7 simple ways to motivate players and teams.
Coaching is not easy, but with effort and proper strategies it can be one of the most rewarding careers that anyone could ever have. Being a great coach always involves having a few tricks up your sleeve to keep players disciplined, motivated and happy. Motivation can be short lived and depends on a player’s mood, age, background. It is a process that is crucial because it can positively impact a game. Here are some tips that a great coach could use to motivate his players.
- Be a teacher
This may sound too simple since a coach will always be a teacher too. But the concept of being a teacher involves focusing on a student’s growth more than just winning. Teaching them, helping them improve, ensuring that they see that they are improving becomes a priority. Make sure they are always improving and see the results. When a coach treats a player like a student, the player and team would improve drastically. When you start teaching your players, they will learn and once they see results, they would be motivated to learn more.
- Always explain ‘why’
Explaining the ‘reason why’ is a psychologically proven trigger that makes people take action. Humans want to know why they are doing certain things on a psychological level all the time. Players might not understand why certain drills are done, and when it is tough they might dislike it and even lose motivation. It is important to explain why they are doing a certain drill and how it would help their skills and game improve.
- Always show improvement and growth
When there is a tough season, players tend to get demotivated and start to believe that nothing they do is good enough to win. This mentality can slow the game and their progress, it is important to show them how they improve on a consistent basis and show and discuss their growth with them and explain how it makes a positive impact within the team. Make sure that you give them constant feedback on their performances.
- Celebrate success in small ways
Celebrations do not always have to come after a win. Celebrations can also come after fulfilling little goals and accomplishments that have been set for players during training sessions. During tough seasons, to keep the momentum going it is important to celebrate little wins like finishing a tough drill, meeting a new goal, breaking a bad habit etc. Measure turnovers, rebounds, and celebrate improving in those areas.
- Reward hard work instantly.
Positive reinforcement is important specially if you are coaching a young team. When you reward a child for doing something good, or for going beyond what is expected of them, the tendency for the rest of the children to replicate that effort is high, and the chance of repeating it is high. Rewards do not necessarily have to be tangible; they could be in different forms such as reward ball, more playing time, hustle trophy etc.
- Measure performance.
Identify what performances are important to you and the team and how you could showcase the statistics for them to be motivated. Certain statistics might confuse players and might not be as important. Team and individual statistics, high fives, compliments, player satisfaction ratings are things that can be tracked, and presented to the team so they can compete for better performance.
- Have fun competitions!
One of the most tried and tested methods is to include competitions in daily routines. Drills and practice can get mundane and less interesting. To avoid this many coaches have mini competitions now and then for teams. Design practice sessions in a more competitive and fun manner so the players will be motivated to come for practices every day.