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Understanding the Individual

This is one of nine themes that comprise the Coach Learning Framework.

Understanding Individuals

Coaching is a people business, an interaction between individuals to help them progress, grow and develop. To maximise your coaching and skills, you first need to know the individuals within your sessions

Read our guide to understanding individuals

Know Who They Are

We Must Understand the People We Coach

Enjoy insights from UK Coaching's Esther Jones about how she applies a person-centred approach to her coaching

EXPERT OPINION

Be a Coach of People, Not Sports

Discover the value of being a person-centred coach, with the help of some of England’s finest

EXPERT OPINION

Five Ways to Develop 'The Art of Noticing'

Providing great coaching requires coaches to effectively observe and notice people’s actions, behaviours and emotion. Explore this further

TIPS

Principles of Great Coaching: Introduction

Explore the PEOPLE acronym and the six Principles of Great Coaching in the first of a seven-part series

VIDEO

Person-Centred Coaching - Understanding

Discover the importance of understanding the needs and motivations of the people you coach

WEBINAR

Putting people First When You Coach

Take a closer look at coaching personas and the key motivations behind why people coach

EXPERT OPINION

The Importance of Friendship Groups in Sport

Find out how to use the social side of sport to encourage people to engage and participate

EXPERT OPINION

Stacey Copeland: My Amazing Coaches Filled Me with Self-Belief

Sporting all-rounder Stacey Copeland explains that coaches have had a monumental impact on her life

STORY

Understand Stages of Development

Growth, Maturation and Development: Implications for Coaches

Professor Kevin Till shares his insight and experience on growth, maturation and development in the first of three resources

GUIDE

Growth, Maturation and Development: Same Age, Big Differences!

Professor Kevin Till shares insight to support your athletes through their stages of development in the second of three resources

GUIDE

Growth, Maturation and Development: Implications for Your Practice

Professor Kevin Till identifies how you can apply your knowledge to your coaching practice in the third of three resources

GUIDE

Male and Female Youth Physical Development Model

Explore this contemporary model, based on evidence that shows that youth participants are responsive to training throughout childhood and adolescence

INFOGRAPHIC

Talent In Five: Relative Age Effect

Enjoy an explanation of the Relative Age Effect (RAE) and how it can have an impact on a person's development

VIDEO

Talking Talent: Relative Age Effect (Dr Jean Cote)

Watch Dr Jean Cote of Queen's University, Ontario, talk about the relative age effect in sport and the interplay of social effects

VIDEO

Implications of Relative Age Effect on Performance, Participation and Development

Raise your awareness of the impact of Relative Age Effect

TIPS

The Relative Age Effect

Learn more about the Relative Age Effect in this podcast with David Turner

PODCAST

Growth and Maturation in Talent Development

Learn about the effect that uneven growth and development has on young athletes with Professor Kevin Till

VIDEO

Coaching the Person

Coaching the Person in Front of You

Find out more about this evolving concept in our sector and our workshop based on it

EXPERT OPINION

Coaching the Person in Front of You: The Key to Helping Your Participants Thrive

Discover how you can help your participants flourish

GUIDE

Person-Centred Coaching - Understanding

Discover the importance of understanding the needs and motivations of the people you coach

WEBINAR

Be a Coach of People, Not Sports

Discover the value of being a person-centred coach, with the help of some of England’s finest

EXPERT OPINION

We Must Understand the People We Coach

Enjoy insights from UK Coaching's Esther Jones about how she applies a person-centred approach to her coaching

EXPERT OPINION

Principles of Great Coaching: Person Centred

Enjoy insights from Swimming Coach Helen Holmes, Inclusive Programme Manager at Bradford Council Karla Burton and Professor of Psychology at Loughborough University Sophia Jowett on person centred coaching

PODCAST

Principles of Great Coaching: Person Centred

Enjoy an opportunity to reflect on your experiences and ask yourself key questions about person-centred coaching, a crucial step in prioritising the individual and maximising the positive impact of your sessions

EXPERT OPINION

Principles of Great Coaching: Person Centred

Explore the importance of developing relationships with participants to unlock the potential to deliver a person-centred experience

VIDEO

Southgate: The People’s Coach?

Learn from England men’s football team Manager Gareth Southgate as he discusses coaching people on a human level

EXPERT OPINION

Self-Compassion Strategies for Coaching

Discover the theory behind self-compassion and practical strategies to use to maximise an individual's potential

GUIDE

Creating A Supportive and Challenging Environment

How to Create a Positive Coaching Environment

Learn from Professor Joan Duda from the University of Birmingham's discussion the importance of a positive coaching environment

WEBINAR

Curious Coaches' Club: Creating an Athlete-centred Environment

Learn from elite coach Mel Marshall as she considers how to develop an empowering environment that fosters greatness

WEBINAR

Building Resilience Through Healthy Stretch

Discover a useful analogy from Rene Barrett that can be employed as a framework on your journey to becoming a more emotionally agile person and coach

GUIDE

Developing People’s Resilience in Your Session

Discover more about resilience and why it is important and enjoy some useful and effective resilience-building tips

TIPS

How to Create an Inclusive Environment

Explore our guide to being an inclusive coach to ensure everyone has a positive experience of sport and physical activity

GUIDE

Motivation

Understanding People and Their Motivations

Explore an infographic depicting the importance of understanding the motivations of the people you coach

INFOGRAPHIC

Understanding How a Person-Centred Approach Boosts Motivation

Find out how an individualised, person-centred approach is key in understanding and building on clients' motivations

GUIDE

Strategies for Motivating Young People in Sport

Benefit from evidence-based advice on meeting young people's main motivations for getting involved in sport

TIPS

Understanding the Impact of Goals on Motivation

Enjoy insight into ego goals and mastery goals. Ego goals can fail to motivate if the people who hold them think they can’t be achieved

GUIDE

Behaviour Change: Rewarding and Incentivising

Understand how to use behaviour change to encourage long-term changes in active behaviour

TIPS

What Motivates Young People to be Active?

Learn about the fact that young people have different motivations for taking part in sport and physical activity

GUIDE

Behaviour Change: Understanding Motivations

Explore tips to help you understand the motivations of those you coach

GUIDE

Coach Learning Framework

The Coach Learning Framework has been created to help you design memorable and engaging great coaching experiences that meet the needs of all your participants, regardless of your sport or physical activity.

Understanding the Individual is one of nine themes that comprise this insight-based framework.

Continue your journey through the framework to learn more about the other eight themes and the key attributes of high-quality coaching environments, and how you can demonstrate the skills, qualities and behaviours that will empower the people you coach to achieve their personal goals.