The team at HUMANeX Ventures focuses on personal understanding and growth of intangibles and the mental side of sport. Consulting with teams from coast-to-coast, HUMANeX is recognized by ONE Softball as experts in the mental and cultural development aspects of sport, particularly softball.

We all know that a lot goes into communication and instructing as a coach, teacher, or parent. But, how can you ensure your message is being received? Understanding learning styles plays a huge role in whether or not your message gets through.

If we think about developing and growing athletes the right way, a great place to start the conversation focuses on how an individual athlete learns. While this information can be transformational in how coaches reach their athletes, sharing this information directly with the athletes can be even more powerful.

Why is it important for an athlete to know how they learn?

There’s a wealth of information in the world today on how to gain a competitive edge in athletics. While this insight can be helpful, if they are not learning in a way most meaningful to them, they can miss the message.

Essentially, learning styles are the way each person receives, processes, and grasps information. Someone could be present, paying attention, and ready to learn, yet miss much of the lesson if it is delivered in a way that doesn’t align with their learning style.

Here are the three main ways research shows people learn, and strategies for maximizing learning and coaching for each style:

VISUAL: Learn best through pictures and observing

• Take notes of conversations to refer back to later
• Observe behaviors acted out (either live or via video/film)
• Create visuals to display goals, objectives, and dreams
• Post your goals next to your desk, night stand, etc.
• Use charts, graphs, or diagrams to represent data

AUDITORY: Learn best through hearing and speaking

• Let your focus be on listening to instruction rather than vigorously writing notes
• Record the lesson for review later
• Spend time talking to someone about what you learned
• Ask questions
• Request verbal feedback

KINESTHETIC: Learn best through physical experience and practicing activities

• After receiving instruction, practice the motion or skill
• While reading, actively highlight, take notes, or earmark pages
• Engage your body physically during discussion or instruction by:
  • Standing up
  • Walking around
  • Chewing gum

Take time to test and discover how you or your athletes learn best and adopt strategies to maximize learning.

Call to Action:

Everyone should have an idea of how they learn best, even young athletes. Coaches, prepare your athletes to learn and grow in the way that benefits them most. Help them assess their learning styles, and equip them some of the strategies discussed here. You’ll be helping set a foundation which may allow athletes up to be great students of sport and life.

If you’re interested in finding out your Learning Preference, have your athletes take this Sensory Preference Inventory (SPI), a free assessment tool from HUMANeX Ventures, available to ONE Softball readers.