Maximising your coaching productivity: how to use AI effectively

Wed August 26th 2026 · 13:00–14:00 BST · Live online via Zoom · £25 · Recording and written summary included with every ticket.

AI is everywhere in education conversations right now. Some of it is genuinely useful. A lot of it is hype, and some of it is actively misleading. If you're a teacher or a coach who isn't sure where to start — or where to stop — this session is for you.

This is the practical "no jargon" version: what AI actually is, what it can do for you in your day-to-day work, and what to leave well alone.

I'm not a technologist; I'm a coach who has been using these tools daily for the last year to plan sessions, write to parents, structure thinking, summarise long documents, and explain complex ideas to the athletes I work with. In one lunchtime, I'll show you what I'd want to know if I was starting from scratch.

What we'll cover

— What AI actually is (and what it isn't) — explained without the jargon
— The five practical use cases that save coaches and teachers the most time
— How to write a prompt that actually gets you a useful answer
— A live walk-through of one or two tools, demonstrated, not just described
— Where to be careful: data, accuracy, dependence, ethics

Plus 20 minutes of live Q&A — bring your specific "can it do this?" questions.

Built for

Classroom teachers and PE staff. Sports coaches at clubs, academies and schools. Physiotherapists working in education environments. Coach educators. Anyone in teaching or coaching who's curious about AI but hasn't found a clear, honest, non-techy introduction.

No technical background needed. No prior AI knowledge required.

What's included with every ticket

— Live 60-minute session on Zoom
— Full recording, sent to all ticket-holders within 48 hours (re-watch any time)
— Written summary you can file or share with colleagues who couldn't attend
— Live Q&A access during the session
— A starter prompt sheet — five tested prompts you can paste straight into ChatGPT or similar after the session

Why a lunchtime session? 13:00–14:00 BST works around teaching periods and coaching commitments. No evening Zoom required.

"He cuts through complexity and brings the focus back to what really matters. It's not about adding more, but about understanding the essentials — in movement, in coaching, and in communication."
— Christian Stern, Head Coach, National Youth Centre Kaiserslautern (German Badminton Federation)

About James

Head coach of Excelsior Athletic Development Club, Devon. Coaching network coordinator for GAIN Swim — the Gambetta Athletic Improvement Network. 30 years coaching with several National Governing Bodies (FA, RFU, British Fencing, England Golf). Has supported 12 athletes through to the Olympics and Paralympics. Author of four books. Writer of the Coaches' Corner newsletter, read by 1,600+ coaches every fortnight.

Still coaching. Still competing as a masters weightlifter. Still using AI most days to make all of the above easier.