One way I have found to keep my teams motivated is to step back from practice and let the athletes play a game. No matter what the age is, from the little ones to the old age, everyone loves to play games from time to time in practice. The key is to let them play age-appropriate games. I have found that younger teams like to play games as simple as “Duck, Duck, Goose”, while for older athletes, this is not the case. One of the most popular games my teams have played is a game we call “Classes.” This game is where you divide the team into two different teams. Then you explain the rules (you can really make up whatever you want). As a trainer, we would simply give them a task and whoever completed it first would get a point. All of the athletes found this to be a lot of fun and possibly their favorite game to play in practice, even though it’s a simple concept. These are just a few game ideas, however you can have your team play any game you or they want.
Another way I’ve found to keep a team motivated is to set goals that must be met by a specific date. Something as simple as that will keep a team positive and keep in mind that they need to keep working. At the gym where I work, we have all the athletes stand in a circle and hold a piece of tape that connects them all as one. We then walk the line letting each athlete set her personal goal and her team goal. Once we get everyone on the team through, each athlete cuts a small piece of the tape and ties it to their shoe. That way they have a constant reminder of their goal and promise to the team.
Another great way to keep a team motivated is to get them out of the gym as a team. You can do something as simple as having a party at someone’s house. Many times my team would host pasta or pizza parties at someone’s house. They would each contribute to the costs and then bring a dessert, drinks, snacks, appetizers, etc. This is always a fun way to get the team together outside of practice. It is very economical and creates great memories. It also brings the team closer because they hang out and have fun outside of practice.
Another fun way to get the team out of the gym and get them motivated is to go on a team building activity together. Team building activities can be almost anything; an excellent one is the obstacle course. As a team, we went to an outdoor facility (called Iron Oaks) together. There we did fun activities that kept us all thinking. In addition to keeping us thinking, he ensured that we all worked together to achieve a goal. The way this keeps a team motivated is because it keeps a team working together to achieve a goal, just like a team needs to keep working together to get through competitions.
Another key tool to keep a team motivated is simple, communication. Keep communicating with your athletes. Talk to them about the things that are going on in their lives, if they are having problems outside of sports they are likely to take the problems with them to the gym. This causes distractions, and everyone in cheerleading knows that it’s really hard to get practice done when you have other things on your mind.
Make sure you give your team the right tools to stay motivated. Make sure they have the right equipment to be successful, whether it’s the right kind of shoes or clothing to the right kind of mats or trampolines. This will help them train hard and correctly. Athletes will not be able to advance their abilities if they do not have the right tools to keep working and advancing.
The most important way to keep a team motivated is to lead by example. Set a good example for your team, whether you’re a coach, athlete, parent, or gym owner. Setting a good example will make the team look up to you and want to work as hard as you do. If you are a hard worker and positive about things, then your team will look to you for guidance and want to learn from you.