Coach's corner

Page R5

Welcome to Windspeaker's newest feature Coach's Corner. Once a month we will run tips for and by coaches of a variety of sports. Many of the tips are applicable in any field, inside or out, while some will be targeted to a specific sport.

Our first feature is on getting kids to play a sport - any sport - with all the gusto they are capable of.

Motivating by setting goals.

- Why are some children motivated and others not?

- What approach should be used to motivate athletes to be the best they can be?

Every coach encounters situations that provoke these two questions. Understanding what "turns children on", then creating self motivating opportunites, is a great challenge.

First, discover why your athletes are participating. Is it to be with friends, a desire to achieve (get better), or parental pressure? Second, work with your athletes on goal setting, one of the most effective means of motivating.

Once the needs of the child are known, goal setting allows the coach to create opportunities for athletes to achieve in those areas of sport that have been identified.

Goals must be:

- specific, hard, and challenging,

- achievable with effort and diligence;

- established by both the athletes and coach: discuss what was accomplished last year, what commitment the athletes have for the coming year, and what realistic improvement can be expected.

- written and communicated to the athletes in simple terms, e.g. a specific time improvement over a measured distance or the number of foul shots to be completed out

of 10 attempts;

- linked by intermediate or sub-goals;

- given constant attention and feedback by the coach and athletes.

The introduction of small reward systems during progress from sub-goals to end-goals can provide additional incentives for athletes.

Goals are easy to develop and provide both coach and athletes with an increased sense of direction and purpose. If athletes are achieving goals their motivation is high. Help them to help themselves.