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Winning Coaches Know the Secret of Goal Setting
Kyle Henderson
When asking the majority of people before a contest, whether
it be a rugby match or a spelling bee, what they want, they
will inevitably say, "I want to WIN."
Who doesn't?
I have yet to meet anyone who competes that says they don't
care if they win as long as they have fun. That was fine when
we were six but it isn't going to cut it now. So, how do we
do it, how do we win?
The answer that you are looking for may be found in goal setting.
Too many teams overlook this factor, which may be considered
the most important training tool available to any team. It
doesn't cost anything but time and may be the difference between
an 8-8 record and a 14-2 record. The reason most teams overlook
goal setting is because they assume that everyone on the team
wants the same thing; to win, and the responsibility to win
is placed squarely on the shoulders of the coach and so is
goal setting. What most coaches need to understand is that
every individual on the team has different goals for themselves
as a part of the team. I stress individual because everyone
on the team is different and they have different attributes
and attitudes, which is very evident in a sport like rugby,
and can be seen in every training session and game. It is
the coach's responsibility to bring these individuals together
as a team and the easiest way to do that is by setting team
goals.
Let's be clear: winning is not a goal, it is the outcome or
result of achieving the goal(s) we set as a team.
In order to get the maximum results from the goals that we
have set we must follow a few basic principles; the S.M.A.R.T.
principles which stand for: S - specific, M - measurable,
A - attainable, R - realistic, T - time.
S - specific. In order to achieve a goal it has to
be specific. For example, our goal is to win 50% more of our
games then we did last year. Let's use the example above with
last year's record of 8-8, in order to achieve our goal of
50% more victories; we now have a goal to achieve a 12-4 record.
Please keep in mind that this must be a goal that is agreed
upon by every team member. Also know that further goal setting
is required to reach this record; how are we going to get
to that record has to be answered, what do we have to do as
a team to get there, what attitude is needed, what training
requirements are needed, and so on.
M - measurable. Can our goal be measured? If we are
using the goal of winning 50% more games, then the answer
is yes it can be measured by the number of wins and losses
we achieve. If we said that we want to play better as a team,
even though we can feel if we played better, it isn't something
that we can measure. I'm sure we have all been a part of games
when we didn't play well, but still came away with the win
and vice versa, we played great, but lost. Playing better
isn't measurable, but winning 50% more of our games is.
A - attainable. Can we win 50% more of our games this
year compared to last? Can this be achieved? If your team
has a record of 16-0 then it is impossible and can't be attained,
but our 8-8 record turning into 12-4 record can be achieved.
We have to remember that everyone on the team has to believe
that it is attainable, not just the coach or a select few.
Without the collective agreement of the team the goal may
not be achieved.
R - realistic. The biggest problem most coaches are
faced with is the reality of the goals they are striving to
achieve. For example, our record last year was 2-14, to come
out and say that our goal is to have a record this year of
12-4 isn't very realistic. The team must believe that the
goal can be achieved or they will not buy into it. We have
to make sure that we set a goal that everyone thinks we can
reach. If we set a goal that is too high, the majority of
our players will recognize this and not put the effort needed
because it's too unrealistic. The mentality will possibly
be, "why kill myself for something that isn't going to happen?"
On the other hand if we set our goal too low we will get the
same effect, "I don't need to put in much effort to achieve
that goal." As a coach, we hope we never see this mindset
in our rugby players, because it is a direct reflection on
us and our ability to help the team set realistic goals. When
we set a goal that everyone on the team thinks we can achieve,
they will all put in the effort necessary to achieve that
goal.
T - time. A big problem that arises when goal setting
is that we don't set a specific date to achieve the goals
we have set out. Using the example of winning 50% more games
and having a 12-4 record seems like the time is already set
out for us, by the end of the season. However, to ensure that
we achieve our goals we must break them down into smaller
goals. For example; after our first four (4) games we need
our record to be at the minimum 3-1 in order to have a realistic
shot at attaining 12-4. After eight (8) games we need to be
6-2 and so on.
We only used one example to show team goal setting, but we
can't stop here. In order for us to achieve this goal we must
devise the proper strategy and action plan. It isn't enough
to say we want to win 50% more of our games, anyone can say
that. As a coach, it is our responsibility to set goals with
all of our players in order for them to achieve their individual
goals and to attain the desired team goals.
These principles apply both on and off the rugby field. We
must set a goal and mini goals for everything we wish to accomplish;
nothing will be accomplished just because we set a goal; we
have to continuously work towards reaching that goal.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
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