Motivation Strategies in Sports

Coaches use a variety of methods to motivate their players and teams. With the proper motivational strategies, a coach can motivate an ordinary team of athletes to meet their full potential and achieve greatness. Coaches accomplish this by combining general motivational principles with specific strategies relevant to the goals at hand.

  1. General Methods of Motivation

    • Motivational strategies fall into three general categories: Intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation.

      Intrinsic motivation appeals to the players' most basic sense of the sport: their love of the game. Coaches remind players why they participate in the sport in the first place. Intrinsic motivation is something the players already have inside of themselves, but can be enhanced and refreshed through coaching.

      Extrinsic motivation encourages players to work toward a goal. For example, if a NFL team plays its best during the football season, it will increase its chances of entering the playoffs. If the team continues to perform at its maximum potential, a Super Bowl bid could be in its future. Coaches remind players of eventual rewards in order to motivate them to play to the best of their abilities.

      Amotivation, or constructive criticism, is essentially negative motivation. Coaches observe and relate weaknesses in their team and individual players. By doing so, players can improve on these weaknesses and further contribute to the strength of the team as a whole.

    Specific Motivational Strategies

    • Coaches use a variety of specific methods relevant to their sport in order to motivate players.

      Reviewing game footage is one of the most common and effective methods of motivation. Pat Riley, head coach of the Miami Heat, is a firm believer in the power of video footage as a motivational and teaching tool. Riley edits key segments of a game together. He uses this footage to demonstrate a variety of things. Footage of an opposing player in different situations can be used to exploit a weakness in that player, and remove the intimidation factor that comes with competing against a star player in an upcoming game. Alternatively, a coach can use footage of one of her own players as a form of amotivation. If a player sees himself on film making the same mistake repeatedly, he'll be more likely to correct it.

      A simple pep talk is another common way of motivating athletes. Before a big game and in the locker room at halftime, a coach will often combine intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to encourage his team: "Go out there and enjoy the game. We can beat this team, and when we do, we'll be in the playoffs."