5 Tips to Motivate Aspiring Athletes

//5 Tips to Motivate Aspiring Athletes

5 Tips to Motivate Aspiring Athletes

 

Research shows that parents and coaches play a huge role in the success of any athlete.

 

I have personally felt that without the constant motivation from my coach and his belief in my abilities, I would not have achieved the honor of becoming the  first African athlete to win a skeleton race.

 

My journey from a small-time athlete, to representing my country in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games would not have happened without my coach. He motivated me and kept encouraging me to achieve my goals.

 

Millions of young athletes participate in various sports around the world each year. These aspiring athletes often discover their love for the sport at a very young age and need constant motivation and guidance to become top professional athletes.

 

As parents and coaches, it is your responsibility to help them hone their skills and feel valued to motivate them to keep pushing forward.

 

Here are some tips to help you understand and motivate your athletes:

 

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Encourage Open Communication

 

The most important factor to consider when motivating an athlete is open communication. You need to encourage the player to open up to you about their fears and aspirations. If they feel like you understand them, they will be more open to listen to your advice and to accept your guidance. You can also learn more about the athletes by communicating with them and develop a better relationship with them.

 

Tone Down the Criticism

 

Constructive criticism is the backbone of creating successful athletes. However, it’s essential to draw a line between constructive criticism and criticism just for its sake. Every coach and parent can feel frustrated at times. The frustration must not come out in the form of criticism—that could seriously harm the athlete. Use encouragement and instruction to help the athlete recognize their mistake and take the necessary steps to rectify it.

 

Commend Their Success Even If It’s A Small Victory

 

Most young athletes want to have fun and feel successful when they are participating in any sport. As a coach, you need to keep commending any success or improvement in their skills and abilities to encourage the players to keep striving for more. No victory is too small, even if it’s something as simple as finishing a tough practice drill.

 

Set Realistic and Achievable Goals

 

Setting goals that the athlete can strive towards and achieve can be a tremendous motivator. However, if you set unrealistic goals that the player is unlikely to achieve, it could backfire by affecting their psyche and confidence in their abilities. Set achievable goals according to the athlete’s skills, age, and ability level and celebrate each time they hit a particular milestone.

 

Keep Reminding Them About Their Love for The Sport

 

Over time, athletes tend to lose their focus and lose sight of their end goal. They might become depressed after losing a game or feel overwhelmed by the competition. At times like these, it’s the coach or parent’s job to make them think back to why they started playing the sport in the first place and encourage them to reassess their goals. It can also help to remind them that it’s just a game, and the main thing is to have fun while trying your best!

 

For more inspiration and motivation, follow my journey as I attempt to win Afriac’s first Winter Olympic Games medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.  

By |2020-05-20T10:51:09+00:00May 5th, 2020|Blog|0 Comments

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