This makes sense: an athlete who is generally motivated because the game is fun and likes seeing herself improve may be more likely to persist longer than an athlete who plays primarily to win games and get awards. Take the time to notice how your players react to situations like these.Įncourage being intrinsically motivated: While both internal and external factors can help to increase motivation, research has shown that helping to enhance intrinsic motivation is the best choice when it comes to long-term motivation. You may think you’re encouraging her by giving positive feedback, but she may actually experience a drop in motivation when she gets this feedback in front of the team. For example, one player may appreciate getting positive feedback: it helps her understand what she needs to work on, but she doesn’t like being praised in front of the group. One size does not fit all when it comes to motivation, and these internal and external factors can exist together. If you can identify what drives each athlete, you can help to motivate when needed. Some athletes will be motivated by internal factors such as the love of playing, or improving their skills, while others are motivated by external factors: getting praise, winning a trophy, etc. Learn about your players: Each athlete is motivated differently.
Since motivation is the driving force behind much of what we do and the choices we make, try the ideas below to help understand and impact the motivation of your players: Motivation is defined as the direction and intensity of effort, which means that it’s not just how much effort someone is putting in, but also what are they putting that effort toward? Your athletes may show up to practice, which suggests they’re motivated, but if they lack focus and effort when they get there, then they may not be as motivated as you thought.Īs a coach, you can have a big impact on the motivation of your players but as you may have experienced, motivating your team can be quite complex: Your team is made up of individuals, and a person can be motivated by many different factors which may change day-to-day, or moment-to-moment, making motivation a complex and dynamic process. Before we talk about ways to enhance or improve motivation, let’s talk about what motivation is.
Sometimes it may seem like an easy task, and other days you may feel as if you have no impact on player motivation at all.
Use these tips to navigate a complex and dynamic process and get the most out of your players.Īs a coach, you have likely thought about how to motivate your players.