by Dr. Alan Goldberg
Use compliments and positive feedback in relation to your athletes’ efforts. Giving athletes timely praise and attention is crucial for developing their self-confidence and fueling their motivation. Be sure to practice catching your athletes doing things right. Consistent negative feedback and criticism without any positive feedback will eventually make your players feel inadequate, unworthy and not good enough. Whether you mean to or not, it will communicate to them that you don’t believe that they have what it takes to get the job done. In addition, constant negativity from the coach will eventually undermine your athletes’ motivation.
