Personalized and Athlete-Centred Coaching: A Holistic Approach to Modern Sport

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In high-performance sport, coaching has long been driven by structure, outcomes, and short-term gains. Yet emerging research—and the voices of athletes themselves—remind us that these traditional models often miss something critical: the person behind the player. Personalized and athlete-centred coaching represents a shift toward deeper engagement, stronger identity development, and more sustainable performance outcomes.

This approach is grounded in Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), which outlines three key psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. When coaches create environments that meet these needs, athletes don’t just comply—they commit. Personalized coaching doesn’t lower standards; it raises the bar by aligning motivation with meaning.

Coaching the Individual: More Than a Position or Statistic

Jonny McMurtry’s (2022) research into personal strivings among elite U20 rugby players revealed a compelling truth: athletes are often motivated by more than just selection or victory. Many seek personal growth, connection, or the opportunity to be part of something bigger. Yet in traditional systems, these drivers can go unnoticed—eclipsed by a focus on metrics and compliance.

Using tools like Emmons’ Personal Strivings Assessment (1986) allows coaches to uncover these deeper motivations. Supporting an athlete’s striving to “be a better teammate” or “lead with integrity” may yield just as much on-field performance as technical drills—while also building a foundation for long-term resilience.

Voice, Choice, and Challenge: Unlocking Sustainable Motivation

The next evolution of athlete-centred coaching is creating space for athlete voice. When players feel like contributors, not just participants, their investment deepens. In McMurtry’s findings, academy athletes voiced non-performance-related goals when given the opportunity, indicating untapped motivational layers.

Real-world examples support this shift. Michael Cheika, coaching Argentina, emphasized shared leadership and decision-making—not to soften expectations, but to harden commitment. Co-created goals, athlete-led routines, and reflective practices all support autonomy and build psychological safety. And when athletes feel safe, they take risks, learn, and grow.

Purpose Over Pressure: Supporting Athlete Identity and Growth

Elite athletes, especially those aged 18–20, are navigating a complex developmental period. Over-identification with sport—known as identity foreclosure—can increase vulnerability to mental health struggles and burnout. Purpose-driven coaching counters this risk by supporting identity beyond sport.

McMurtry’s study and the work of Côté (2009) in the Developmental Model of Sport Participation show that strivings like “developing resilience” or “being a role model” support long-term athlete well-being. By incorporating narrative reflection, life-goal mapping, and consistent 1:1 check-ins, coaches can help athletes integrate their sport into a broader, healthier sense of self.

The stories of players like AFL’s Jack Watts and NRL’s Latrell Mitchell highlight the cost of ignoring identity. When coaches prioritize only performance, players may struggle to adapt when adversity strikes. But when coaching supports the whole person, setbacks become opportunities for learning, not crises of self-worth.

The Competitive Advantage of Coaching with Care

Personalized and athlete-centered coaching is not a soft option—it’s a strategic one. It builds the foundation for lasting motivation, deeper engagement, and stronger team culture. In a sports world facing rising rates of dropout and mental health challenges, the choice is clear: coach the person first, and performance will follow.

Reflection for Coaches:

  • Are your systems flexible enough to reflect individual athlete needs?

  • How do you actively seek your athletes’ voice, feedback, and input?

  • What goals are your athletes striving for beyond performance?

  • How does your coaching support identity, not just ability?

Athlete-centred coaching is more than a trend—it’s a return to what great coaching has always been about: connection, purpose, and growth. Let’s keep shifting the lens from pressure to purpose.