October 6, 2014
It's football season and I have been thinking about how the players are motivated to follow through with their commitment to the team as well as to themselves.
As kids we loved to play with our friends and as teens our world revolved around favorite activities we enjoyed doing with friends. This is a natural built-in passion to get involved. When I was a high school and college athlete my motivation came from family encouragement, friends, coaches and the love of the sport. How do athletes get motivated today?
I talked with Tim May, the basketball coach and teacher, as well as former student, at Coast Union High School in my small town of Cambria. He shared his ideas on how he motivates his players.
Set the example
"I can't expect someone to do something if I haven't taken part in it," he says. "Whether it's a physical activity or a classroom activity, if I don't do what I'm expecting my players or students to do, I'm not going to know how to get them to do it. I have seen too many unsuccessful examples of people who don't offer consistency. Hopefully a good example will become ingrained and become intrinsic for that student or player."
Humor
"When trying to motivate someone or to get them motivated," May explained, "I think they need to feel at ease. Whatever they are about to undertake, physically or mentally, humor allows them to know that you are there for them and encouraging them along the way. Even though it may be a seriously challenging situation or their next chapter in life, smiling and laughing helps ease the process and makes it more enjoyable. We know how hard it is to commit to something."
Track their progress
May believes that showing a person the progress they are making is perhaps the most practical and best coaching technique. "The person that needs the motivation can see tangible evidence of what they have accomplished," he pointed out. "Whether this is in the weight room, on the scale, in the classroom or on the court, being able to show a person where they were one week ago and where they are now is priceless. The easiest way to do this is through journaling or using a notebook to track progress -- or today's version, finding an appropriate app -- and using it for whatever activity you're undertaking."
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In addition to Tim's comments, my friend Susan McDonald pointed me to an
interesting article in the Los Angeles Times about her son's football team. He is Kris Krich, who coaches the University of La Verne football team in La Verne, CA, a small town near Pomona east of Los Angeles. He encourages his football team with some of those same ideals that Tim May learned as a student at Coast Union and teaches today.
It seems the process hasn't changed so much.
So, let the games begin. Encouraging our young men and women to continue learning how to achieve their own personal success is a gift that keeps on giving.
