A study by Frank Smoll and Ronald Smith, published in the journal
Motivation and Emotion, confirms that the
mastery motivational environment is more effective in the retention of young athletes.
Mastery coaching essentially creates an environment that is about
positive reinforcement. Young athletes are trained in the micro skills of the game, and are reinforced as they move through the developmental stages of learning new skills, successively honing those skills, and ultimately mastering those skills. It focuses on teamwork and building an environment that views failure as a neccessary part of the growth curve. Players are coached to stay in the moment and stay focused on reacting and responding.
In contrast, Smoll and Smith discussed the less successful, ego oriented environment. This coaching style stresses outcomes, the value of winning at all costs, and delivers the message that one's sense of self is derived in large part from the scoreboard. This environment has been shown to increase anxiety and self-doubt in young athletes, two factors that have a negative impact on optimal performance.
Athletes who embrace the mastery mindset say things like, "I'm excited to see what happens today". Ego oriented athletes are focused on the end result...winning at any cost.
