The most influential person on an athlete’s sport experience is a coach. Because of the coach’s influence, an athlete’s sport experience can either be perceived as positive or negative as a result of the motivational climate portrayed by the coach. The motivational climate is created through the interactions between the coach and the athletes. According to achievement goal motivation theory, there are two dimensions of motivational climate, an environment oriented towards promoting task mastery and learning goals or an environment oriented towards promoting social comparison and performance goals. In a task-oriented motivational climate, the coach values effort and improvement. This type of coach encourages cooperation and makes everyone …show more content…
In a task-oriented motivational climate, the inspiration for acting on motivation is internal. Intrinsic motivation and a task-oriented motivational climate can be controlled and individualized. A person becomes intrinsically motivated through autonomy, competence, and relatedness based on self-determination theory. Through a task-oriented motivational climate, an athlete can strive to be competent, in control, and related to others through intrinsic motivation. The positive atmosphere on the pool deck is a result of the cohesion of the youth swim team. It was observed that the athletes were cohesive as a result of the relationships between the athletes and the coach. All of the athletes would talk and interact with each other, regardless of age and gender, and the coach building cohesion on the team. In the study by Eys et al. (2013), there are “positive correlations between perceptions of task-involving motivational climate and both task and social cohesion.” In the study, it was examined “whether sources of athlete enjoyment moderate the relationships between motivational climate and cohesion” (Eys et al., 2013). As a result, it was found that “perceptions of a task-involving motivational climate are positively related to perceptions of cohesion regardless of how athletes derive sport enjoyment” (Eys et al., 2013). Like in the study, the coach provided the athletes with multiple opportunities for the athletes to bond and form a cohesive whole as a team throughout practice. Because of the cohesion of the youth swim team, the coach was portraying a task-oriented motivational
Smith, R. E., Cumming, S. P., & Smoll, F. L. (2008). Development and validation of the motivational climate scale for youth sports. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 20(1), 116-136.
However, this is not really a direct correlation to the coach’s effectiveness in a particular sport, being that there are many other factors in coaching a team other than game records. The coach’s job is to enhance the athlete physically, socially, and psychologically, winning is only considered a by-product of that job (Gillham, Burton, & Gillham, 2013). Gillham, Burton, and Gillham (2013) focused on developing a Coaching Success Questionnaire-2 to allow a means of evaluating other aspects of a coach’s interaction with their athletes as both a research and coach development tool. A sample group of athletes at the varsity and club level ranging from ages 18 to 25 was used to develop the questionnaire by asking their perceptions of their coaches.
The journal article, “What does sport mean to you? Fun and other preferences for adolescents’ sport participation” claims that fun, social aspects, masculinity, and identity are the main reasons youth participate in sports (Skille and Østera˚ s, 360). Oftentimes, athletes forget they are on the same team, and they start to form cliques or groups based around who has the best bench press or 40 meter dash time. As a result, teammates start to compete with each other instead of working towards the same goal. For instance, one coaching journal article claims that “moral reasoning” in youth is determined through “collective norms” or group behaviors that the coach has a hand in influencing (Shields, LaVoi, Bredemeier, Power, 748-749). A proper coaching environment should therefore revolve around a fun, supportive, and collective environment where success is encouraged through the full support of the team. This support can further be developed through proper positive mindfulness and code of conduct guidelines set forth by the coach; for instance, hazing should be discouraged and proper communication and helpfulness among teammates should be
There is no better place to learn the value of hard work and dedication than in a sport. Coaches have the ability to instill values into their players and shape their character. They are great mentors who offer valid advice and only want to see their athlete succeed. In an article titled “Coach, What is Your Impact?” it says that when players have a coach that is concerned not only with their athletic performance but also their genuine well b...
Sports psychology can be defined as the study and application of the attitudes and behaviors of athletes (including team athletes) that impact (either positively or negatively) performance in sports or competitive settings. The goal of sports psychology is to help athletes and teams identify unhealthy attitudes and beliefs, apply mental toughness skills and peak performance strategies to perform at optimal levels (Cohn). Sports psychology is not recognized as a traditional field of practice offered by graduate programs; although, it is a recognized field of specific study under Kinesiology and Physical Education Programs. Sports psychology was first founded in 1920 by Carl Diem in Berlin, Germany. Later on, in 1925, sport psychology was brought to the U.S by Cloman Griffith. These early psychologists aimed to observe the effects of mental state on different factors of performance such as reaction time, tension, relaxation, and awareness (Haney). In the 1960’s Griffith’s research interest in sports psychology reemerged after having faded away for a while; however, the field had a...
The goal of every coach is to create an environment in which his athletes can flourish. Performance anxiety is a coach’s worst enemy simply because it can have a negative impact both mentally and physically on athletes. The mastery approach to coaching is a cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to promote a mastery-involving motivational climate (Smith, Smoll, Cumming, 2007). How a coach handles his athletes is essential for their confidence and ability to overcome any level of performance anxiety. Critical or punitive feedback from coaches can evoke high levels of negative affect in children who fear failure and disapproval, thereby contributing to a threatening athletic environment (Smith, Smoll, Cumming, 2007).
The authors found sports and coaching to be related to development in youths in the following areas: personal and social skills, cognitive skills, goal setting, and initiative (Cronin & Allen 2015). Focusing on the area presented by Cronin & Allen, McFarland, U.S.A. provides examples of these area of development within the team members and within Jim himself. Jim White provided the link to help the cross-country team grow closer and form a community in the team and outside the team. When Thomas, a boy on the cross-country team, expressed to Jim that he will never be better than a farm hand who pick fruits and vegetables and will never be able to leave McFarland. Jim provides a goal for Thomas that if he keeps running he will be able to receive a college scholarship and become a better athlete and person. The cross-country team’s members are given an outlet to become better people and students through cross-country with the help of Jim
We can follow statistics of a game in just 1 click. Coaches are always being watched and it is important they set good examples throughout their coaching career in everything they do. Present day coaches have been through issues such as good behavior, quality leadership management and balance. What better of a person to teach and relate these ideas to the future coaches? They will gain insight, observe and interact with a mentor. The educations of coaching behaviors are very important in any league. Mentor Coaching is where a student being coached on their particular skills rather than on balance and practice or other topics unrelated to the Improvement of a student’s coaching skill. Mentoring is also envisioned to serve as a growth progression for the student that takes place in a cycle of receiving criticism concerning student coaching, reflecting on this opinion and performing new skills. In this particular study, a series of chi-square analyses was conducted considering an amount of the characteristics of the coaches. The gender of the coach and the age. The level of official instruction and the coach’s total years of practice. The characteristics of the coaching context that were considered included the existing character of the coach such as head coach, assistant coach or both. Whether it is a team or individual sport coached, the level of competition of the athletes, the age groups of the athletes, the sex of the
The attribution theory is essential to coaching and understanding our athletes and their motivations. Throughout sports and competitive activities, individuals are determining whether the activity they are doing is a success or a failure. But the real question that needs to be asked is why are they attributing something as a success or a failure. What is guiding them to view something that can be as simple as getting out of bed in the morning as a success or failure? This paper will dive into why the attribution theory is so critical to coaching and how you can use it to guide yourself, your players, and your teams to become as successful as possible.
Some professionals focus on a specific area, while others study a wide range of techniques and ideas, such as imagery, motivation, and attentional focus. Imagery involves visualizing performing a task, such as participating in an athletic event or successfully performing a particular skill. The study of motivation looks at extrinsic and intrinsic motivators. Extrinsic motivators are external rewards, such as social recognition and trophies. Intrinsic motivators are a personal desire to win and a sense of pride that comes from performing a skill. Lastly, attentional focus involves the ability to tune out distractions and focus attention on the task at hand (Cherry, K., 2000).
Firstly, it is vital to note that anxiety, motivation, and concentration tremendously influence people's self-confidence and their performance at the long-run (Damon & Raedeke, P 188). Higher self-confidence reduces anxiety. The vice versa is also true. This is based on the fact that optimally confident sports people experience fewer doubts on self. Their worries reduce and give room for concentration in their activities. Additionally, motivated athletes are in a better position to strive towards achieving their goal. Motivation enables sports people to combat negativity and low self-esteem as they focus more on their goals other than obstacles. Therefore, it is fundamental to note that coaches and sports people must collaborate in finding any mechanisms that could stimulate and uphold self-esteem since it is, directly and indirectly, impactful to their
The author has initially likened the term coaching to a sports team. In this context, the coach attempts to inspire the team to win games. Sport coaches help players realize their potential and motivate them to perform through discipline and teaching them relevant skills, techniques, and tactics. This is usually achieved through mutual communication and the fostering of meaningful relationships with the team members.
Motivation needs motivators to help athletes when they seem to have nothing left. Although in sports we want to see consistent plays, performance, and skills, motivation is something that is not consistent. “Athlete’s motivation is being permanently upgraded, developed and changed under the different environmental influences present during sports participation” (Baric, 2007). “Situational factors act interactively on athletes’ dispositions; the variations in sports behavior are the functions of personal characteristics (goals, skills, knowledge, personality traits, etc.) and the environmental influences (physical and social alike)” (Baric, 2007). Personal and environmental influence can make a difference in how an athlete gains motivation. Motivation from a coach or a parent can lead an athlete to either see the support in a negative or positive view. Screaming, yelling, body language, and tone of voice can really present what someone is saying to be considered either in a positive or negative light. As a coach, you have to understand how you are presenting yourself towards your team or athlete. Parents, teammates, and supporters have to analyze how they are coming off within a situation especially when you are trying to motivate someone. When you have a disconnection between your verbal and non-verbal communication, an athlete can take the information and motivation as a negative and not positively. Coaches as everyone else need to learn how to communicate with their athletes and team. Motivation is something all athlete should posse on their own, but sometimes athlete needs support. No championship or a game was won, because of one person it takes coaches, parents, supporters, trainers, and so much more to make an athlete want to win even if it is a backyard game. Motivation plays a huge role in what a coach can do not only in a leadership role or
Motivation is an important function in organizations to motivate their employees for their ability to perform well, improving their skills, increasing productivity, job satisfaction and employee extension. Employees also are not a machines that we could just program their task in their brain and they will do it automatically, they require motivation to actually do their job properly. And so, after discussing the process models of the Maslow’s “Hierarchy of needs”, Douglas McGregor theory X and Y, and also the Herzberg’s “two factor motivation hygiene theory.” understanding the ways of motivating people, the human nature, and the substance of nature. I believe that the true motivation can only come from within and also managers can actually motivate all of their employees.
Athletes can feel dissatisfied with their sporting experiences and drop out of the sport when coaches focus too much on winning. The nature of sport competition emphasizes winning as an outcome, and the win–lose characteristic of sport can elicit painful feelings of regret, sorrow, and shortcomings in the athletes. Such feelings are often linked to the messages they receive from their coaches about their performance mistakes and the importance of winning. Consistent patterns of hostile-controlling behavior from coaches reduce the likelihood of continued athletic involvement of the