As a coach, you play a big position in your athletes’ lives, and serving to them set life like, significant targets as a staff and as people is among the most essential components of a profitable season. Whereas athletes ought to really feel possession over each particular person and staff targets, you possibly can assist them optimize these targets in order that their wellbeing, relatively than profitable, is prioritized.
Listed here are some easy steps to assist your athletes set targets that matter.
Perceive how athletes are feeling
As a coach, it’s simple to concentrate on targets that matter to you and your program. However earlier than you begin setting targets, take into consideration what issues to your athletes. Take a second to think about how they’re feeling and what different pressures they could be coping with. Pressures come at younger athletes from all instructions, together with dad and mom who need them to get that athletic scholarship, college directors who’re attempting to enhance college rankings, and teammates who wish to win. Amidst this stress, ensure you’re initiating conversations about what the athlete desires and what issues to them.
Set targets that target athlete wellness
Athletic targets shouldn’t simply revolve round nationwide championships or state titles. Whereas it may be enjoyable to have some targets which might be based mostly on particular outcomes, like making it to the championships, it’s equally essential to have targets which might be centered on course of, growth, and wellness. For instance, you possibly can assist them set course of targets for practices, set a staff aim of getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night time, and create targets round creating an inclusive and wholesome staff tradition.
Set targets for the staff as a staff
Because the coach, you seemingly have sure hopes for the season, and it’s tempting to indicate as much as the primary observe of the season proposing these targets for the staff. However as an alternative of presenting your listing of targets, attempt a goal-setting train with athletes. By permitting your athletes to set the targets for the staff this season, you’re giving them possession and making them extra emotionally related to the outcomes. And this method works within the staff’s favor: The Affiliation for Utilized Sports activities Psychology factors out that when athletes set their very own targets, they’re extra prone to obtain them.
Assist athletes set targets as people
Whereas staff targets are essential, every athlete must also really feel as if they’ve their very own set of impartial targets that align with their values. These private targets could feed into the overarching staff aim, however extra importantly, they need to concentrate on what issues to the athlete and what’s inside their management. Be sure that particular person targets are difficult however life like, whereas additionally retaining the athlete’s wellness on the forefront. Course of targets are an effective way to seek out this steadiness. For instance, a swimmer would possibly set course of targets round bettering their kick turns or a sure stroke. With each particular person and staff targets, it’s additionally essential to make time to replicate on progress and modify targets to replicate altering circumstances.
Keep in mind athletes could have totally different wants
Whereas it’s simple to think about your staff as a singular entity, keep in mind that every athlete could have totally different kinds of studying and totally different wants and talents. Some athletes would require additional assist and a spotlight to satisfy course of targets, whereas others will do higher with minimal involvement from you. Remember that some targets will spotlight inequities on the staff. For instance, some athletes could wrestle to satisfy targets like including in additional fitness center classes as a result of they’re busy working a component time job, so targets and expectations ought to account for these totally different circumstances. Encourage athletes to let you understand what they want with a view to thrive and obtain these targets—or when they should tweak the targets which might be set.
Takeaway
As a coach, you might have the flexibility to assist every athlete in your staff set targets for the season that set up a optimistic staff tradition and assist them develop as wholesome, pleased individuals. To set targets that matter, let athletes know that you just really care about them and their private targets, set targets for the staff with the staff, and concentrate on course of targets that promote total wellness.
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TrueSport®, a motion powered by the expertise and values of the U.S. Anti-Doping Company, champions the optimistic values and life classes discovered by youth sport. TrueSport evokes athletes, coaches, dad and mom, and directors to vary the tradition of youth sport by lively engagement and considerate curriculum based mostly on cornerstone classes of sportsmanship, character-building, and clear and wholesome efficiency, whereas additionally creating leaders throughout communities by sport.
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