Coach of the Month - Amber Nyssen
“ I love athletics and I think the most beautiful thing about Multi’s is that it encompasses everything in athletics. It’s cool. It’s community building. It’s the best event in athletics, and no one can tell me otherwise. ”
Meet Amber, a passionate athletics coach and full-time heptathlete. As a multi-eventer, she thrives on the challenge and variety that comes with the sport.
Amber brings that same energy and love for the sport into every coaching session. Congrats on Coach of the Month Amber!
How did you get into coaching?
I started out around 17. I'm 21 now, so I'm quite young and I just loved it. I started out just doing some little bits and pieces and then it got bigger and bigger, and I got fortunate enough to do some state athletes. It is great, as an athlete, to have that rebound of coaching someone and understanding what they need to get the result out of them and then reflecting that onto myself and my own performance and going, okay, that worked for them.
Well, that worked for me and vice versa. The coaching community in athletics is great, everyone encourages you and gives you plenty of ideas for growth and development, and you always get a unique perspective on things. I love teaching people, nothings more exciting than seeing the glee on a kids face when an idea or concept clicks for them . I am the oldest of two younger brothers, and I'm always telling them what to do, so it comes easy for me to teach and explain, especially in something I am very passionate about.
How do you find transitioning from athlete to coach and back to athlete?
It's an interesting one, because there's a few more coaches my age starting to go through the athletics coaching pathway and they stop competing. Whereas I'm like, no way! I love competing. I think going back and forth, it's just interesting to look at the components of how something works for someone. Everyone approaches things differently and then you apply that to yourself, or you apply that to them and sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. There’s a lot of trial and error, but I think that's the beauty of coaching! There's a lot of nicheness and personalisation. I guess I find it quite easy transitioning because I even feel like I coach people while I'm competing because I go, oh, they can do that. If they just did that, they'll get better when they're jumping, even though they are performing 10 centimeters above my personal best.
What would you recommend to any athletes looking to transition into coaching?
“ Do it a hundred percent. You learn a lot and get a lot out of it. It’s fun. I think if you love learning, it’s the greatest place to be and the communities awesome. They’re all supportive and are always willing to have a chat. I haven’t met one coach that hasn’t been helpful or taught me something, so don’t be scared to give it a go!”
What do you love about coaching in athletics?
Being a passionate athlete, I spread that love to my coaching. Throughout my 14 years of being in the athletics community and actively competing I have learnt from many lessons and mental challenges that has grown me into the woman I am today. I want nothing, but to foster safe active spaces and to spread these learnings to our future generations in athletics, especially when it comes to mental health.
While being a very metric-dominant, individualistic sport, athletics has phenomenal community, as it’s a sport of mass diversity and abilities, thus requiring coaches who have this same diversity. Anyone can try athletics and find love in a specific event, which is what I aim to promote and facilitate as a coach. Go Athletics!
I am so grateful to the coaches that have paved a path for me to coach including Ralph Newton, Jane Scotney, Anna Harvey, Jess Williams, and Andrew Iselin. These people have shaped me over the past 4 years of my coaching career.
How to contact me? Where I coach and what I coach?
Best way to contact me is through my phone number (0421 874 352) OR email address (anyssen@dncs.com.au). I primarily coach in inner-city Brisbane both North and South side, main locations including Windsor Park, Nudgee College, Springwood Track & QSAC. I typically coach around my own training so am happy to work around my athletes if they are willing to work around me. Since I am a multi-eventer, I am knowledgeable in majority of athletics events including (High Jump (scissors/flop), Long/Triple Jump, Shot Put, Discus, Javelin, Sprints, short & long Hurdles, middle distance and obviously multis). I am currently halfway through my Level 3 Sprints & Hurdles course with AA but have a Level 2 AA Certification.