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When most strength coaches hear the word "assessment," they think of movement screens, mobility testing, strength benchmarks, and training history. Those tools absolutely matter. Every effective strength and conditioning program starts with understanding the athlete in front of you. That doesn't change when coaching athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). What changes is how you gather that information. Too often, coaches assume they need a completely different assessment process for athletes with disabilities. In reality, the goals of a needs analysis remain exactly the same. You still need to understand the athlete's goals, medical history, training experience, movement competency, and readiness to participate in exercise. The difference is that building trust becomes just as important as collecting information. WHY THE FIRST SESSION MATTERS MORE THAN THE ASSESSMENTMany individuals with IDD have spent years moving from one appointment to the next.
For much of their lives, they've been assessed through the lens of what they can't do. By the time they walk into your facility, the last thing they need is another professional focused on deficits. Your first responsibility isn't to identify movement limitations. It's to create an environment where they feel successful. That's why I believe assessment should begin with relationships, not testing. When an athlete feels safe, understood, and excited to come back, you've already accomplished something far more important than collecting a few data points. BUILD TRUST BEFORE YOU BUILD A PROGRAMOne of the biggest mistakes I see coaches make is trying to gather every piece of information during the first five minutes. Instead, spend time getting to know the athlete. Ask about their favorite movie. Talk about video games. Find out what sports they watch. Ask about hobbies, pets, vacations, or what they're excited about this week. Those conversations may seem unrelated to strength and conditioning, but they're incredibly valuable. They help establish rapport, reduce anxiety, and often provide coaching tools you'll use later. If your athlete loves Mario Kart, maybe racing analogies become your coaching cues. If they're obsessed with football, maybe every lift becomes preparation for game day. Connection always improves coaching. YOUR BEST RESOURCE ISN'T ALWAYS THE ATHLETEParents, guardians, caregivers, and direct support professionals often know the athlete better than anyone else. They understand:
These conversations shouldn't feel like checking boxes on an intake form. There are opportunities to understand how to coach the individual sitting in front of you. They're also important because these support systems often determine whether training continues after the first session. When families trust you, consistency becomes much easier.  turn the first visit into an orientationI rarely think of the first visit as a testing session. Instead, I treat it as an opportunity to introduce the athlete to the environment. Let them explore the facility. Show them the equipment. Introduce the coaching staff. Explain what happens during a session. Reduce as much uncertainty as possible. For many athletes with IDD, a new environment can feel overwhelming. Giving them time to become familiar with the space often produces far better outcomes than rushing into formal assessments. While they're exploring, you can learn an incredible amount simply by observing. watch before you testSome of the most valuable assessment information comes from observation. Pay attention to:
These informal observations often tell you everything you need to know to begin programming safely. Remember, the goal isn't to produce a perfect movement screen on day one. The goal is to gather enough information to prescribe appropriate exercises while making the athlete excited to return. SAVE SENSITIVE CONVERSATIONS FOR LATERNot every discussion needs to happen in front of the athlete. Topics such as:
are often better discussed privately with parents, guardians, or support staff. This allows the athlete's first interaction with you to stay positive and centered around possibility rather than limitations. At the same time, you still receive the information necessary to design an effective training program. DEFINE SUCCESS BEFORE WRITING THE PROGRAMEvery needs analysis should answer one simple question: What does success look like for this athlete? For some athletes, success means competing in the Special Olympics or Paralympic sports. For others, it might mean:
These goals may look different, but your role as the coach doesn't. Your job is to identify the physical qualities required for success and build a program that develops them. COACH THE ATHLETE, NOT THE DIAGNOSISThe assessment process for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities isn't about lowering standards or eliminating structure.
It's about recognizing that trust is part of the assessment. When coaches invest time in building relationships first, movement assessments become more accurate, exercise adherence improves, and athletes are far more likely to stay engaged over the long term. The principles of strength and conditioning don't change. The athlete is still the athlete. The diagnosis simply changes how you introduce the process. And sometimes, the most valuable thing you assess during that first session isn't movement at all. It's whether the athlete leaves believing they belong in your gym.
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About the AuthorRyan Lockard, CSCS*D, CSPS*D, is the Founder and CEO of Specialty Athletic Training. He is accredited by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Certified Special Populations Specialist. Lockard is currently the NSCA Oregon State Director and has served on numerous non-profit boards serving the disability community, including the Autism Society of America.
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