Goal setting in sports is not a new concept. It has been there always. All sportsmen know that they can excel only if they have a clear goal before them. This goal can be to participate in Olympics; it can be to be a national champion in swimming; it can be to make it to the college team. Each sportsman sets his or her goals, and tries to achieve them with the help of coaches or their own efforts.
The key to success is to have a clear goal. However, this goal should be realistic and based on the sportsman’s skills. Not everyone can become a world champion. There are many who should be happy to win a medal at the college level, and this is what their goal should be.
The goals need not be set for individual records. They can be set to enhance fitness, improve attendance, increase intensity, develop team spirit or establish consistency. They also need to be specific. Instead of saying, “I want to improve my performance,” a sportsman must define his goal as, “I want to win the next 200 meter race.”
It is also sensible to have a few, carefully defined goals than several goals. This allows sportsmen and coaches to keep their attention focused. They are also able to set better deadlines. Timelines are especially valuable in high-risk sports where fear often promotes procrastination in learning new skills.
Team goals in case of team sports can easily be broken down into individual goals with each individual having specific responsibilities and specific targets to meet for the overall success of the team.
It is not only the individual who sets the goals in sports but also the coach. For the coach goal setting is more about how he or she is motivating the sportsman. By providing more time and attention to an athlete who is having a lean time, or by rewarding those who are doing better, the coach helps sportsmen achieve their goals more easily.
