Performnz IQ

🎙️ BUILT DIFFERENT | JAYDEN KEELAN

NZ Sevens athlete Jayden Keelan joins us to share the realities of life in professional Sevens — from unexpected opportunities and injury setbacks to the discipline, resilience and mindset required to perform at the highest level.

We talk training, pressure, professionalism and the importance of having an identity beyond rugby through family, study, surfing and life outside the game.

A great insight into the person behind the athlete as Jayden prepares to head to Europe for the Ultimate Sevens.

We often talk about leadership in sport through performance, standards and what happens under pressure.

But sometimes the strongest examples of leadership happen away from the field and outside the spotlight.

Ardie Savea taking the time to refresh his mind, body and spirit after nearly 20 months of non-stop footy says a lot about the person behind the player.

What stood out most was this:

“Before I’m the leader of the All Blacks, I’m the leader of my family.”

Being present as a husband. Being a dad. Doing the school runs. Staying grounded in the things that matter beyond rugby.

For me, that doesn’t take away from his commitment to the jersey — it strengthens it.

Young athletes need to see examples like this.

You can be fiercely ambitious and deeply committed to your craft, while still protecting your wellbeing, prioritising your family and remembering who you are beyond the game.

Leadership beyond the jersey.

Putting in the work before Europe. ⚡️

Another quality session with Jayden Keelan as he builds towards the .sevens - four tournaments, four European cities and some of the best Sevens players in the world.

Today was about sharpening the details. Acceleration, mechanics, agility, deceleration and curvilinear speed.

At this level, it’s often the small things done consistently that make the difference.

Keep building, 👊🏽

We live in a world where young people have more access to information than ever before.

But information isn’t the same as guidance.

Algorithms can capture attention.

AI can answer questions.

Social media can shape opinions.

None of them can replace a trusted relationship.

Parents and teachers are doing everything they can, but raising young people has never been a job for one person alone.

That’s why sport has such an important role to play.

Every training, every game, every conversation is an opportunity to influence a young person’s confidence, character and direction in life.

Sport is the vehicle.

Mentoring is the bridge.

If we want the next generation to become resilient, confident and capable adults, we need more people willing to invest in them.

What role do you think sport should play in shaping the next generation?

This is more than a programme. It’s the beginning of a movement.

Join a community of people committed to raising the standard of mentoring in sport through world-class training, practical systems and innovative technology.

The Sports Mentor Collective starts October 2026.

Two days. Countless reps. Lifelong lessons.

An awesome couple of days in Pāpāmoa working with an outstanding group of young athletes, building the foundations that create faster, more confident movers.

Across the programme we covered:
• Speed Fundamentals
• Acceleration
• Deceleration
• Plyometrics
• Change of Direction
• Fun Agility Games

Every sprint, every drill, and every challenge was an opportunity to learn, improve, and grow. The energy, effort, and willingness to embrace the process made these two days something special.

A huge thank you to everyone who brought the attitude and work ethic. Keep trusting the process—the gains come from consistently doing the little things well.

First session with Regan Ware, and it was awesome to put him and Jayds through their paces. 👊

A quality morning focused on speed fundamentals and sevens-specific movement that transfers directly to the field. Great energy, plenty of intent, and good people to work with.

Looking forward to running it back.

Great tennis starts long before the racket meets the ball.

Over two days we worked with 68 athletes, building the movement skills that underpin performance—speed, footwork, agility, explosiveness, coordination, and reaction time.

Every drill was designed with one goal in mind: helping athletes transfer these skills directly onto the court.

A huge thank you to everyone who brought the energy and embraced the challenge. 🎾

Performance isn’t built by chance.

It’s built through intentional training.

Yesterday I had the chance to catch up with Colin Doreen before he heads back to the United States to continue his American Football journey. Every part of this session had a purpose—from developing explosive power, to resisted speed work, movement efficiency and footwork under fatigue.

The goal isn’t to make training look hard.

The goal is to develop qualities that transfer to performance when it matters most.

Colin’s commitment to continually investing in his development is a big reason why his journey continues to move forward.

Safe travels back to the States, brother. Wishing you all the best for the season ahead. Keep chasing it. 👊🏽🇺🇸