Setting Goals
by Daniel Frankl, Ph.D.
Courtesy of
Kids First Soccer
Information presented here is based on the discussion by Gould, D.
(1998). Goal setting for peak performance. In J.M. Williams (Ed.)
Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance
(3rd ed.)
ELEMENTS THAT MAKE
EFFECTIVE GOALS
- a pre-determined level of proficiency on a specific motor skill
or fitness component(s)
- specific time frame or deadline to reach goal
- plan of action to achieve goal
- baseline and deadline performance measurement procedures
McClements (1982) provides the
following specific distinction between types of goals:
SUBJECTIVE GOALS
:
perform better or improve, try very
hard, create and run interesting practices (goal for coach), be liked
and appreciated, be happy...have fun...(note that the subjective goals
listed here are very hard if not impossible to quantify and thus
measure)
GENERAL
OBJECTIVE GOALS:
making friends, becoming popular among
peers, making the team, improving win/loss record, making it to the
finals, winning a tournament...etc. (note that the general objective
goals listed here are very hard to control since its main concerns are
outcomes rather than processes)
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVE GOALS:
increasing the percentage of
first possessions, decrease the number of throw-in foot errors (this
is the negative version of "increase the percentage on correct
throw-ins"), increase the number of times a player simply makes
contact with the ball in soccer... (note that specific objective goals
are simpler to evaluate and allow better control by the individual)
Similarly, Martens, Christina,
Harvey and Sharkey (1981) contrasted outcome and performance
goals.
OUTCOME GOALS:
highlight the final result as it
is contrasted with another person's achievement
PERFORMANCE
GOALS:
The focus is on the process by which a
result was achieved. Each most recent performance is contrasted with
earlier efforts by same individual.
The distinction between the different types of goals is very crucial
since the available empirical evidence has consistently demonstrated
that specific objective goals, combined with
performance goals, are the most efficient facilitators of
behaviour modification and/or change.
GOAL-SETTING
GUIDELINES
The use of goals clearly
outperforms a "play as you go" no goals approach. Still, bare in mind
that not all goal-setting approaches are equally effective. Following
is a summary of successful goal-setting procedures:
- identify and record team and personal goals; outline a strategy
for reaching the agreed upon set of goals
- state goals using easy to measure motor skills or fitness
components (i.e., state your goals in performance rather than
outcome terms)
- maintain the delicate balance between challenging yet attainable
goals; be prepared to modify team and/or individual athlete goals to
keep the balance
- break long-term goals into several short-and intermediate term
goals and apply a corresponding time frame and target dates to each
goal
- have specific goals for soccer practices, practice games, and
regular season games (the goal in pre-season games may be to
experiment with a variety of offensive and defensive formations,
during a regular game the goal may shift to implementation and
proper execution of a specific game plan...
- use positive language when stating your goals (emphasis is on
"what to do" as opposed to "what not to do." For example, "Listen to
and follow the referee's instructions" versus "Do not argue with the
referee."
- set special times for the development and evaluation of your
goals
- provide continuous performance feedback and positive
reinforcement
Based on Botterill's (1983)
discussion, Gould (1986) proposed the following three- phase
goal-setting system: (The following would be a lot to ask or
expect of the coach to be achieved in a typical 10 week little league
soccer season. The child's parents can help by interviewing their
child and submitting to the coach their and their child's goals for
the season. The head coach may now have something to work with. He/she
may "collapse" all similar goals by team members and assign specific
areas of practice to her/his assistants or parent volunteers).
THE PLANNING
PHASE
- Get in touch with your personal coaching philosophy (sincere
goals are easier to stick to and thus you may avoid confusion on the
team)
- Identify individual and team needs (separate the kids that
distract each other, allow the kids to be kids, allow for
socialization time, provide "custom made" emotional support to team
members, provide active fitness and on task skills opportunities,
create environments in which team members would have a good chance
to succeed [e.g., score goals during practice games,] in areas that
otherwise would be an almost impossible task in a regular season
match...)
- Based on identified team and individual needs facilitate a goals
discussion with players and parents (consider the feasibility of
your planned goals)
- Identify and implement strategies to achieve team and individual
player goals
THE MEETING PHASE
- Present your ideas to parents and kids in a team meeting
(provide parents with a "work sheet" with some leading questions
that they could hand back to you with their and their child's ideas
and comments, e.g., "What do you like most about soccer practices?
Games? What do you like ).
- Plan a follow-up meeting in which parent and child are asked to
reflect upon their personal and team expectations and goals (make
sure you clarify with your parents and children their priorities,
specific needs, and realistic expectations)
- Discuss team and individual goals throughout the season with
parents and individual players (You may consider developing goals of
practice between official practice days. On our 9-10 year-old boys'
soccer team we assign ball control (e.g., kicking against wall,
throw-ins to wall, juggling, wall kicking, dribbling, etc...) drills
to the kids. The less experienced and skilled child would greatly
benefit from adult supervision and specific feedback since "Practice
alone does not necessarily result in proper learning. Well planned
and executed practice does."
THE
FOLLOW-UP/EVALUATION PHASE
-
Collect an accurate "snape shot" of
pre-and early season initial motor skills (Some of the available
soccer skills
tests include but are not limited to the Shuttle Run Test, the
Dribbling
Test, The Wall Kick Skills Test, the
Punting Test
the
Passing/Trapping Test, the Target Shooting Test, the Juggling
Test and more...). Diagrams and test procedures are now available at
the above links.
-
Create methodical systems of providing
feedback. Avoid using phrases such as "You missed..." or "Kick the
ball to the corner of the goal..." or "When passing to a team-mate
send a ground ball..." and stop at that. Instead tell and
demonstrate to the child how to more effectively place her/his
balancing foot, where should the balancing foot's toe point to. Show
the child how to properly drive the ball using the the kicking foot
by pointing out where to contact the ball...Most kids see better
than adults, and they know the ball went out, over, or too much to
the left. That was quite obvious. They need us to tell them why it
happened and what can they do to correct their actions.
- Create team and individual evaluation charts. You may assign a
motivated team parent to chart their child's (or any child's) field
movements and contacts with the ball (prepare several field charts
with the child's name and the five minute observation interval
(e.g., 00-5:00; 5:00-10:00; etc.). Chart movement without ball using
a broken line, for contact with ball put down a number, e.g., #1, 2,
3, etc.,) where contact took place, draw uninterrupted line to
describe passes and shots.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN
SETTING GOALS
-
Setting too many goals too soon.
You may jolt down as many goals as you wish. Just be sure to
prioretise goals and work plans.
-
Stating most goals in general
subjective terms. Be as specific and as precise as you can be
when stating your goals.
-
Not appreciating individual
differences. Some kids just can't apply themselves as others to
the team's goals. What may seem as their 70% may in fact represent
their 100% at this point in time. Kids grow and mature at a
different pace. Some are where you'd like them to be at when you
first meet them, and some will perform for the coach two seasons
away. Kids may experience different learning curves, and may have a
variety of preferences for lead-up games, drills, and feedback
remarks. What may seem challenging to the coach and some kids on the
team may appear as boring to others. So do not take it personally,
for example, when a seven-year-old does not like your hard labored,
wonderfully crafted practice plan...
-
Holding on too long to unrealistic
goals. Let go and move on.
-
Omitting "performance Goals."
(e.g., "Team will execute three [or as many as you think is
appropriate given your current level of team play] sets of three or
more consecutive passes during a match by the fifth regular season
game."
-
Putting exessive emphasis on
technique-related goals. (Behaviors that relate to
sportsmanship, punctuality, hard work/effort, help with setting
equipment, being supportive of teammates when they commit a
mistake...etc...are just as important as proper trapping or passing
to the child's overall learning experience.
-
Not appreciating the time commitment
needed to implement a proper goal-setting program. (Take the
time to measure and discuss baseline performance, and set time aside
for reevaluation and charting of progress.)
-
Not fostering a supportive
goal-setting environment. (Create charts with baseline and
consecutive evaluation interval results)
SUMMARY
"GOALS ARE EFFECTIVE
BECAUSE THEY INFLUENCE PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES SUCH AS SELF-CONFIDENCE,
DIRECT ATTENTION TO IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE TASK, MOBILIZE EFFORT,
INCREASE PERSISTENCE AND FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LEARNING
STRATEGIES (Gould, 1993, p. 168)."
"IN ESSENCE, GOAL SETTING INVOLVES COMMITMENT AND EFFORT ON THE PART
OF THE COACHES AS WELL AS ATHLETES (Gould, 1993, p. 164)." |
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