Burton offers some guideline for applying each of these principles. Rewards Rewards are the incentives coaches use to teach skills to athletes and boost their motivation. A variety of behaviors deserve rewards, Burton says. Be careful not to fall into the trap of rewarding successful outcomes only, he says. Other behaviors worthy of recognition include, effort, performance improvement, sportsmanship and teamwork.
Rewards take many forms.
Burton advises using extrinsic rewards when teaching skills or increasing motivation, but also trying to wean athletes from them. Continuing to use extrinsic rewards reduces the likelihood that athletes will maintain the target behavior. Eliminating them frees up coaches' time and allows athletes to motivate themselves. Intrinsic rewards include competence, control, self-satisfaction and enjoyment. They fuel behavior over a long period of time, and the more intrinsically motivated athletes are, the more likely they are to stick with an activity.