Coach Developer Profile

Joan Yuliani

Joan Yuliani wears many hats—a netball player, an international official, a coach, and a coach developer. These roles reflect her deep passion and love for netball.

With over 20 years of coaching experience, she works with Singapore’s sports governing body, Sport Singapore, focusing on coaching development within CoachSG. In her free time, she volunteers with Netball Singapore as a coach developer. She feels blessed to be able to do what she loves.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE CD ROLE?

I got into the CD role by accident! I came across a course for coaching course presenters and decided to give it a try. I gained as much experience as I could, and eventually, my association, Netball Singapore, nominated me for an ICCE course. It’s been an incredible experience so far!

CD PHILOSOPHY

My philosophy is to always be open to challenges and to being challenged.

I love creating and being part of the process, as it fosters growth opportunities. I’m constantly asking, ‘Is there a way to do this better?’ and responding with, ‘Yeah, let’s talk about it!’ or ‘I bet we can learn more if we try it this way.’ I really enjoy this kind of engagement, where we push ourselves to improve.

BEST PARTS ABOUT THE ROLE

I love meeting people and hearing their stories about why they’re passionate about sport. Everyone’s personal experiences offer so much to learn from, and it really fuels my own passion for what I do.

SUPPORT FOR COACHES

My support for coaches operates on a couple of layers.

First, I work with my national sports association to organize workshops aimed at further developing coaches’ skills.

On another layer, I support a group of coaches who are learning to become Coach Developers (CDs). I help them develop their skills in facilitation and coaching conversations. I’m currently supporting their overseas learning journey – mainly for them to hear other perspectives, to explore and to come back refreshed and inspired. I often use the word ‘stretch’ to describe my approach, where I nudge them to engage in cross-sport sharing and workshops to further develop their presentation skills and being comfortable engaging with different people.

My goal is to help them provide an all-round experience that helps being a Coach Developer and provide platforms for them to share their experiences. These coaches have so much to offer, but often not enough opportunities to do so.

IF YOU HAD MORE RESOURCES

If I had more resources, I’d probably take a step back to assess the broader needs of coaches and coach developers. I’d spend more time on the ground, really understanding their development needs, and then create something specifically tailored for them.

DO YOU WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER CDS?

I often do! Whether it’s within the same sport or across different ones, I think it’s valuable to have a sounding board with someone from another sport. Hearing about their experiences, challenges, and learnings is incredibly insightful.

Nothing beats getting advice from peers as well. I often reach out to them, and they do the same with me. Sometimes, I invite them to my workshops and courses to hear their feedback on what I can do better, and I make time to do the same for them.

Over time, we’ve built a supportive network of like-minded individuals who are deeply passionate about sports, and I find that to be a huge relief.

HIGHLIGHTS AND CHALLENGES

I’m always on the lookout for people who are eager to be stretched and get involved in facilitating and learning. When I see the coaches I support speaking the same language— with the same vigor and passion—as they pass it on to other coaches, I’m incredibly proud of them. They start talking about how rewarding it is to be part of a beginner coach’s journey, mentoring others, and seeing those coaches get excited and eager to learn more.

That’s where the value truly multiplies. Coach Developers (CDs) are multipliers. What we advocate, our values, and the hours we put in all multiply across so many others.

DO YOU HAVE A MENTOR?

I don’t have a mentor, though I wish I did. However, we do have a strong support network. We help each other by offering advice, providing a listening ear, sharing new perspectives, and being there as friends to grab drinks with or bounce ideas off of. .