Motivation

We just wrapped up our middle school basketball season at the Anglo American School of Sofia. I had the pleasure of coaching this wonderful group of young women who were energetic, lively, enthusiastic, bundles of emotion. For most of the girls, this was their first experience playing basketball or being on a team for that matter. When I reflect back on the coaching experience, I remember so many “teachable moments.” It was very rewarding to see the girls improve their basic skills in basketball. I wanted to celebrate when they dribbled the ball down the court, rather than bounce the ball with two hands, when they stopped themselves from leaving the confinements of the playing court or did not foul the opponent when attempting to steal the ball. More impressive was their reaction to praise, motivation and their sheer determination to do their very best. We can all learn important lifelong lessons about the benefits of exhibiting determination, motivation and mental toughness. Experiences such as playing on a basketball team in middle school are character builders and help shape confident, strong, successful women.

We had a culmination to the season with a tournament with schools from the Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA). Our school hosted CEESA, so not only did we have home court advantage, we had significant parental presence. This was a wonderful way for the girls to exhibit their developed skills, work ethic, teamwork and personal growth in the sport. Typically, I am a person who is pretty high-energy and find myself getting an adrenaline rush from the simple things in life. I bring this energy into my coaching. Some would call it passion, while others might see it as loud and garish. I believe in the power of positive coaching. I believe that when a player’s efforts are rewarded with a bellow from the sideline from their coach, the outcome is so much more incredible than when the coach is a passive onlooker. It is the coach’s job to help build character and foster player self-esteem. It is also important to recognize that every player will react to “the bellows” in a different way. It got me thinking about the whole notion of motivation. Are players internally and/or externally motivated? Would our team have been just as successful without my roaring from the sidelines? Does a young adolescent perform the same regardless of what they hear? Is drive or motivation something that people just have inside them? More and more research leans toward the idea that if a person feels motivated (whether intrinsic or extrinsic) they will be more successful in life. I asked one of our star players if she even heard my voice while she played and she said “Coach, your voice is all I hear. It is your guidance from the sideline that makes me want to score a basket.” This solidified my reasoning for encouragement from the trenches. I didn’t need any further verification that my motivational musings were a help not a hindrance. Bottom line, people perform at their best when they are inspired and motivated.

Go Wolves!

Success requires not only that you know where you want to go. You also must acknowledge where you are right now. Unknown

The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more Energy you will have. - Norman Vincent Peale