Double loop thinking with Diving Coach Tom Roberts

At the recent Swim England Diving Youth Development camp in London, we took the opportunity to speak to Tom Roberts about his own personal journey to his current position of diving head coach and owner of DuDive Dubai.

The conversation unpacked Tom’s personal experiences to reveal some of his beliefs, values and ways of coaching which have been shaped by his own biography. Here, Tom was kind enough to offer his thoughts.

Originally my background is in gymnastics and high-performance gymnastics – being an athlete in the sport for many years.

I got involved in diving in early 2010, where I started coaching in South Wales, using my gymnastics knowledge to help Welsh diving, initially in dry training and leading into coaching pool side.

I was really enjoying many aspects of working in the diving world and completed several coaching qualifications. I then came over to Dubai on holiday and realised that nobody was doing anything over in the UAE and found an amazing 10 metre venue. I made some phone calls and moved out to Dubai and set up my own diving club out here.

So I went from literally being in a venue in South Wales that was only 5 metres to moving to Dubai and having my own state-of-the-art brand new, never been used, never been touched before 10 metre venue! It gave me the opportunity not only to enhance my coaching but also my business knowledge and acumen…12 years later, here we are!!

I was over at a Youth Development squad camp with one of my athletes and as part of the wider coaching group, and it was a great chance to work alongside, listen and take some learning away.

One of the really intriguing conversations was around not just reflecting on the sessions, but using the double-loop thinking tool to reflect on why we do what we do, and where those viewpoints and beliefs may have come. 

Single and double loop learning thinking tool (adapted from Argyris & Schon)

Having come from competitive gymnastics, although I had many amazing experiences and brilliant relationships with my peers, I felt it was extremely competitive and the environment could be really intense, which didn’t really fit with the type of person I was.

Discipline was tight and at times this took the enjoyment out of the sport. But when I came over to diving there was a great connection within the community and a willingness to share ideas and views around coaching with the intention to provide great experiences for young people. It was fantastic.

So when we used this thinking tool, it prompted me to go beyond the ‘Plan-Do-Review’ process of reflection and provided an opportunity to understand my biography and why I believe there is not one singular way to coach.

Recognising different people will require different approaches so that they can learn, enjoy and continue to progress in diving.

For example, I am really aware of the power dynamics between coaches and athletes and so I am conscious of creating a bandwidth in which young people can explore and be playful in diving, whilst also being safe and respectful of others. I see our work as collaborative as opposed to me enforcing ideas or behaviours.

In the infancy of your coaching, I suppose it is normal to replicate what you have seen or experienced yourself, but this model allows you to challenge those practices.

Even now as an experienced coach, it prompted me to unpick some of my assumptions to enhance my coaching; particularly working abroad where there are not as many diving coaches to bounce ideas off.

I am looking forward to using this thinking tool as one method in continuing in my own development but also with the coaches here at DuDubai, as we seek to understand ourselves a little bit more and refine our coaching so that we can help create wonderful memories for everyone in our diving community.