How Self-Awareness Elevates Student-Athletes and Coaches

In sports, physical training is a top priority. However, mental preparation is gaining importance. Yet, one competitive edge remains undervalued by most teams and athletes: self-awareness.

At Battle Tested™ by EDGE™, Blake Williams and Dan Freschi emphasize that the most effective athletes and coaches aren’t just skilled or strategic. They’re self-aware. They understand their identity, how they are wired, and how these traits impact those around them.

That’s where Athlete Assessments, specifically AthleteDISC and CoachDISC, come in.

These transformative tools enable student-athletes and coaches to grasp their behavioral style, communication tendencies, and motivation drivers. Ultimately, this understanding helps elevate relationships, performance, and leadership.

When you truly know yourself, you don’t just compete; you connect. You lead. You influence. You become battle-tested.

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Sports

In addition to self-awareness, emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in sports. This ability to recognize and manage one’s emotions, as well as the emotions of others, can significantly impact a team's success.

When athletes and coaches possess emotional intelligence, they can navigate high-pressure situations more effectively. This leads to improved decision-making, better teamwork, and enhanced performance overall.

How Self-Awareness Enhances Emotional Intelligence

Self-awareness is a cornerstone of emotional intelligence. By recognizing their feelings, athletes can understand their reactions and how these affect their performance. Likewise, coaches who are self-aware can respond to players’ needs, fostering a supportive environment.

What Is AthleteDISC?

AthleteDISC is a sports-specific behavioral assessment based on the DISC model. It is used worldwide in performance coaching, leadership, and team development. This assessment identifies how an athlete behaves under pressure, during competition, and in team settings.

The four primary behavioral styles in this model are:

• D – Dominant: Direct, competitive, and action-oriented

• I – Influential: Enthusiastic, expressive, and people-focused

• S – Steady: Calm, loyal, and dependable

• C – Conscientious: Precise, analytical, and detail-driven

  
  

How AthleteDISC Helps Athletes

AthleteDISC provides numerous benefits, including:

• Understanding their natural and adapted styles.

• Improving communication with teammates and coaches.

• Building better team chemistry.

• Handling feedback more productively.

• Stepping into leadership roles aligned with their strengths.

  
  

When paired with tools like the Student-Athlete Leadership Assessment (SALA), AthleteDISC offers a deeper layer of self-awareness. Together, they address two crucial questions:

• Who am I as a leader?

• How do I naturally show up on a team?

  
  

Why Self-Awareness Wins

In sports, the gap between good and great often lies in mental preparedness.

Self-aware athletes:

• ✅ Respond to pressure instead of reacting emotionally.

• ✅ Connect effectively with various types of teammates.

• ✅ Leverage their strengths while adapting to blind spots.

• ✅ Seek feedback without defensiveness.

• ✅ Lead authentically rather than forcefully.

  
  

The truth is: You can’t lead others until you can lead yourself. AthleteDISC provides athletes with the roadmap to achieve this.

How Each Style Impacts the Team

Understanding each DISC style helps student-athletes recognize their effect on the team. Here’s a breakdown of how these styles manifest:

🔴 D – The Driver

• Strengths: Intense, competitive, goal-driven

• Impact: Pushes teammates to compete; sets the tempo.

• Growth Area: May appear impatient or controlling.

• Coach Tip: Help D-style athletes channel intensity into influence, not intimidation.

  
  

🟡 I – The Energizer

• Strengths: Enthusiastic, encouraging, expressive

• Impact: Elevates team morale and builds social cohesion.

• Growth Area: Can become distracted or avoid conflict.

• Coach Tip: Encourage structure and consistency for I-style players.

  
  

🟢 S – The Glue

• Strengths: Steady, supportive, loyal

• Impact: Provides calm under pressure; a dependable teammate.

• Growth Area: May resist change or avoid difficult conversations.

• Coach Tip: Encourage S-style athletes to speak up and trust their voice.

  
  

🔵 C – The Technician

• Strengths: Analytical, detail-focused, strategic

• Impact: Enhances execution and preparation.

• Growth Area: Can overthink or hesitate under pressure.

• Coach Tip: Affirm their need for preparation, but stimulate decisiveness in high-pressure moments.

  
  

The CoachDISC Advantage

Just as athletes benefit from self-awareness, coaches do too. CoachDISC sheds light on a coach’s leadership and communication style, clarifying its impact on players with different DISC profiles.

Why This Matters

• D coaches may drive for results but must cultivate patience with S or C athletes.

• I coaches can inspire but need to be direct when holding D athletes accountable.

• S coaches offer calm and support but should encourage I athletes to stay focused.

• C coaches maintain discipline but must avoid over-managing energetic D or I styles.

  
  

By adapting their communication style, coaches can increase trust, reduce stress, and enhance performance.

Athlete + Coach Synergy: Better Together

The synergy between athletes and coaches flourishes when both understand their DISC styles and commit to leveraging them for team success.

Example 1: The Mismatched Pair

A D-style coach yells, “Just fix it!” A C-style athlete needs specific details, not emotion. Without DISC, this moment breeds tension. With DISC, the coach can pause and say, “Let’s walk through what’s off, step by step.” This adjustment builds trust.

Example 2: The Silent Struggler

An S-style athlete struggles but remains silent. An I-style coach assumes all is well. With DISC, the coach understands the need for a gentle check-in. This encourages the athlete to open up, leading to improved performance.

Self-awareness isn’t just soft skill development; it’s strategic. It transforms talent into trust and teams into units that fight for each other.

Using AthleteDISC with the SALA

When combined with the Student-Athlete Leadership Assessment (SALA), AthleteDISC gives athletes a clearer view of their leadership potential.

SALA identifies roles on the team (e.g., Workhorse, Sherpa, Bench Coach), while AthleteDISC reveals style and behavioral tendencies.

Together, They Help Answer:

• 👉 How do I best influence this team?

• 👉 How can I adapt to better serve my teammates?

• 👉 What kind of leader am I becoming?

  
  

Start With You: 3 Questions Every Athlete Should Ask

1. How do I naturally respond to pressure?

2. What’s it like to be on the receiving end of me?

3. How can I adapt to help the team win in and out of my sport?

   
   

When athletes answer these questions honestly, and coaches learn to lead them accordingly, everything changes.

Final Whistle: Know Yourself. Know Your Impact.

Great athletes aren’t just physically gifted. They’re aware of their strengths, honest about their tendencies, and comprehend how their behavior affects others.

That’s the core philosophy behind Battle Tested by EDGE.

Whether you’re a D-style firebrand, an S-style supporter, a rising Rookie, or a reliable Bench Coach, knowing who you are is critical.

Know yourself. Know your impact. Then go lead, uncommonly.

Take the Next Step

Do you want to understand how you’re wired to lead, compete, and communicate? Take the AthleteDISC or CoachDISC assessment today. Elevate your self-awareness and that of your team.