Adrian Dutertre, mind coach

Adrian Dutertre, mind coach

“University taught me to reason, construct my arguments, summarise my thoughts. A legacy that stays with you.” 

In 2012, you joined the Master’s in Expertise in body and mind training on the Tarbes campus of the UPPA. What made you choose that particular course? 

Originally from Cherbourg, I joined the STAPS (Sports science and technology) degree of the IFEP (Institute for physical and sports education) at Angers in 2009, immediately after passing my Baccalaureate. I spent two years there, then did my third year in Toulouse at the Paul Sabatier University, where I was able to do a Bachelor’s in athletic training and qualify as a professional coach. Mind coaching held particular appeal for me, so I then decided to sign up for the EPPM (Expertise in body and mind training) Master’s of the UPPA in Tarbes. After Toulouse, I really appreciated the STAPS campus, which was modern, clean, and properly heated in the winter. Excellent conditions for studying, especially as classes did not exceed 40 students in M1 and 20 in M2. I enjoyed not being just a number anymore and having teachers who knew their students perfectly. Several teaching fellows were highly influential in the choices I made. Julien Bois, for example, who teaches sport psychology, really contributed to building my interest in mind coaching. I also did two internships, which gave me an insight into the profession of mind coach: one in Toulouse, where I worked with the swimmers from the French team, and the other in Canada where I coached athletes for the Rio Olympic Games. This internship led to my very first job where I stayed for two and a half years. 

In 2020, after a dozen or so years’ experience, you created your own mind coaching cabinet. Did you feel ready for this new step? 

After my time in Canada, I took a year’s break to travel across Asia (Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and China) and look for new “keys to understanding people” in addition to what I’d learned at university. I immersed myself in meditation, Buddhism. Then I accepted an assignment in South America to coach the Peruvian and Argentinian teams for the Lima 2019 Pan American Games. I stayed there for more than two years, but the pandemic and the conditions in Peru forced me to make a hurried return to France, with nothing other than my passport on me. Back in Normandy, I didn’t really have a network as I’d always worked abroad. I made a list of all sports players and went to introduce myself. I was nearing 30, with plenty of experience with high-performance athletes; it was the right time for me to create my own business. I signed a contract with the Normandy Sports Centre and another with the National Sports Institute in Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games. I’ve also broadened my target audience; I now coach around a hundred people, athletes, as well as company directors, competitive exam candidates, people with weight issues, and so on. 

What words do you spontaneously associate with the UPPA? 

Modern – this is how I perceived the campus.

Convivial – this is the memory I have of the Master’s.

Organisation – the UPPA did everything it could to make our lives easier. 

What advice would you give to a future UPPA student?

I’d tell them to be inquisitive and reach out to others. To make the most of the courses the university has to offer and complete them with experience. I’d advise them to really get involved in their studies, their internships, everything that will help them find their niche. 

To find out more? 

https://www.adriandutertre.com/