How to Set Goals for the Sports Season and Stick to Them

If your child has started playing sports, chances are good they have some sort of ambition attached to the experience. Perhaps they want to become a famous player like one of their sports idols. Maybe they want to break a world record someday. Could be that they simply want to be good enough to play and win some games this season. Whatever the reason, these ambitions are not only worth encouraging, they are an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to finding success on the sports field.

Child athletes should have goals, lofty or otherwise. These ambitions help them stay focused and motivated while aiding in the cultivation of valuable life skills like discipline, perseverance, and self-confidence. It doesn’t matter if your child is playing on a football, soccer, or baseball team or if they are learning tennis or gymnastics; setting goals is an integral part of the sports experience. Learning how to set those goals and stick to them can make all the difference in their performance and overall experience.

In this article, we’ll break down the process of setting goals, not just for the sports season at hand, but in terms of your child’s whole sports career. We will teach parents and coaches how they can help kids to stay on track. By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll have a much better understanding of how to guide young athletes toward achieving their sports goals, while continuing to ensure the journey is both enjoyable and rewarding.

Why Goal Setting Is Important for Young Athletes

Before diving into how to set goals, it’s important for parents and coaches to understand why goal setting is so crucial for young athletes. Goals provide kids with a clear direction and introduce a quantifiable way to help athletes measure progress. Now that the child can measure their own success, they remain motivated throughout any given season. Without a specific goal in mind, it can be easy for young athletes to lose interest. They might also become frustrated or end up feel overwhelmed, especially if they aren’t seeing any immediate results.

It’s important to note, however, that not meeting goals can have the opposite effect as well. Therefore, it’s highly important that adults who are working with young athletes keep the goals manageable rather than grandiose. Regardless, here are a few reasons why goal setting is considered to be so essential:

Provides Focus and Motivation

Setting goals gives children a sense of purpose and something to work towards throughout the season. Goals helps them to stay focused on their training and during practice, even when things get tough. Aches and pains might be a nuisance, but with clear objectives in mind, young athletes will still end up being more motivated to put in the effort required to improve their skills.

Builds Confidence

It doesn’t matter if the goal is a big one or a little one, when kids achieve their goals, they feel good about themselves. This boost to their self-confidence will have them believing that anything could be possible with hard work. They will begin to believe in their abilities and feel good about the work they put in to get there. This sense of accomplishment then fuels the child’s desire to continue improving and reach new heights.

Encourages Discipline and Accountability

Setting goals teaches young athletes the value of discipline. They learn that in order to reach their objectives, they will need to put in consistent effort. They will need to make certain they attend practice, put in the work, no matter how hard, and stay committed to their sport and their team. To that end, parents and coaches should be certain to track the child’s progress, while encouraging them to do the same. This methodology will also teach the child to hold themselves accountable for their own development, which fosters a sense of responsibility and autonomy.

Helps Manage Expectations

Now, we all know that not every game or event is going to go as planned. Sports are challenging by nature and whether they admit it openly or not, kids like it that way! The point is, by setting realistic goals, young athletes learn to manage their expectations and understand that growth and success take time. They learn that setbacks are not the end of the world and can refocus those feelings of frustration or disappointment into resilience.

Types of Goals to Set for the Sports Season

When it comes to setting goals for the sports season, it’s often helpful to break them down into different types. The three types of goals we will discuss in this section are called: outcome goals, process goals, and performance goals. Each one of these goals plays a unique role in helping young athletes improve and stay focused throughout the season.

Outcome Goals

Outcome goals are centered around specific results or achievements. Examples of these are winning a game, making it to the playoffs, or earning a particular ranking throughout the course of a tournament. Such goals are often tied to external factors, however, and often depend on how the team performs as a whole. They can also be affected by how other competitors fare. A good example of this would be setting a number of goals in a season or wanting to help the team make it to the championship game. It’s important for parents to understand that while outcome goals can be motivating, they shouldn’t be the sole focus for a child athlete. As previously stated, there are many factors involved in these goals that are simply out of a child’s control. Thus, it’s important to balance them with other types of goals that are more within their control.

Process Goals

Process goals are more focused on specific actions and/or behaviors that will help a young athlete improve over time. Such goals are about mastering specific skills, learning techniques, or cultivating habits that will eventually lead to better performance. Unlike outcome goals, which are affected by external factors, process goals are completely within the athlete’s control. Examples of these goals are about practicing certain dribbling exercises or improving one’s footwork. Process goals are great because they contribute to the foundation of long-term success. These goals emphasize consistent improvement and effort and can be used in many future facets of a child’s life.

Performance Goals

Performance goals measure a young athlete’s individual progress and improvement. Such goals focus on specific performance benchmarks, things like running a faster mile, increasing accuracy in shooting, or improving flexibility in gymnastics. Once again, performance goals are all about a child’s personal development and can be tracked over time. These types of goals allow kids to measure their progress and see tangible improvements, which can boost self-confidence.

How to Set SMART Goals

One strategy that many athletes employ in their own careers utilizes the SMART goal framework. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This framework helps to ensure that a child’s goals are clear, realistic, and trackable, all of which increase the likelihood of the child sticking to them throughout the season. Each one of these SMART goals can be prompted by a specific question, which can be seen in the following section.

Specific

SMART goals should be clear and specific. Instead of setting a vague goal like “I want to get better at basketball,” a parent might prompt the child to think of a more specific, specialized goal. An example of this would be “I want to improve my shooting accuracy by practicing 30 minutes each day.”

• Questions to ask your young athlete: What exactly do you want to achieve? What steps will you take to reach this goal?

Measurable

A SMART goal should also me measurable. Measurable goals allow the child to track their progress and see how close they are to achieving that goal. Examples of this goal could be tracking the number of goals scored, the number of laps swum, or the amount of time spent practicing.

• Questions to ask your young athlete: How will you know when you’ve achieved this goal? What will you measure to track your progress?

Achievable

Ambition is great but the SMARTest goals should be both realistic and achievable. Setting goals that are too difficult can frustrate a young athlete. On the other hand, setting goals that are too easy won’t challenge the. It’s important to find a balance by setting goals that push kids to improve but are still within reach.

• Questions to ask your young athlete: Is this goal realistic given your current skills and resources? What challenges might you face?

Relevant

SMART goals should be relevant, meaning they should align with your child’s overall ambitions in their sport. Make sure that any goals you set are relevant to what the child wants to be doing and what they actually want to achieve as an end result. Doing this will ensure they remain motivated to continue and excited when they succeed.

• Questions to ask your young athlete: Is this goal important to you? How does it contribute to your growth as an athlete?

Time-bound

Goals can’t just sit in the void, waiting for an achievement that will never come. Nearly every athletic activity has some sort of duration attached and SMART goals should have a buzzer as well. Parents should be sure to include a deadline on the goal, be it a short-term goal to achieve by the end of the month or a long-term goal for the entire season. No matter what, having a time frame creates urgency and helps kids to stay on track.

• Questions to ask your young athlete: When do you want to achieve this goal? What milestones will you hit along the way?

Tips for Sticking to Goals Throughout the Season

Once your child has set their goals, the next challenge for parents is helping the child to stick to those goals. Kids are fickle at the best of times, and unfortunate things like setbacks, losses, and even a bad day can prevent them from meeting their goals in a timely manner. Heck, depending on the severity of the situation, a child might give up on that goal entirely. With that in mind, here are some practical tips to help your young athlete stay motivated and on track throughout the season.

Break Goals into Smaller Steps

Lofty goals can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for younger children. To make them more manageable, break goals down into smaller, actionable steps. For instance, if the goal is to improve shooting accuracy in basketball, break that down into daily or weekly tasks. Perhaps the child can practice 50 shots each day or try focusing on specific shooting drills.

Track Progress

Tracking your child’s progress is the key to keeping them motivated. Encourage them to keep a journal or log where they can record their achievements and track their own improvements. Kids can keep a record of their personal bests and any new skills they’ve learned. It might seem superfluous to some, but seeing progress in black and white can boost motivation and show your young athlete that their hard work is paying off.

Celebrate Small Wins

Every step that your child takes towards their goal is worth celebrating in some way, no matter how small. It’s important for parents to recognize and celebrating even minor improvements so that the child can stay motivated. These “attaboy” moments will also help your child to excited to continue working toward their larger goals. Even if setbacks occur, keep encouraging your child to be their best self and meet their goals.

Role of Parents and Coaches in Goal Setting

Parents and coaches will always play a critical role in helping young athletes set and achieve their sports goals. Here’s how you can support your child throughout the entirety of the goal-setting process:

Provide Guidance and Offer Encouragement

Help your kid by setting realistic and meaningful goals. Talk them through their ambitions and aspirations and break down their loftier goals into more manageable steps. Whether their goals are long or short, however, being supportive and positive is key. If your kid is facing challenges or making significant progress, remember to offer encouragement and remind them of their strengths. And don’t forget to celebrate their efforts no matter the outcome. Keep the focus on improvement rather than just the end-result.

Cultured Athlete Says…

In conclusion, setting goals is an invaluable part of any child’s sports experience. By providing direction, motivation, and a sense of accomplishment, nurturing your child’s ambitions and helping them manage goals will ultimately enrich their sports experience.