ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we posit that an athlete-centred approach to the design and delivery of sport programs for youth is well-suited to the promotion of thriving for both athletes and their coaches. Thriving is an active process of observable growth along an upward developmental trajectory towards fulfilling one’s potential (Benson & Scales, 2009). Drawing upon developmental systems theories, thriving refers to “dynamic and purposeful process of individual-context interactions over time, through which the person and his/her environment are mutually enhanced” (Bundick, Yeager, King, & Damon, 2010, p. 891). Inherent to thriving is the ability to adapt to adversity and challenge and to embrace these; sport provides unique opportunities for such experiences. The nurturing of thriving is, we propose, consistent with the tenets of an athlete-centred model. While the benefits of an athlete-centred coaching approach for athletes have been documented previously, this chapter will make a novel contribution to the existing literature by highlighting the ways in which an athlete-centred approach may enhance thriving amongst coaches. In summary, in this chapter we will describe the construct of thriving and ways of actualising an athlete-centred approach in order to enhance thriving amongst sport participants and their coaches.
