Eight strategies for goal-setting in soccer. (motivating players)

You coach a youth soccer team that doesn't seem to be living up to its potential. You have good athletes to work with, but they are not living up to your expectations. What can you do about it?

First, of course, you have to determine the cause. Have you overrated their ability? Are they working hard enough? Could your training program be at fault?

Very often, the root of the problem may be psychological. The kids may not be motivated enough or may need a little push. Perhaps one of the simplest ways to provide a little extra stimulation is through goal setting. All kinds of coaches and athletes are using it to motivate, focus, and direct their efforts, and a check of their procedures can help other coaches establish the best kind of system for their situation.

1 SET PERFORMANCE GOALS, AS OPPOSED TO OUTCOME GOALS.

A performance goal is something the player can control, whereas an outcome goal is based on a result that may or may not be controllable. Example: A goalkeeper decides he is going to catch every crossed ball within the six-yard box throughout the season.

This kind of goal will obviously depend on the situation, the play of teammates, the quality of the opponents, and even the weather factors over which the players have little control. On rainy days, for example, the keeper would be smarter to box the ball out of danger rather than catch it.

Goalkeepers would thus do better to set performance goals, such as "make a good decision (catch, box, leave it for defenders) on every crossed ball" - that would help them make quality decisions and thus ensure the attainment of their goals.