Athlete Motivation

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will, and a lack to change”-Vince Lombardi. Central Dewitt’s football program usually has a tradition of great success and excellent morals. Unfortunately, in the 2014 and 2015 football season they have a combined record of 5-13, which does not live up to the standards of the DeWitt community. There are many problems circulating the football program, but most involve the lack of experience in coaching. Central Dewitt ‘s losing football record for the past two seasons can be solved by coaches properly developing their athletes, incorporating new offensive and defensive strategies, and increasing player participation.

The Green bay packers had the worst record before 1950 and were known as the worst team ever. In 1966 and 1967 they won their first two super bowls and before those great wins and great touchdowns their was a great speech. The former american football player, coach, and executive in the National Football League, Vince lombardi was the head coach who took the Green Bay Packers to victory. The speech was told to his team but later it was a motivational speech for everyone. In Vince T. Lombardi’s motivational speech he evokes the diction of winning, an appeal to the common person’s abilities, and an intense tone to show that there is no room for being number two and being number one is everyone’s goal no matter what they do.

Dungy learned that it takes all 53 of the players on the team to win so he should train the 33rd player on the roster as he would the third player, this has become the spine of Dungy's own coaching philosophy.

Taking it back,as it may sounds lombardi in reality he also faces the reality of facing rivals of other teams which also brings out the competitiveness in himself for his team to win.Every time a football player goes to ply his trade he's got to play from the ground up - from the soles of his feet right up to his head”Being the top alpha is the only rule Lombard sets for his team, he doesn’t need players who thinks having second place is okay only the mindset that being number one is the only place is the best. Players who keeps their head up and never down is the one he wants, he doesn’t need players that won’t push their boulders in order to win. Being a coach may be a hard position but Lombardi was that coach who was there to keep pushing his team. Lombardi may have been a coach that was harsh only wanted commitment and want his team to be number one,not second. A lesson is that there are options,you want to win you go give it your all but if you think it’s alright to be second place there isn’t any place for that just only first place.

For this assignment I will explain the effect of personality and motivation on sports performance.

It is my job as a coach to help develop athletes physically, psychologically, and socially while helping them have fun by playing a sport. I will do this by being enthusiastic and having a positive attitude in practice, games, and while not coaching. This cooperative approach to coaching will create a sense of community within the team I coach, and the athletes will feel more welcome to discuss their thoughts, ideas, questions, and concerns with me. Creating this setting and relationships with athletes will only benefit the team by creating a team culture necessary for the well-being and success of high school sports’ teams. Success in sports means accomplishing goals set by the team, not winning. Winning is important, but just striving to win is even more vital toward the success of teams. As a coach, I will also be a motivator for athletes. Athletes will see me come to practice with a positive attitude, displaying my passion. This is the beginning of how I will motivate athletes. Motivation starts with my attitude, and athletes pick up on this. In order to motivate and want to be motivated, there must be a reason, a why? I will use the teams’ goals they will set, in order to motivate them to give their best effort in order to achieve success by reaching their

For a lot of kids, it’s not until it’s all said and done, and they look back on it several years later, that they realize the difference the sport made in their lives. They are proud of playing the game. Have you ever met anybody who accomplished playing four years of high school football, and at the end of that run said, ‘Man, I wish I wouldn’t have played’? It doesn’t get said. Football players aren’t perfect. Nobody is. But millions of former players, one by one, can recount the life-altering principles they learned from football. They know the value of football is the values in football.That’s why high school football – and particularly high school coaches – play such a vital role in our society. Our football coaches are on the front lines of the battle for the hearts and minds of the boys in our society.

Motivation is defined as the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. For an athlete, motivation can be the difference between waking up at 5:00 a.m. to go for a mile run versus sleeping in. It could be the difference between putting in an extra set of reps in the weight room versus going to the mall with friends. It could be putting in extra time at practice versus going on a date. Motivation is necessary to augment ability. It’s extremely important because one will face tests from fatigue, pain, boredom and outside desires that will challenge the athlete’s focus on becoming the best they can be. Motivation is the center of success, it can be thought of as a tree with the other factors being branches that stem from motivation. It will effect the mental aspects of game preparation, the physical aspects of nutrition, conditioning and sleep. Finally, it will affect the coaching side in terms of training. Some athletes can get through high school and college off size and athleticism.

When one member told Coach Brooks that it was a “pretty loft goal,” Herb responded “well that’s why I want to pursue it.” As Elvis Mitchell from the New York Times says about Herb Brooks, “Taking a group of young, unproven players allows him to beat them down by constant pressure into the unit he wants-he says they may not be the best team, but they're the right one.” (Mitchell 1) Frankly, Coach Brooks was not expected to win.

So many Coaches have talent and dedication for what they do. I 'm proud to play for one that has a spectacular history of coaching. That coach is Dennis Lorio, who Graduated from LSU (Louisiana State University) with an economic degree and played baseball. “I love the intensity and the relationship in football” Coach Lorio explaining with a passionate expression. I can see it in his eyes that he is very dedicated and hardworking coach. As of now he is 62 years old and still willing to coach. “It’s not the same without coaching. The joy and the sorrow I feel during the season has been addicted to me. I’ve been in this game almost all my life and that is a very long time.”

Tony Dungy is a highly respected pillar in the athletic community. Breaking barriers throughout his coaching carrier; he was propelled into the spotlight when he became the first African American coach to win a Super Bowl title. Shortly following his victory in Super Bowl XLI came much intrigue into his coaching style and personal life. Many wondering how he gained the respect of all his players and produced positive results while maintaining a calm demeanor. In his book, Quiet Strength, Tony Dungy speaks on the importance of faith and family. Emphasizing the power of prayer, commitment, and patience within faith. As well as the impact of his family on his career, that ultimately changed the path he had preferred for himself.

From September 11, 1924 (Moritz 270), through the late 1960’s, Tom Landry accomplished a lot of things in his life, and set new trends for many years to come. Whether it be high school football star, or flying combat missions with the United States Air Force. Whether it be playing collegiate football, and really excelling, or actually moving on to a professional football career. Whether it be transforming from player to coach, and leading way for years to come and different programs; Tom Landry had experienced it all. Tom Landry was a great coach and player, whose leadership made him a hero, and a prestigious name in the football world.

Professional football coach, Tony Dungy, is a man of honor and strength throughout his book “Quiet Strength”. Overall, “Quiet strength” is a memoir of Tony Dungy’s life which captures his discovery of what it means to be a Godly leader, on and off the field. In addition, Tony discovers that listening to God as well as those who he has put in his life will give him peace together with wisdom to get through his son's tragic suicide, and media struggles with players Personally, I connected with how Tony portrayed his son’s suicide in his book, considering the stigmas tied to suicide.

As the movie progressed and Coach Boone’s vision came together, Coach Yoast slowly but surely began to show more support. Coach Boone’s consistent preaching, that he did not view the team as black and white players, but instead, simply as football players who must form cohesion and take actions not for self, but for team, eventually rubbed off on Coach Yoast. This is where the culture in the coaching staff began to form. Trust also began to build and the three coaches, now more cohesive themselves were able to accomplish much more in order to coach their players much more constructively. By the time the Titans had made it to the championship, all three coaches had put their differences aside, bought in to the vision and culture, and were able to coach their players to victory.

"Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once and a while; you don't do things right once and a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit, and unfortunately so is losing. There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that is first. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don't ever want to finish second again. There is a second place bowel game, but it is a game for losers played by losers. It has always been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win (Lombardi)."