by Stuart Weir
This feature is a final interview of Jodie Williams, a three-time Olympian, Olympic medalist, European medalist, Indoor and outdoor, and Commonwealth Games medalist. Jodie Williams announced her retirement this past fall.
Jodie Williams on coaches
In the final piece from my December 2024 interview, Jodie talks about what she expects from a coach. Jodie had five coaches in her career:
Stanley Madiri 2010-2013 (Including World and European Junior gold medals)
Christine Harrison-Bloomfield 2013-15 – including the 2014 with her European and Commonwealth 200m silver medals)
Ryan Freckleton 2016-17
Stu McMillan 2017-20
Ryan Freckleton 2021-2024 (Including 2021 and 2024 Olympics)
What do I expect from a coach?
I’m an inquisitive person, and I like to know. I’m not really an athlete that can just be told what to do, and I’m just gonna nod along – which, for some athletes, that’s what they need. They just want to be told what to do, and they’re gonna get on with it. I’ve never been that way, and some coaches can find that quite challenging. I’m always an athlete that wants to work with you and wants to understand why. Don’t get me wrong; you’ll tell me this session, and I’ll do it. But I need to really buy into what’s going on. I would also like to be involved in the discussions.
Later in my career, I was more involved in programming as I know my body very well and know what works for me and what doesn’t. Later in my career, I had much more input into my program. But I need a coach who’s open enough and willing enough to have those discussions with me. It’s more of a partnership. There are some dynamics where the coach is in charge, and the athletes do what they’re told, but that’s never worked for me. It doesn’t work for me in general life. I don’t do well with just being told what to do. I like to understand why. And that makes a much more significant buy-in for me, and we’re both gonna get a lot more out of it. I definitely like a partnership with my coach.
All the coaches I have ever had have been like that. And it’s always deeper than just a coach-athlete relationship. All of my coaches are very close, almost like family members to me. So those are the kinds of relationships that I like to have with my coaches.
