Techniques used by coaches

to improve the performance

of athletes.
 Goal Setting
Goal setting is what coaches and athletes use to help focus and try achieve the
next level in sporting situations. It is one of the most widely used technique in
sports. It’s used to increase motivation and confidence of the athlete. Its
reasonably easy for the coach to set the athlete goals. The goals could be short
term, medium term or long term. The goals follow the rule of Smarter.
Short term goals:
•Between one day and one month
•This is used to help achieve long term goals
•Usually simple and reasonably easy to achieve

Long term goals:

• Helps athletes determine what they want out of the
sport
•Could be over a few years
•Helps elite athletes
 Positives and Negatives to Goal Setting
Positives
•Athletes know what to aim to
achieve
•Helps focus athletes
•Allows training sessions to link to
the goal
•Gradual steps to reach the goal
•Motivates athlete by them
knowing what they will achieve
Negatives
•If the athlete is unable to
achieve the set goal they may
lose motivation
•The athlete may feel the goal is
being focused on more than the
actual sport
•The athlete may feel under
pressure to achieve
 Observation Analysis
Observation analysis is when a coach watches and evaluate the athletes
performance. Observation analysis has developed hugely over the last decade
due to the improvement of technology. It can be used by a coach in any
situation, its simple and widely used as a major technique.
The coach can just see the athlete and pick up on what was good and needed
improvement. They can observe skills, tactics and techniques.
The feedback given after observation is
what provides the athlete with the
knowledge of what to improve.
There is now special recording equipment
which can video or photograph the athlete
in action, this allows the athlete to see for
themselves.
 Positives and Negatives of Observation
Analysis

Positives Negatives
• Easy and cheap • A coach may not notice
• Quickly improves fault of the something that needs to be
performer corrected
•Can be used for any level of •The athlete may feel the coach
athlete from beginners to the elite is picking out more bad points
performers than good lowering motivation
 Fitness Assessment

Fitness assessments allow coaches to

quickly made conclusions on fitness
levels. There are a range of different
fitness tests all with a different fitness
component to be tested. They allow the
coach to design a training programme to
improve weaknesses that have shown up
in testing.
 Positives and Negatives of Fitness testing
Positives
• Allows the coach and athlete to
identify strengths and weaknesses
•Able to monitor progress of
fitness and compare results from
the past
•Athletes with high fitness levels
and good test results are more
likely to be noticed
Negatives
• An athlete that does not test well
but may have good technique may
go unnoticed
•Lowers motivation if athlete is
unable to beat original results
•May create competition between
team members which may lead to
arguments and disagreements