Coaches Corner with Nathan Wilson!!

Introducing Coach Nathan Wilson

From the moment he first laced up his skates as a young athlete, Nathan Wilson’s passion for inline speed skating has been undeniable. Now, as both a senior competitor and dedicated coach, Nathan continues to inspire the next generation with his skill, enthusiasm, and unwavering commitment to the sport.

A proud member of Logan City Speed, Nathan has represented our country on the international stage, proving that his dedication and talent are second to none. Whether he's training for competition or coaching our skaters, he always arrives with a smile, ready to share his knowledge and love for the sport.

Beyond the track, Nathan also plays a key role in the behind-the-scenes operations, assisting with the National Championships player cards—something he somehow manages to make fun! His contributions, both on and off the skates, make him an invaluable part of our club.

Without further ado, we’re excited to share this interview with Coach Nathan—let’s dive in!

Background & Personal Journey

1. How did you first get into inline speed skating?

   1. My mum taught me to skate as a kid and then I used to ask my dad to take me to the rink every weekend until the head coach at the time saw me and my siblings at a general session and invited us along to try our first speed skating session

2. What inspired you to become a coach?

   1. I never liked being a coach in the early years, but I knew it was needed to support future generations of speed skaters and I knew just how important the role of a coach was to support a skater’s development. I’ve also had some excellent coaches in my life who I’ve been able to model my coaching off.

3. What do you love most about coaching inline speed skating?

   1. I love being able to watch others succeed at what they set out to achieve. It’s very rewarding to teach/coach others.

4. How has skating impacted your life outside of the sport?

   1. The fitness from skating if phenomenal, I’ve done so many other things in my life off the back of skating fitness.

   2. The resilience you can develop from skating can carry over to many other areas of your life

   3. Skating has allowed me to connect with different people around the world

Coaching & Training Philosophy

5. What’s the most important lesson you try to instil in your skaters?

   1. Having a growth mindset in training and competition

6. How do you keep your athletes motivated, especially during tough times?

   1. Goal setting, have shorter, achievable goals across the year, reflection and evaluation of training, and instil key training principles (such as training consistency)

7. What’s your approach to helping skaters improve both physically and mentally?

   1. Consistency is key

   2. Believe in them

8. How do you balance pushing skaters to be their best while making sure they still enjoy the sport?

   1. Good quality programming will weed out some of these issues and reduce burnout. Goal setting and measuring progress will also support this. Making tweaks on the individual sessions as well based on overall perceived readiness vs. fatigue. Some day they may thank you for the hard sessions because it will show them just how much you can achieve and help you to find new heights. Having good communication and listening skills will help you know which days are the days to push and which days are the ones to back off.

Memorable Moments & Challenges

9. What has been your most memorable moment as a coach?

   1. 2025 Nationals in Brisbane

10. Can you share a particularly challenging experience and how you overcame it?

    1. I constantly compared myself to others when I was younger and it really messed with my idea of success. It wasn’t until I started focusing on myself that I found stronger motivation and was able to celebrate more of the progress/journey, compared with just results on a podium and comparisons with other skaters.  

11. Have you ever had a skater who truly surprised you with their progress?

    1. I see it constantly, and from skaters of all ages

12. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received as a skater or coach?

    1. As a skater: consistency always pays off in the long-run

    2. As a coach: understand their why

The Sport & Its Future

13. What do you think makes inline speed skating unique compared to other sports?

    1. You can be the strongest person on the start line and still lose to someone with better technique than you. The eternal journey to finding the perfect skating technique even after years of practice. The mental challenge of constantly adjusting your strategy in a race due to multiple factors and competing skaters.

14. How do you see the future of inline speed skating evolving?

    1. Better facilities that are purpose built for speed skating and complement other ‘cross-training’ sports

15. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start inline speed skating?

    1. The right equipment makes all the difference, but you don’t need to spend $1000s just to get started.

16. If you could change one thing about the sport, what would it be?

    1. Remove barriers to access to the sport (venues, equipment)

Fun & Personal Preferences

17. What’s your Favourite type of race or event to watch or coach?

    1. Points Races

18. If you could skate anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

    1. Geisingen – to skate on the fastest track in the world

19. Do you have any pre-race rituals or routines?

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    1. 100% will re-tie my laces before every race

       

20. What’s one thing about you that your skaters might not know?

    1. Speed Skating wasn’t my first, second or even third sport. I’ve done gymnastics, little athletics, ten-pin bowling, and tried out many other sports (AFL, basketball, soccer, volleyball, badminton, golf, karate, touch footy, swimming…).

       

Photos credit goes to Liz Quince, Team Crisp air and Bernadine Geary Photography