Barefoot Coach

In 2008, a few days after being selected to coach the Indian cricket team, cricketer Gary Kirsten and South African ‘mental conditioning’ coach Paddy Upton set themselves the goal of winning the World Cup in 2011 and making Team India the number one Test team in the world. Three years and countless sessions of innovative and creative coaching later, the team achieved these goals—and more. Paddy’s journey began much earlier, in his native Cape Town, and included working with the South African team as the cricket world’s first fitness trainer. He transitioned to mental coaching in professional sport, and in 2012 became head coach of the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. Since then, he has coached five teams in thirteen seasons across three of the world’s premier T20 leagues. The Barefoot Coach is packed with Paddy’s out-of-the-box thinking and illuminating anecdotes on winning, preparation and failure. Behind-the-field snapshots of candour and courage, fascinating breakaways into endurance sport and surfing expand the horizon of learning and experience. Inspiring and unusual in its approach to coaching, this is a must read for everyone who wishes to enhance their performance, and their lives.