How to Motivate Boys in Sports

Participating in sports is important, as it helps boys stay physically fit and healthy. But for some boys in today's competitive society, sports is too high pressure and something they hate to do. To motivate boys to participate and do well in sports, the most important thing parents and coaches can do is to make sports fun. Get away from the "chase for a scholarship" mentality and emphasize the pure joy of playing instead.

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose the right coach. Boys often enjoy a sport because they like or admire the coach. If your son comes home after practice complaining about his coach or has a personality clash with him, he will never like the sport or be motivated to do well. Find a coach your son does like, even if it means moving him to a new sports club or into a different sport at his school.

    • 2

      Find a sport your boy loves. Children are motivated to do well in sports they like. Just because being good at basketball might be a way for your son to earn a university scholarship, if he does not enjoy it, he will not do well. Allow him to try different sports until he finds one he loves and is good at.

    • 3

      Allow him to join teams with his friends. One big reason boys stay so involved in particular sports is because their friends are on the same team or doing the same activity. Friends motivate each other too.

    • 4

      Practice positive reinforcement. A boy who comes home to a father who constantly berates him for making mistakes in football or ice hockey is a boy who will learn to hate that sport. Encourage his participation in sports by praising the things he does well. Did he make a pass in football faster than he did a month ago? Tell him. Is he worried he will not be picked to play in Friday night's game? Encourage him. Most boys who receive encouragement and praise will be motivated to work harder and do better. Their self-confidence will improve too.

    • 5

      De-emphasize winning and concentrate on improvement, setting goals and the joy of playing. Boys often begin to hate playing a sport if their parents or coach push winning above all else. If you place emphasis on improving, by meeting short- and long-term goals, your son will not only realize he is getting better, he will have evidence to back it up too.

    • 6

      Take him to professional sporting events so he can see professional athletes enjoying a sport. Buy tickets to a basketball game or a tennis match. Take him to practice sessions for your city's football team, if they are open to the public. Show your son the end result of practice and persistence. Sometimes a boy needs to see the end result to appreciate where working hard can take him.