New Snowsport Coaching Podcast Gathers Worldwide Interest

A snowsports coaching podcast developed by two of the U.K.'s ski top coaches has gathered an audience from across the world. Though both are UK based, John Shedden ('shed') and Richard Barbour's 'Locked In Shed' podcast has listeners from as far away as Australia, Utah and....Ecuador

The podcast is a must for instructors and coaches with a thirst for learning about the coaching process and the history of snowsport coaching in the UK. It was born out of their combined creative exploits part way through the covid-19 lockdown. The initial aim was to record some of John Shedden’s memories from his extensive and influential career in sport and it has expanded into a resource library aimed at supporting coach development.

John  is a renowned sports coaching expert who has worked with Olympic coaches across 5 sports, international business organisations including SAP, as a design consultant for some of the largest artificial snowsports slopes in the world and written 5 books. He was the first Ski Teacher to qualify with both British and Austrian Ski Teacher and Coach Awards and was instrumental in the formation of the National Coaching Foundation (NCF), now called UK Coaching. He developed the UK’s first and enduring Coaching Awards Scheme for snowsport in Britain. In these Locked in Shed podcasts he talks with Richard Barbour, an expert coach in the worlds of engineering and sport who was the architect of the current international coaching awards for Snowsport England.

CEO of Snowsport England, Tim Fawke, said “The Coaching Awards Schemes of the Home Nation Governing Bodies form a crucial component of developing snowsports in Britain and provide pathways for skiers and riders to international level with GB Snowsport. So I’m delighted to hear a podcast that celebrates the history, art and science of coaching, spearheaded by our first Director of Coaching John Shedden. It’s a great educational resource for all coaches, new and seasoned.”

After temporarily loosing his eyesight, which stymied his intended career as a nuclear physicist, John needed to find an alternative pathway through life. Putting his scientific brain to use during University research into human performance psychology, John wrote his first book on ski teaching as an end of year project. As Assistant National Coach to the National Ski Federation of Great Britain (NSFGB), he was instrumental in the expansion of artificial ski slope facilities in the UK and access to the sport for local people. After being appointed as Director of Coaching to the NSFGB he introduced and developed the world class National Coaching Scheme that fostered the development of snowsports and coaching in the UK, with the mission - "to create access and pathways, for kids from local slopes and clubs, to get to the Olympics”

Richard is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, qualified coach and civil engineer, who has used his expert knowledge of the coaching process in industry and sport for over 30 years. He said “Research shows that over 70% of people involved in sports coaching are volunteers. Lots of them are members and supporters of their nation’s governing body and my pathway through life and career were completely altered by John’s work. I keep pinching myself that John’s willing to spend lots of time with me to share his expertise, so much so that I’ve started using the hashtag #howcanthisbefree.”

They’ve been pleasantly surprised by the response. Although initially aimed at snowsport coaches involved in the British scene, there’s been a good proportion of listeners abroad including in Europe, the Americas and the southern hemisphere, with messages of thanks from as far away as New Zealand.

As well as John’s memoirs, the podcasts cover a range of coaching topics including skill development and coaching methodology. They can be found at www.anchor.fm/lockedinshed or through usual podcast apps. Pictures can be found via @lockedinshed on Instagram www.instagram.com/lockedinshed/

For more details contact Richard Barbour by email at lockedinshedproductions@outlook.com or via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardsbarbour/