Introduction

A coach should try to find out what individual needs of players are and then cater for them (where possible). From such a dialog lots of good things can happen:

• you can adjust your plans, perhaps even your ambitions
• players get a better understanding of their role and place in the team,
• and because of it, a sense of purpose

You can help this process by organising goal setting sessions where you actually take the team inside and sit down to discuss how to continue. This part of my site describes:

• the place of Goalsetting from a the teambuilding perspective
• personal: it is also important for your own sake that you match your ambitions with those of the team
• approach: how to set it up
• about performance and outcome goals
• what I did with my team

Approach to goal setting

Generally what you need to do is transform the ideas/wishes/ambitions of the individual players to a training program. Goal setting is therefore not easy. I use the Mental Game Plan book approach:

Step 1: have the players list the things that they would like to see happening to them and the team.

Step 2: distinguish between wish (would be nice) and want (can happen and willing to work for)

Step 3: prioritise, list the "wants" in order of importance

Step 4: only continue with the "wants" rated important or very important and write down the events where the one you feel will take the longest is on top. This is the long term goal.

Step 5: discuss each individual event with your players:

• is it realistic? physical ability? commitment?
• is it challenging? will it make the player work harder? will it learn the player new skills?
• is it achievable? (competitive) opportunity?

This is where you normally read about SMART goal: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time related. I would like to add Self-controlled and Challenging.

Based on the discussions you can adjust the list.

Step 6: describe / determine what you have to do for these events to happen. You can use a role model.

• Identify: Technical -, tactical -, mental -, fitness - and strength characteristics and perhaps other relevant issues.
• For each characteristic you need to identify the achievers/what to do, either by your role model or by yourself

The role model can be handy: look at what the model or ideal player does and comparing with your own characteristics you will see the competence gap that needs to be closed.

Step 7. now you can work out the development from goals and characteristics to a specific training program.

Step 8. include a description how you are going to monitor your progress, you already did a lot of work to make this possible by identifying the key aspects.