How to Keep a Competitive Swimmer Motivated

Competitive athletes tend to work hard to achieve their goals, but they're still human and may experience burnout from time to time. If you're looking forward to a big race or a large swim meet, the athletes you're coaching may be working so hard they need help staying motivated.

Instructions

    • 1

      Help them develop long-term goals. Having an end goal gives athletes something to think about when the going gets tough, suggests Dr. Jim Taylor in "Psychology Today." For the competitive swimmer, this might include swimming in the Olympics, winning a state championship or gaining a college scholarship. When athletes seem to be losing motivation, remind them of their long-term goals.

    • 2

      Share books, posters or videos with inspirational messages. Dr. Taylor suggests putting up pictures of the athlete's biggest competitor on the wall of the pool, so the athlete can focus on working toward beating that person in the next race.

    • 3

      Make practice like competition, advises Kirk Mango, an Illinois sports coach and motivational speaker. Many athletes are motivated by the competition aspect of their sport, so stage a weekly race that pits teammates against one another, or hold a scrimmage with athletes from other teams.

    • 4

      Allow some variation in the athletes' routine. Though your main focus is going to be swimming drills, incorporate land exercises and weight training. If your athletes are really unmotivated, schedule a "fun" day during which you go hiking to a local waterfall, play a game of soccer or do other activities that won't feel like the normal practice but will still keep them active.

    • 5

      Encourage swimmers to get rest when you see signs of overtraining. Working at 110 percent all the time can lead to a number of overtraining issues, including fatigue, mood changes, lack of motivation, insomnia and a host of other problems. Adopt a more varied routine for a while. This might include more moderate-intensity training instead of constant high-intensity exercise. In more extreme cases, the athlete may need a few days -- or even a few weeks -- of rest with almost no exercise at all.