In a previous post we looked at player motivation in local/amateur footy and it looks something like this:
What we're left with is a continuum of player motivation:
Play for Fun + Play for Individual Success
Play for Team Success
Play with Mates + Mental/Physical Outlet
So we have social reasons on the left and competitive reasons on the right so the aim should be to squeeze the left and right sides closer to the middle so "most" players at your L/A club are pushing towards team success.
What we're left with is a lot possible reasons of why players play with some of them not totally geared towards what "the club" would want them to be geared towards.
For me, personally I play to win a premiership, which I have yet to achieve as yet (and time's running out!).
This is what the higher ups at footy clubs would be after as well but as you filter through the playing ranks you will come across some of the other motivational factors as to why they play.
What's a footy club to do?
My take on this is to actually get the data on it from your players.
At one of their first pre-season sessions, regardless of when it is, get them to wrote down their 3 main goals they want to achieve out of footy this season coming.
Now you can start to group players based on their answers and maybe train/mentor them a little differently.
Coaches should try and have a quick sit down with each player so that they both have an idea of the what the goals really are, the steps involved in how the goals are gong to be reached and also what is to happen next.
PREMIERSHIP DRIVEN PLAYERS
These are the one's we want because now you should be able to get buy-in from all of them with everything they do.
They should be team first, team second and team third and push to uphold the high levels of training and preparation required to win the big one.
Extra training shouldn't be a problem in this case should it?
A lot might say they want to win a premiership but then are they prepared to do what needs to be done to actually do it?
That's what you've got to find out.
INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS DRIVEN PLAYERS
These players can swing both ways a bit.
On 1 hand they know that they will probably always be a "better player' in a good side so that should mean that team success should be right up there.
On the other side they are often more driven then the other players and will become frustrated when they don't see the effort being put forward that they are giving.
A bit of leeway might be required here from both coach and player but as long as communication is maintained on what the expectations are and there is consistency of the message being communicated, this can work and actually pay off.
In the end someone has to actually the trophies at the end of the year so you must have an excellent year to have actually done.
PLAY FOR FUN / PLAY WITH MATES DRIVEN PLAYERS
I think positive reinforcement can be the major factor here.
You've got a player who wasn't playing anywhere but came down with a mate one night and stuck around.
Low expectations initially is what's needed here but as soon as you see something in them, put it in the box and without making too big of a deal of it, put that player in a position to be able to display that skill or trait.
Once they do this on a consistent basis and you've got yourself a diamond in the rough of sorts, then it's time to sit them down and let them know they are required to do what they do best, but within the team structure.
At this point you might also point out some game scenario's where their 'thing" works and where it doesn't.
This will get them into the team first group while also letting them know that they are a valuable piece of the team and without them doing what we need them to do, our chances of winning decrease.
Be wary of pushing these players too far though as their they're not at the top of the committed tree which is again where communication is key.
Once the goal setting has been completed with goals, steps to achieve them and what the outcome looks like, then I would put them up in the change rooms.
This will enable all players to see what each player wants to achieve and can build a nice little piece of internal conflict that all great tams have where honesty is king.
Let's say you've got a half back flanker in the reserves who wants to play 15 senior games next season?
Do you think that will make the current half back flankers work a bit harder knowing that someone one is chasing their spot?
It can also be effective in setting the correct training standards as poor training habits displayed by this same reserves player will not result in them improving enough to reach a senior grade level.
The standard has been set with the goal setting and now the player has to reach it.
Don't make the putting it up in the change rooms compulsory but hopefully that also sets a new standard to that player when other player asks them why isn't there's up there?
At the local/amateur level where there is often just 2 coaches for near on 60 players, player responsibility is a must or too many of them get away with too much and all of a sudden your team is full of players with an assortment of bad habits which leads to inconsistency of play.
Also be sure to revisit with each player throughout the season as well.