IDPs That Drive Development: From Paper to Practice (Short Course)

Now available to buy & keep OnDemand

Graham Mills came to widespread attention when working at Southampton's famous Academy.

While the rest of academy football was grabbling with their work around individual player development, Graham was developing a unique player-centred process to improve the individual in academy environments - publicly seen through his development of FIFA-based Individual Development Plans.

This short course, which comprises of three On-Demand lessons and one Live Workshop with Graham and Ray, will allow the learner to explore all aspects of individual development in football coaching.

THE COURSE

This course explores how coaches can move beyond generic development frameworks to create truly individualised and responsive approaches to player development.

Achieving this requires embracing complexity, resisting rigid constraints, and connecting in ways that lead to meaningful development. Coaches will learn to design supportive yet appropriately challenging environments and flexible programmes tailored to each player's unique needs.

Course Reading - Upon Registration

Lesson 1 - The Player - OnDemand Lesson

Learning Outcome: Understanding the individual is the foundation of effective coaching. This session focuses on how to develop a comprehensive, holistic profile of each player—considering their biography, personality, motivations, and learning preferences. Coaches are encouraged to adopt a responsive, player-centred approach that supports autonomy, self-expression, and individual growth. The aim is to meet each player where they are, recognising that development is personal, dynamic, and non-linear.

Lesson 2 - The Environment - OnDemand Lesson

Learning Outcome: Individual development thrives in the right environment. This session examines how to co-create shared behavioural expectations, foster psychological safety, and enable open, three-way communication between coach, player, and parent. Coaches will explore how to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to build age- and stage-appropriate settings that prioritise long-term development over short-term outcomes. Grounded in ecological dynamics and athlete-centred principles, this approach ensures that each environment supports learning, resilience, and personal growth.

Lesson 3 - The Programme  - OnDemand Lesson

Learning Outcome: Effective development programmes are dynamic, not prescriptive. This session focuses on designing flexible, adaptive programmes centred on the evolving needs of each player. Coaches will learn to embed Individual Development Plans (IDPs) into training design, goal-setting, and feedback processes. Learning is embraced as a non-linear journey, where the IDP drives the programme and the player actively co-constructs their path. This approach promotes creativity, ownership, and deep engagement, moving away from passive, transactional models toward truly transformational development where the player is the syllabus and the foundation of the coaching approach.

Lesson 4 - Q&A with Ray Power & Graham Mills - OnDemand Lesson