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By Dean Herbert
This is the second in a series of articles on motivation and youth. The information is based on actual surveys of youth athletes as well as the sports psychology studies. In our first article, we discussed the technique of motivating youth by comparing them to peers.

Some ways to Optimize Motivation

Rephrase your comments to enhance motivational environments. The key is to focus on and get your athletes to focus on the process of competing (or practice for that matter). By focusing on the right things – in the process of performing – you will optimize the opportunity for successful and desired results.

What do process oriented comments that look like?

In practices isolate skills and techniques without making comparisons:

Joanne, could you demonstrate this drill for us. (To someone who has the right technique.)

Before competition stick to tactics and efforts:

During competition do not instruct on form (that is for practice) instead stick to simple, brief, direct competition related statements.

Stick to it.

Stay tough.

Keep working.

Deep breath.

One at a time.

After competition, be specific and stick to the individual:

Your game went well for the first half. We’ll work in finishing stronger.

That last play you made was fantastic.

You had a tremendous at-bat against a very good pitcher

You were competitive through the toughest part of the game.

If the performance is truly sub-par the first step is to ask questions (Seek first to understand):

Tell me about your game.

How do you see that last half of your game going?

What happened after you (made an error, missed the shot, etc) ?

Where did you lose your focus?

The key is for parents and coaches to make comments that keep the athlete focused on the immediate process (the “now”) and not the outcome. And comments that keep an athlete owning their own performance and effort, not someone else’s.

The only way you will be most effective in establishing a motivational atmosphere is to know what motivates your athletes. You will not reach everyone with one approach. However, we also know that coaches and parents will demotivate most youth athletes with comparison-type comments. So, stick to what is controllable and decreases emphasis on peer comparison.
Dean Hebert M.Ed. MGCP is a certified mental games coach specializing in youth athletes and youth coaches. He has authored several books and hundreds of articles. He works with individuals, teams and coaches in all sports as well as performs guest speaking engagements on mental toughness.

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By Dean Herbert

This is the first in a series of articles on motivation and youth. The information is based on actual surveys of youth athletes as well as the sports psychology studies.

There are four critical understandings to motivation.

1.      Motivation is a complex construct (no single approach addresses all aspects of motivation).

2.      Motivation is highly individual (no single approach works for everyone).

3.      Motivation comes from within not externally (you cannot generate it in someone who doesn’t have it).

4.      The only thing parents and coaches can do is establish an environment conducive to an athlete accessing their motivation.

In an effort to motivate athletes parents and coaches often think that a comparison will be a carrot that will help youth achieve great performances. A common approach to motivating youth is to compare or set up rivalries between youth – sometimes on their own team. Unfortunately the majority of the population of any age is not motivated in this way.

Statements comparing one youth to another whether directly or indirectly do not serve to motivate our youth athletes and in fact DE-motivate most. You don’t have to believe me, these comments come directly from surveys I’ve done with youth runners.

“That girl doesn’t even have good form and she’s beating you.”

“Why can’t you just be like Cassie?”

“If Taylor is in the lead group then so should you.”

“Amy (you) you have to beat Carrie (teammate)”; then to Carrie behind your back: “Carrie you have to beat Amy.”

“You’re supposed to be up with Billy.”

“There is no reason you can’t beat Sam.”

“Make sure you beat Anthony.”

“I can’t believe you let that boy catch you.”

Why it Doesn’t Work
Peer pressure and social comparison are extremely high in youth. Kids want to fit in. They do not want to be different (and if they do it has to be on their own terms). They do want to be themselves but they are most often still in search of who that really is. In the process they will recognize the things they don’t want to be before things they do want.

The other issue with comparisons is that the athlete does not control the outcome. Why? They do not control the other athlete. What if the compared-to athlete has a great day? What if they are truly genetically physically superior or more talented? What if they have had hormone changes that are yet to occur in himself or herself? There are too many variables and the youth athlete does not have control over them which is a key element in motivation, goal setting and feelings of self-efficacy.

An athlete controls only their effort, their attitude, their race tactics, their mindset. They do not control the competition (others), the rest of the team, the weather, the course layout, parents or coaches. The most effective strategies are to keep athletes focused on what they control. In the end, it will optimize their chances of achieving their best performances.

Dean Hebert M.Ed. MGCP is a certified mental games coach specializing in youth athletes and youth coaches. He has authored several books and hundreds of articles. He works with individuals, teams and coaches in all sports as well as performs guest speaking engagements on mental toughness.

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Baseball coaches: Summer is planning time and before you know it, kids will be back ready for fall ball. You need to put in a request for a new pitching machine. You've tried the latest trends and they either lacked accuracy, durability, or both. Now it is time to go back to the tried and true. Go back to the machine that started it all and that won't ever let you down. JUGS has been making the highest quality, best value pitching machines for decades and they've only gotten better with time. This season, have your best cage time ever, courtesy of our partners at JUGS Sports.

There is a growing contingent of thought in the athletic training world that believe that the “old fashioned” method of stretching before athletic competition, now known as “static stretching,” is not only not effective, but can actually be harmful to athletes about to participate in sports. Our partner, Stop Sports Injuries.org has published an explanation in their blog, here.
Another, more in-depth explanation about the differences between “static stretching,” and “dynamic stretching,” can be found in this article from the New York Times.

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