Athlete Individualisation: Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to Capture Elite Coaches Shared Mental Models in Paralympic Sport

Shared Mental Models (SMM), are critical for optimising performance in sports, particularly within team contexts where they enhance coaches decision-making. While research has explored SMMs among team sport, there is a notable gap within coaching and individual sports. Addressing this gap, this study applies a unique and innovative design to examine how coaches tailor SMMs to individual athletes, with a specific focus on Paralympic sport. Using the sport of canoeing as a case study, this research captures the integration of knowledge to align a multi-disciplinary team around individualised athlete SMMs. Utilising Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), methodology, the study provides a unique insight from the ‘lived experience’ of Paralympic Coaches (n=3), working within a World Class Programme, providing original insights into athlete preparation. Findings suggest that individualised SMMs, tailored to the athlete, task and setting, are essential for effective performance in Paralympic environments and offer five applied implications for coaching.