Understanding the Individual

Knowing who they are as a person, participant and performer enables you as their coach to see the whole person and meet their personal needs.  

When we understand the person and not the ‘persona’ presented, we are able to fully meet their needs and provide meaningful support and challenge. An individual’s experiences, journey and unique milestone events all help to shape how they see and interact with the world.

When we listen, notice and respond appropriately we can support and empower the individual to become the best version of themselves.

As a person we are effectively comprised of three key components, which are always connected and together encompass the important areas of our being. Termed Bio-Psycho-Social, this model of the individual demonstrates that for a person to thrive, their needs in all three areas must be met. 

Prioritise holistic development and support to improve personal, emotional, well-being and social skills, as well as physical capacity and competence.

This can be summarised as: Ask, Listen and Support!

Often thought of as a priority for children and young people as they progress through maturation into adulthood, in a much wider sense, someone’s stage of development includes their experience and knowledge of the sport and physical activity. 

Explore and understand how growth and maturation impacts on the development of an individual. Build an awareness of the social, emotional, cognitive as well as the physical dimensions to development to help the participant and their family navigate the journey.  

As the body changes and adapts over time, so does the individual’s developmental needs.

Whilst everyone goes through the same stages of maturation, when, how long for and the rate of development vary greatly.

Creating a connection with your participants helps them to feel valued, wanted and more than a ‘number’. It also creates an opportunity for connection and conversation as you seek to understand:

• their reasons for attending your sessions
• their individual journey
• their goals.

You can then support them to achieve this through your coaching practice, coaching approach and the environment you create. When these are all ‘in play’ together, you create an opportunity for the person to thrive.

Coaching the whole person requires an investment in the person, participant and performer to meet their emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, skill development and performance needs and to maximise their experiences.