The Love of Sport - Motivating Kids
A coach has the unenviable task of undertaking one of the most important roles in the development of a young child's perception and values that they place on physical activity and sport.
The importance and passion that children should obtain from the benefits of physical activity are ingrained from their very first experiences in sport.
It is essential that coaches maintain kids motivation levels well into their teens to ensure that they stay in sport or a form of physical activity.
The chances of drop out rates decrease significantly if kids have that instilled habit of the importance of activity set in stone into adulthood.
How To Motivate Kids One sure way to maintain the retention rate in all sports including individual sports is to create a team atmosphere - this provides cohesiveness and comradery.
At the start of each session give each kid a goal, 1 skill or technique to improve, if each kid achieves their 1 goal for the season, the team improves dramatically.
Make activities fun and challenging, Ensure each training session has a goal, Set short and long term objectives at the start of season and evaluate throughout the season make changes if needed, Variety keeps kids coming back for more, Creating a sense of belonging, everyone is important, Continual feedback from the coach to every player, Teach kids the skill of thinking and solving situations for themselves, Create roles within your team, direct and reinforce the importance of these roles to the whole team, (captains, vice captains, equipment monitors, chief motivator).
A chief motivator is the kid that has the ability to inspire and congratulate others and is often not the captain.
Each team has one of these, just observe the kids and then target the right kid and then teach them to be be the silent inspiration in the team: a pat on the back of a teammate during the game, a "well done" as they run past, a thumbs up.
Mostly obscure gestures but very powerful in their acceptance.
Applaud even the smallest improvements in those less dominate players.
The smiles on the faces of young children after each training session should be enough to say they are loving it.
Keep it fun and fulfilling.
The importance and passion that children should obtain from the benefits of physical activity are ingrained from their very first experiences in sport.
It is essential that coaches maintain kids motivation levels well into their teens to ensure that they stay in sport or a form of physical activity.
The chances of drop out rates decrease significantly if kids have that instilled habit of the importance of activity set in stone into adulthood.
How To Motivate Kids One sure way to maintain the retention rate in all sports including individual sports is to create a team atmosphere - this provides cohesiveness and comradery.
At the start of each session give each kid a goal, 1 skill or technique to improve, if each kid achieves their 1 goal for the season, the team improves dramatically.
Make activities fun and challenging, Ensure each training session has a goal, Set short and long term objectives at the start of season and evaluate throughout the season make changes if needed, Variety keeps kids coming back for more, Creating a sense of belonging, everyone is important, Continual feedback from the coach to every player, Teach kids the skill of thinking and solving situations for themselves, Create roles within your team, direct and reinforce the importance of these roles to the whole team, (captains, vice captains, equipment monitors, chief motivator).
A chief motivator is the kid that has the ability to inspire and congratulate others and is often not the captain.
Each team has one of these, just observe the kids and then target the right kid and then teach them to be be the silent inspiration in the team: a pat on the back of a teammate during the game, a "well done" as they run past, a thumbs up.
Mostly obscure gestures but very powerful in their acceptance.
Applaud even the smallest improvements in those less dominate players.
The smiles on the faces of young children after each training session should be enough to say they are loving it.
Keep it fun and fulfilling.
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