Coach Certification Stories – Jarkko Hyytiä Unleashes Athletes’ Full Potential

Based in Finland, and with almost fifteen years of experience in coaching, Jarkko has had the privilege of working with a diverse field of athletes to help them achieve peak performance in their respective sports.

What made you apply to the Hintsa coach certification programme? 

“I was lucky to find out about the Hintsa coaching certificate program through a friend who has been working for Hintsa for many years. I applied to the program because I needed something to help me interact and connect with the human first and then with the athlete. I was also looking for support for my values as a coach and new perspectives, which were not tied to a specific sport.”

You graduated from the programme recently. How have you utilized the learnings from the programme?  What were your biggest learnings?  What was most relevant for you? 

“The biggest take away for me from the program must be the way I communicate with my athletes today. The program made me realise the importance of the human behind the specific athletic performance, and that understanding really shaped my approach towards the athlete: what do I ask first, how do I create time to listen etc. The list could go on forever. Through these improved communication skills, I feel like I’ve got a much bigger toolkit to help and support the athlete on the journey than before.”

Was there anything that surprised you in the certification programme? 

“I thought I knew what I had signed up for, but the thing that really hit me after the first weeks of the self-study phase was the depth and “the wide screen view” of the knowledge inside the program. Every area of the Circle of Better Life was well covered from different angles, and it truly supported my learning along the way. I also need to add that I was very impressed by the quality of the teachers and their knowledge which really inspired me in various parts of the programme.”

How is this programme impacting your coaching in practice? 

“First and foremost, the programme impacted the way I see myself as a person but also as a coach, both in a good way. Enhanced understanding of myself has unlocked some key features in me as a coach and now I approach the athlete in a different way than I used to. Now, I’m extra curious to learn how the person is feeling first and what’s going on in their life before we even start to talk about sports. This change has been really inspiring and lucrative for me as a coach and I’m sure it is for the athletes as well.  

I’ve always been very interested in the psychology side of performance and the Hintsa coaching certificate program boosted this side of me to a whole new level. With the help of the teachers in the program I was able to tie my own experiences and the new learnings inside performance psychology together. This combination has given me various new tools and styles to support the athlete on their way to better performance.”

Would you recommend this programme – and to whom? 

“I would recommend this program to anyone who is working with high performers. The wide range view that the program has on coaching will certainly give you new insights and deepen your knowledge even though you already have years of experience in coaching. The family-like atmosphere that the teachers are able to create also boosts the communication and learning from people who work with the same topics but in different areas of the world.  

My background is in ice hockey, and I would specifically recommend this program to all the coaches working in team sports. The importance of communication skills and social interaction inside the group can never be underestimated. The Hintsa coaching certificate program would truly benefit coaches working in that context by increasing the awareness and widening their toolkit to support the individuals inside the group.”

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Do you want to learn the skills to coach at the highest level of business and sports?  Read more about Hintsa’s Coach Certification programme and apply now!