Active Learning: Why It Sits at the Heart of Collaborate Sports
Founder Daniel Howells introducing the concept of Active Learning to over 60 new mentees at Collaborate Sports — a mentorship community built on reflection, connection, and applied growth.
“Investing in your development isn’t passive — it requires energy.”
Starting with Energy, Not Information
When we welcomed 60 new mentees into Collaborate Sports this month, I wanted to start with a truth that shapes everything we do: real learning isn’t passive.
When I founded Collaborate Sports, my goal wasn’t to build another course or coaching platform. The sports industry doesn’t need more information — it needs more activation.
I’ve spent years in high-performance sport surrounded by brilliant minds and great ideas. Yet the same problem kept surfacing: People were learning more than ever, but changing less than ever.
That realisation became the foundation for Collaborate Sports — a mentorship community built on Active Learning.
From Consumption to Connection
Active Learning is about moving from consumption to connection. It’s about asking better questions, reflecting on experiences, and applying what you know in real environments.
When I spoke to our new mentees, I told them:
“The first thing you’re doing by being here is investing energy into your development. That’s not passive. It’s deliberate.”
That’s what makes the difference. Not how much you know — but how intentionally you apply it.
What Active Learning Really Means
Active Learning isn’t a concept. It’s a behaviour. It’s showing up with curiosity, engaging in dialogue, testing your ideas, and welcoming feedback.
At Collaborate Sports, we challenge coaches to:
Reflect on what they learn.
Translate ideas into real actions.
Revisit those actions and refine them over time.
Because learning isn’t about gathering information — it’s about building transformation.
Learning That Requires Effort
Active Learning takes effort, and it should. Growth doesn’t happen through comfort; it happens through reflection, challenge, and change.
That’s why our mentorships aren’t about ticking boxes or chasing certificates. They’re about deliberate development and helping practitioners bridge the gap between knowing and doing.
I’ve seen coaches grow exponentially not because they discovered something new, but because they revisited what they already knew and applied it with greater clarity and intent.
That’s where transformation happens.
A Community Built on Curiosity
Every month in each Collaborate Sports Mentorship Program, there is a focus on a specific theme. Whether it be telling stories through metrics (Data Skills), details that matter in our communication (Soft Skills), or reverse engineering impact for high performance (S&C) - every theme is underpinned by curiosity and an ability to take learning where you need it as a participant. We explore ideas, challenge thoughts with “What if” or ““how else could you” type questions.
Curiosity drives reflection.
Reflection drives progress.
And progress drives performance.
“Our values should blend through everything we do each month,” I told the group. “This is about more than sport — it’s about how we think, how we act, and how we learn.”
That’s the power of Active Learning isbnot about chasing perfection; it’s about pursuing progress, together.
5 Practical Ways to Make Your Learning Active
If you want to build Active Learning into your own development, start small but be deliberate. Here are five ways to make it part of your routine:
Reflect Weekly, Not Randomly
Set aside 10 minutes at the end of each week to answer three questions: 1) What did I learn? 2) How did I apply it? 3) What will I change next time?
Turn Content into Action
For every article, podcast, or workshop you consume, note one actionable behaviour to trial immediately in your coaching.
Seek Feedback, Not Validation
Ask colleagues or athletes, “What did you notice about my approach this week?” Use their answers as learning fuel, not judgment.
Teach What You Learn
Share your reflections with another coach or intern. Teaching forces clarity and turns information into understanding.
Track Growth Over Time
Keep a “learning log.” Revisit your entries every month to see patterns in your progress, challenges, and evolving questions.
Active Learning is about creating momentum. Every reflection, conversation, or small adjustment compounds over time.
Why Active Learning Matters in Sport
Active Learning sits at the centre of Collaborate Sports because it represents how I believe coaches and practitioners truly grow.
It’s action over absorption.
Reflection over repetition.
Connection over consumption.
Our mentees don’t just attend, they contribute. They even reverse mentor the mentors too, meaning even those experts see the world through varied perspectives!
Participants bring their stories, challenges, and ideas to a shared space that amplifies growth across the community.
As this new intake begins their journey, I’m reminded that the most powerful kind of learning doesn’t happen when you sit still. It happens when you lean in.
Final Thoughts
Active Learning isn’t just a method for personal development, it’s also a mindset for grow. It asks us to stay curious, stay connected, and keep doing the work.
At Collaborate Sports, that’s what we’re all about: helping coaches grow through energy, reflection, and collaboration.
