Created by legendary quarterback Tom Brady and co-founder Alex Guerrero TB12 is a natural and holistic system that combines pliability, nutrition, hydration, resistance band strength training, and cognitive health to prepare anyone; weekend warrior or elite athlete, young or old to achieve sustained peak performance.
The TB12 Sports Therapy Center based out in Foxboro, MA. is the home of the first generation of TB12 Body Coaches who were recruited and trained by Alex Guerrero over the last 5 years to bring the TB12 Method to a wider market. Such is the demand for access to TB12 Body Coaches that TB12 prioritised the development of a Body Coach Certification Course.
Working alongside Program Director Brian Batchelder and with senior Body Coaches Dave Merson and Kris Thomson as the core development team, I have been honored to act as a performance coaching/ education consultant to TB12 over the last year.
Underscored by educational best practice from sports performance coaching and the clinical world, a logical, informed and measured approach was adopted for the design and development work. We:
Conducted a functional analysis of the role of the Body Coach to clearly identify what the Body Coach needs to know and do in order to be highly effective
Layered learning outcomes onto a modularised educational framework
Adopted a blended approach mixing on-line learning with in-person workshops and self-directed study
Created high quality Body Coach learning resources and assessment tools
Designed detailed course delivery guidance to inform the teaching and learning processes
Trained a team of Body Coach Developers to lead the delivery of the in-person course and provide mentoring during the Residency Program
Piloted the inaugural program with 5 new Body Coaches including two women.
The Body Coach Certification program is now in place having successfully trained and certified the first cohort of 5 new and high effective Body Coaches. Brian Bachelder believes:
'...we have created a unique and resourceful course and we at TB12 are very much indebted to you [Sarah]. Your knowledge and passion helped created a course we can all be proud of'.
Many thanks to Tom Brady, Alex Guerrero, and Jeff Surrette for the opportunity to bring sports performance coach development into a clinical context. This was perhaps the most intriguing, challenging and complex performance coach education project I have ever worked on #lovedeveryminute
The following images offer some insight into the design and delivery process:
The Body Coach Certificate design and development team, Kris Thomson, Dave Merson and Brian Bachelder.
Significant footage of the Body Coaching process was captured during the design and development of the program to inform the on-line learning course.
The TB12 Sports Therapy Center was closed for three days to enable the original team of Body Coaches to become trained as Body Coach Developers
Mirroring current best practice in sports performance coach development the Body Coach Developer training was engaging and dynamic.
The Body Coach Developer Course challenged learners to facilitate elements of the new course to peers acting as Body Coaches and thinking like Body Coach Developers
The Body Coach Certification Course focused on high quality learning. It emphasised peer-led group learning in the classroom and practical environment. It integrated micro-coaching in both the treatment room and on the turf to enable learners to transition theory into practice during simulated sessions with peers acting as clients. It prioritised reflection in and on practice. The final phase of the program saw Body Coaches complete a Body Coach Profiling exercise designed to inform the focus of the Residency Program and enable them to successfully complete the TB12 Body Coach Certification Program.
They did it! The first 5 alongside Alex Guerrero (right of centre), Program Director Brian Bachelder (extreme right) and myself (extreme left).
