I started this program because I want to be able to create my personal philosophy for coaching athletes. Moreover, I believe that it is a great opportunity to meet and share the experiences of other coaches with backgrounds in different sports. During the last months in the MIC learned about the importance of knowing ourselves better in order to be able to coach other people. We now recognise our identity, who we are and what our values are. We understand coaching principles and how to apply them among our athletes.

Another important aspect has been communication. In order to be a successful coach, we have to be able to communicate with our athletes and the people that surround the organization. We have learned different techniques to ensure we convey the correct message to each individual person or athlete. Body language is an important aspect of communication that is also covered in the program. As coaches, we have to be aware of our body language because most of the time one image means more than a thousand words.

The science aspect of the psychology among athletes was also included. We discussed research studies that talk about the total athlete development, including sports psychology tips that enhance performance. We have also been learning about a big topic in athletics: Motivation. We have discovered ways to motivate individual athletes, because individuals have different levels of motivation.

I have been very surprised meeting fifteen different coaches that come from sport backgrounds different to my own. This helped me to learn from different opinions and techniques, and helps me develop as a coach. I am also able to apply these techniques in my sport. Most importantly, I am able to be a better tennis coach with the input and tools that I learned during the MIC program!