handwritten notes or a voice transcript (click ‘voice mode’), and let ChatGPT summarise it into a structured document.

✍️ Refine & iterate – AI gives a starting point, but you can always ask it to tweak things—"Make this more concise," or "Adjust this for beginner coaches," or "Please add a hook to capture attention."

🚀 Use it as a brainstorming partner – Stuck on how to engage coaches in a session? Ask ChatGPT to generate discussion prompts, scenarios, or coaching challenges.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of how ChatGPT (and other AI tools) can support us. We all want time back, and this definitely helps with that. And yes, I used ChatGPT to help me write this blog.

The Coaching Gig App is Live!

March has been busy launching the app across the country. Check out the NZ Rugby PU Collab day in Auckland HERE on LinkedIn

And here is a video the Netball launch at Netball Manawatu. Click HERE or on the video below.

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The new and improved TCG app is now live and ready to be downloaded! Check it out here: www.thecoachinggig.com ​

• Rugby
• Netball
• Primary PE