The Case for Cultivating Intrinsic Motivation:
Strategies for Putting the FUN Back Into
Youth Sports.
Kelly Witte
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
[email protected]
Lynda Butler-Storsved
Elon University
[email protected]
National Standards for Sport Coaches
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Domain 1 – Philosophy and Ethics
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Domain 4 – Growth and Development
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Safety, development, and well-being of athlete
Model & teach appropriate behavior
Create effective learning environments
Modify practice and competitive toward competition readiness
Domain 5 – Teaching and Communication
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Positive learning environment appropriate to athletes
Youth Sports Culture
Good News
Participation
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40 million participants in youth sports:
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Up to age 18 participate in various sports at
all levels
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The Center for Kids First in Sport, 2011
Health benefits
 Lifetime skills
 Team work
 Problem-Solving
 Overcome challenges, etc.
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Youth Sports Culture
Bad News
Youth Sports Culture
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80% drop out by age 12
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Indiana University Media Relations (2006)
Fewer than 1% college scholarship
 73% drop out by age 13
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National Center for Educational Statistics (2010)
i9 Sports independent survey (2012)
84% ages 8-12 quit or wanted to quit
 84% wish they had more FUN
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Youth Sports Culture
Coaching Education
 Hyper organized
 All consuming
 Often expensive
 Hyper competitive
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Winning > the experience
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Display of comradeship with an opponent is a sign of
weakness.
Laughter is judged as a lack of competitiveness.
Teach strategies to take unfair advantage of an
opponent.
Children coaxed to cheat, intimidate.
Winning supersedes friendship, respect, self-worth.
Etc.
Cultivate, Elicit, & Sustain IM
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IM is taking part in an activity for the pleasure
and sense of fulfillment one receives from the
activity itself (Ryan & Deci, 2000)
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Research . . . .
Positive and information-based feedback
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Training & Instruction, democratic
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Inclusive member worth
Intrinsic goal framing / increased persistence
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Process vs. outcomes
Feeling successful
What People are Doing
National Alliance for Youth Sports
 Start Smart
 Educated Sport Parent
 Positive Coaching Alliance
 Competitive Engineering
 BeLikeCoach
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National Alliance for Youth Sports
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Development of
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Recommendations for Communities
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National Standards for Youth Sports – 9 Standards
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Standard
Standard
Standard
Standard
1:
2:
3:
5:
Quality Sports Environment
Fun & a portion of Child’s Life
Training & Accountability
Parent’s Commitment
Certification programs for league administrators, volunteer coaches, and
officials
Sportsmanship training program for parents
Start Smart Sports Development Programs
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Trained administrators
Parent orientation and training for parent coaches
Hold everyone accountable for behavior
Recreation Agencies Programs
Parent/Guardian Programs
Website link
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http://www.nays.org/index.cfm
The Educated Sports Parent
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Provides information to league administration, coaches, and
parents
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Sampling of information includes
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What kids want out of sports as opposed to what adults want
Whether awards should be given or not
Health and training information
Role of the parent
Program modifications that should be utilized
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General modifications
Sport specific for basketball, baseball, football, hockey, and soccer
Website link
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http://www.educatedsportsparent.com/
The Positive Coaching Alliance
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Mission is to provide all youths and high school athletes a
positive, character-building youths sports experience.
Provides resources for
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Coaches
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Parents
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Tools for relationship with coach and child
Online course and books for purchase
Athletes
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Tools for working with parents and athletes
Talking Points free e-mail subscription
Online “Ask PCA: Expert Advice”
Online courses and books for purchase
Tools for becoming a Triple-Impact Competitor and others
Online course and book for purchase
Leaders
Officials
Website link
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http://www.positivecoach.org/
Competitive Engineering
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Engagement Goals
 Based on Coakley’s “sandlot” principles
 Increase action and scoring
 Keep scores close
 Create extensive personal involvement
 Promote positive social relationships
CE intended outcomes
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Increase intrinsic motivation
Enhance skill development
 Increase perceived competence
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Maximize fun & enjoyment
 Attract athletes
 Minimize burnout & attrition
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CE Research
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Enhance action & scoring / personal involvement
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Modifications
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39% attrition 4th grade flag-football
3 second delay for defense to rush passer
Use junior size football
Results
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Scoring increased by over 100%
Attrition rate dropped to 16.7%
10% growth in new 4th graders
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QuickStart tennis (42%)
Pyramid of Teaching Success in Sport
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Self-Improvement vs. comparisons
Greater satisfaction
 Higher self-esteem
 Improved relationships
 Lowering dropout rates
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4 C’s of athlete development
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Competence, confidence, connection,
character
PofTSS - Foundation
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Love
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Friendship, loyalty, & cooperation
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Dedication to each athlete
Sets the stage for collaboration
Balance
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Alignment what thinks, says, & does
2nd Tier, Coaches Learning Community
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Industriousness
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Careful planning
Curiosity
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Know the why, not just how
Resourcefulness
 Self-examination
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3rd Tier, Heart of the Pyramid
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Core elements of effective teaching
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Pedagogical knowledge
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Subject knowledge
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Comprehensible content for mastery learning
Learning the rules, or playing first base
Conditioning
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Physical, mental, emotional
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Social & moral endurance
Role models
4th Tier, Courage & Commitment
Defend principles
 Maintain standards
 All athetes
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Resources
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http://belikecoach.com/portal/
http://educatedsportsparent.com/
http://www.educ.msu.edu/ysi/
http://www.i9sports.com
http://www.nays.org
http://www.nays.org/Sports_Programs/start_smart/
http://www.positivecoach.org/
Anderson, K. (2010). A QuickStart tennis study. Coaching & Sport Science
Review, 5(1), 15-16.
Amorose, A. J. & Horn, T. S. (2000). Intrinsic Motivation: relationships with
collegiate athletes’s gender, scholarship status, and perceptions of their
coaches’ behavior. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 22, 63-84.
Resources
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Burton D., Gillham A.., & Hammermeister J. (2011). Competitive engineering:
Structural climate modifications to enhance youth athletes’ competitive
excellence. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 6(2), pp.
201-217. doi: 10.1260/1747-9541.6.2.201
Burton D., O’Connell K., Gillham A.., & Hammermeister J. (2011). More cheers
and fewer tears: Examining the impact of competitive engineering on
scoring and attrition in youth flag football. International Journal of Sports
Science & Coaching, 6(2), pp. 219-228. doi: 10.1260/1747-9541.6.2.219
Gilbert, W., Nater, S., Siwik, M., & Gallimore, R. (2010). The pyramid of teaching
success in sport: Lessons from applied science and effective coaches.
Sport Psychology in Action, 1(2), 86-94.
doi:10.1080/21520704.2010.528172
Ryan, R.M. and Deci, E.L. (2000). Self determination theory and the facilitation
of intrinsic motivation, social development and well being. American
Psychologist, 55, 68-78
Resources
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Vansteenkiste, M., Simons, J., Soenens, B., & Lens, W. (2004). How to become
a persevering exerciser? The importance of providing a clear, future
intrinsic goal in an autonomy-supportive manner. Journal of Sport and
Exercise Psychology, 26, 232–249.