Sport Law & Strategy Group’s Integral Coaches Supporting a Healthy and Holistic Return to Sport

Published June 23, 2020

Throughout the pandemic, the Sport Law & Strategy Group (SLSG) has been supporting sport organizations in their Return to Sport plans by ensuring they are meeting legal and public health requirements. In response to the growing need to support leaders, coaches and athletes as they Return to Sport, the SLSG’s Integral Coaches are trained and certified to accompany people as they look to navigate some of the complexities associated with re-entry. Return to Sport is not simply a matter of ensuring organizations are meeting public health and safety guidelines. The Return to Sport is also creating heightened levels of anxiety for those negatively impacted by the pandemic. Depending on your personal life experience, your mindset, your role, and your comfort level with the re-entry plans, you might need additional support to work through some of the grief that may have set in as you prepare to re-enter the workforce.

We believe that sport leaders, coaches and athletes will also benefit from a re-entry plan that takes into account their emotional state of readiness.  Our webinar on June 24, 2020 at noon EST will highlight some of these helpful practices and provide sport leaders with a practical tool to guide your psychological re-entry plans.

Throughout COVID-19, our Integral Coaches have been called to serve sport leaders in a variety of ways – by providing a listening ear to an Executive Director who is feeling the grief of having to lay-off staff, to accompanying sport coaches as they look to re-imagine how they can continue to support athletes during this world crisis. Too often, leaders feel isolated as they navigate the complexities of leading in uncertain times while caring for so many. Integral Coaches provide a safe container to explore pain points and design helpful practices that leave clients feeling supported and empowered.

Here is what one sport icon had to say about the impact of Integral Coaching: “I have found the Integral Coaching with Dina Bell-Laroche tremendously helpful and beneficial in my work leading a non-profit organization. There are so many moving parts to leadership and running an organization, and Dina really helped to shed light on those areas that needed direct attention and development, while providing practical wisdom and solutions that could be easily adopted and implemented. I have always welcomed external expertise in both my personal and professional life, and the coaching from Dina has provided both!” shared Olympian and CEO of Spirit North, Beckie Scott.

The SLSG’s Integral Coaches are committed to elevating the consciousness of humanity through our work in sport. We are passionate about making a difference and have honed our skills to offer coaching across several different areas including leadership development, stewarding conflict, grief and loss, personal development, and cultural transformation. Our work reflects years of practice and a shared passion for sport. Beach High Performance Director Ed Drakich shares his experience of being supported by the SLSG’s Integral Coach Lauren Brett: “For more than 20 years, I’ve been leading athletes, coaches and administrators without taking much time to focus on my personal development. Recently, I’ve begun to work with a personal coach from SLSG and it has been a rewarding experience and I’m convinced it is making me a better leader and a better person.”

As leaders prepare to return to play and practice, our need to re-imagine sport will require skills and leadership styles that may need fine-turning or a complete overhaul. The knowledge and skills that got us here, may not be what is needed to thrive in the future. Integral Coaches can provide a framework to help leaders cultivate the required skills, shift mindset, and strengthen emotional intelligence. Clients appreciate the neutral sounding board and the skillful way that SLSG Integral Coaches support their teams.  We skillfully create a safe space for  participants to show up and be seen. We provide a synthesis of what might be keeping clients stuck and support them when they need to take a deeper dive.

The SLSG Integral Coaches are here to support sport leaders who are ready, willing, and able to engage in a single coaching conversation or a more comprehensive coaching program. . All SLSG coaches have studied or are studying to become Master Certified, are certified as credential ICF professional coaches, and have logged over 5,000 coaching hours collectively.

For more information on the kinds of coaching packages available click here or contact Dina Bell-Laroche at DBL@sportlaw.ca.