The Barefoot Coach – Life-Changing Insights from Coaching the World’s Best Cricketers

Paddy helped me in so many unique ways throughout my career, both on and probably more importantly, off the field.

– Jacques Kallis

In 2008, a few days after being selected to coach the Indian cricket team, SA cricketer Gary Kirsten and ‘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.

Paddy is a Head Coach in international T20 cricket, a University Professor, and a mental coach to professional athletes from 10 countries and 11 different sports, including international cricketers, rugby, soccer and hockey players, Olympians, para-Olympians, World Tour golfers and World Tour surfers.

His unique and out-the-box approach to leadership, coaching and performance has seen him described as ‘one of the best coaches’ and ‘the most innovative coach’ in the world.