It is very important that the student athlete set their own goals as the season progresses, Ideally with the help and guidance from the coaches.(or their parents in earlier years ) Taking shared ownership of their development is important because it communicates the importance of taking action, over simply having a desire to develop. Promoting the taking of tangible acts of change, instead of encouraging the simply deciding to change.

 

Interesting when a coach asks how they want to improve or get better at passing, shooting, dribbling, developing a move, throw-ins etc –they will find the team will each mention and group their responses for a one of 3 skills –which helps the coach on what to stress in practices and who is motivated and wants the extra help. A good framework that coaches and other stake holders (parents and teachers) can use to help their players (child and student) not just goal-set, but also create do-able action plan:

 

SMART goals:

 

Specific

Measureable

Adjustable

Realistic 

Time-based 

 

SPECIFIC: A singular, precisely targeted goal that is focuses on a specific area of improvement. Examples are: Better penalty kick placement, increased number of successful ‘juggles’, improved time to complete a drill, exercise, or sprint. “To play better” is an example of a goal that is too broad and unspecific.

 

MEASUREABLE:  Progress towards the goal must be measureable. “To run faster” is too abstract. “To improve my 50 yard dash time by .05” is concrete, and sets ‘time’ as the metric.

 

ADJUSTABLE: Not everything goes according to plan, and sometimes the initial goal can be discovered to be unattainable due to external factors. While a goal should always be designed to promote improvement in a specific area, and ‘improvement’ requires effort and the working to exceed current boundaries, the purpose of goal-setting is to help position the ability to reach a particular goal as the main motivation to continue to pursue that goal.

 

In these cases, it is important to be willing to iterate and adjust as needed based on what’s learned, discovered or encountered, so the core purpose and value of goal-setting is retained, without sacrificing the pursuit of progress and improvement.

 

REALISTIC: It’s important that the goals be within the realm of possibility to achieve, within the defined time frame. “Making 100% of all penalty kicks”, “Improving my 50-yard dash time by 5 seconds,” and “Getting to a million juggles” are examples of goals that are likely not realistic.

 

TIME BASED: A time frame is the ultimate referee because it is what will define the demands, restrictions, and requirements needed to reach a particular goal within that period of time.

 

It’s important to note that it is advantageous to define Short-term/more easily and quickly achieved goals, and Intermediate and Long-Term goals that will require greater effort for greater gains, and combine them into a single action plan. Short-term goals are great for providing a greater sense of more immediate gratification and reward, while Intermediate and Long-Term goals provide the most significant improvement gains, but also demand greater patience and sustained motivation.

 

Tip: It can be a good idea to write down each goal to help more clearly visualize them, and to record progress over time so each step forward can be celebrated. It also helps to give players a greater sense that they’re truly in control of their development, which also helps them to enjoy the journey and not focus solely on the destination.

 

Having goals also gives one purpose and meaning to their efforts. Pursuing and achieving creates a sense of real accomplishment, that helps players feel good about themselves and the positive impact that can have on their own lives.

 

Other benefits to adopting and executing a goal-oriented framework:

 

  • Helps to teach commitment, which in turn helps promote the ability to take dedicated approaches to overcoming challenges
  • Helps to build concentration. To edit out distractions and maintain focus
  • It teaches discipline – which is the bridge between goals and accomplishment
  • It requires learning time management. There is a finite amount of time in which something must be accomplished.
  • It helps build a sense of accountability in one’s life
  • It connects effort with the creation of positive change in one’s life, which raises one’s self-confidence in their ability to own their own achievements
  • It is self-rewarding. Their efforts, their progress, their success. Players can feel it, and most importantly, enjoy it

 

Ultimately, applying this framework helps teach players how to pursue, and achieve the things that are most important to them. But it also gives them the tools to help them conceptualize, communicate, and structure their pursuits in a way that drives real, tangible success within their need to balance the many facets of their lives like family, school, work, and other interests.

 

 

ED WEIL,

United Soccer Coaches