
Developing character through coaching
10 October 2025Do you aspire to help young people develop character through coaching and sport?
‘Developing character through coaching’ is an online short course designed to help coaches intentionally develop character through their coaching practice.
Coaches play a vital role in shaping the character of their athletes and participants, helping them build qualities such as resilience, respect, integrity and friendship. While sport naturally presents opportunities for personal growth, these lessons are most impactful when coaches intentionally foster them.
By prioritising character development, coaches can create positive cultures and prepare participants for success in and beyond sport. Ultimately, coaching character is about developing not just better athletes, but better people.
Course ambitions
This course aims to:
- Help coaches understand what character is and why it matters.
- Support coaches to identify which character qualities are most relevant in their own coaching context.
- Enable coaches to develop, adapt and reflect on practical strategies for explicit character development.
Who is this for?
This course is relevant for coaches at all levels, across all sports and domains. Whether you coach children, youth or adults, the course uses your own context to guide what is relevant and appropriate.
We welcome and encourage a diverse group of coaches, as different perspectives and experiences create a rich and productive learning environment.
Course structure
- Duration: 3 months
- Format: 6 x 90-minute sessions, held every two weeks
- Day / Time: Thursday 12.00pm – 1.30pm or 6:00pm – 7:30pm
- Dates: 29 January, 12 February, 26 February, 12 March, 26 March, 9 April
Session dates can be negotiated with the group to navigate commitments.
What to expect
- Engaging discussions, inquiry-driven learning and reflective exercises during sessions.
- A collaborative atmosphere where coaches are encouraged to share experiences and learn from one another.
Learner expectation
- Learners will do their very best to commit to attending the full course.
- In between sessions, learners will practically apply and experiment with what they have learnt in practice.
- Open minded and willing to explore different ways of doing things.
Cost
The course is £50 per person.
Swim England