Level 2 Throws and fitness coach

Paul is relatively new to Yate AC having joined from Bristol & West AC in 2024 where he served for 18 years. Unusually perhaps, he doesn’t come from the traditional background of having been an athlete himself. His background has been in football and rugby where strength and fitness was the priority. Paul considers this to have given him an advantage and explains:

‘I have had to learn from the ground up, free of pre-conceived ideas and bad habits. I am able to resource knowledge from the world’s best, not from the coach I never had. As a result, my athletes benefit from the pooled resources I assemble and filter to suit their individual needs. It works well’.

Paul has coached athletes in all 4 throwing disciplines but more recently has focussed on shot and discus. In his 20 years as a qualified coach he has coached athletes from scratch and taken them on to multiple Inter-County titles and English Schools Gold and Silver medals. Unashamedly he admits that winning is his driver.

Paul much prefers to work with a small pool of talented athletes believing the key to success is 1:1 coaching where possible. One of his athletes was the UK no.1 u17 discus thrower 2024. He went on to become the Welsh Athlete of the Year (across all disciplines and ages). As a result of this success, a number of parents and throwers from other parts of the country have asked to work with Paul.

Paul is considered a laid back and approachable coach. Nonetheless, his passion to help young athletes become the very best they can be is clear to see.

Contact email – coachfiler51@gmail.com