Earlier this week I received a call from a friend who stepped away from coaching after winning a couple of state championships but is now considering a return to the sidelines. He had one question, “What’s the biggest difference between kids now and 5 years ago.” Without hesitation, I replied. “extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation.”
My wife, a pediatric occupational therapist, working in 17 schools with over 150 kids in her caseload, would provide a laundry list of the issues kids struggle with post-COVID. Many of them come into play when coaching today’s players and cause us coaches to alter teaching techniques, volume of material, and duration of meeting times. But the biggest difference that impacts the entire team lies with the answer to his question.
Before COVID, our players were intrinsically motivated. They engaged in all football related activities for the inherent satisfaction it provided. They were motivated to be the best possible players and teams they could be on that day while doing that drill. Year after year, players and teams worked hard to be as good or better than the previous year’s team and players perpetuating a culture of success. They did not need external rewards or punishments to motivate them. Today’s players seem to require more external motivation (rewards or punishments) to get the same level of performance we were accustomed to before COVID.
Both types of motivation play important roles in driving behavior. Understanding the balance and dynamics between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is crucial for today’s coaches. Both can be effective in encouraging desired behaviors, but intrinsic motivation is more sustainable and leads to greater personal satisfaction for individuals and collectively for the team.
Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!
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