5 Key Lessons From My Book

Five Things I Learned Writing This Book
by David Hare

Here are five lessons I picked up while pulling this book together. If you’re a coach, player, or someone just trying to raise standards in your club—this is for you

1. Stop Obsessing Over Facilities—Start Organising

Too many clubs get caught up whining about what they don’t have: “We’ve no sleds, no squat racks, no turf.” So what? Some of the best work I’ve ever done was in squash courts, converted attics, and run-down dressing rooms.

What matters isn’t what’s in the room—it’s what you do with it. Session flow. Equipment placement. Efficiency. I’ve seen slick gyms fall apart because nobody planned out how to move a squad through it.

Forget the dream setup. Use what you’ve got and use it better.

2. Coaching = Clear Communication

It’s not about sounding clever. It’s about getting your message across. Early in my career, I tried to impress people with big words and sports science jargon. It didn’t work. Players tune out if they don’t understand you.

Now, I keep it clear and direct. Use simple cues. Demonstrate properly. Speak like a coach, not a textbook. Writing this book made me realise the same applies on the page—keep it sharp, cut the fluff.

If your players don’t get what you’re saying, that’s your fault. Sort it out.

3. There’s No Such Thing as ‘Ready’

Waiting for the perfect time to start? You’ll be waiting forever.

Whether you’re launching a gym program or putting out a book, there’s no moment where everything lines up perfectly. Writing this book reminded me of that.

You need to start. Tidy it up as you go. Get feedback. Improve on the fly. Same in coaching. Don’t let indecision stop you from building something that works.

4. Good Coaching Is About Asking the Right Questions

Forget trying to know everything. The best coaches I’ve ever worked with don’t have all the answers—but they ask the right questions.

• Is this actually making the player better?
• Is the drill sharp enough or just filler?
• Are we lifting heavy for the sake of it or for a reason?

The book forced me to get real about what I actually believe. What’s worth doing. What’s not. If you can cut through the noise and make decisions based on logic—not ego—you’re ahead of most.

5. Strength & Conditioning Is a People Business

You can write the best program in the country—but if no one follows it, what’s the point?

The book reminded me that results come down to people. Your ability to coach. To lead. To hold standards. To spot potential and back it.

It’s not sentimental—it’s strategic. If players trust you, they’ll follow the plan. If they don’t, they’ll coast. Get your house in order, lead from the front, and build respect the hard way.

That’s coaching.

Final Word

This book came from real-world experience—not theory. And writing it only hammered home what I already suspected:

You don’t need perfect. You need purpose. You need structure. And you need the grit to keep showing up.

Whether you’re coaching U16s in the back field or heading up a county squad, you’ve got what you need. Start there.

Coach Hare