Some girls live for the competition, and some girls are in it for the fun. Whatever the reason, it is important that coaches approach squash tournaments and post-match talks in a way that is positive and promotes goals of fun, effort, dedication, and skill development alongside goals of winning. Finding that balance of playing for fun and playing to win has been identified as a particularly supportive strategy related to youth achievement, enjoyment, intrinsic motivation, and long-term engagement in sport.
Research shows that “too much” competitiveness (or a sole focus on winning without a focus on fun and skill development) may undermine motivations to participate in sport, with “too competitive an environment” making the top 10 reported reasons for dropping out or never playing sport for both boys and girls.
When it comes to age and competition, a common trend has shown that the desire for competition among current female players increases with age and becomes a critical component of enjoyment for female players in sports. With a rise in female participation in squash tournaments across the States, coaches and players are starting to understand what preparation, communication, and actions are necessary for their player’s success rate in competition and overall enjoyment to compete.
WHAT TO FOCUS ON POST MATCH:
- Make the first point positive and talk about what they did well during the match. The more negative you are during the talk, the less they will listen to you. Remember, female athletes do not like to be talked down to.
- Shine light on strength and weaknesses of their opponent.
- Have open ended questions on how they feel the match went.
- Ask what they feel when well and what didn’t.
- View the mistakes they made as opportunities to learn and adjust.
- End the discussion with how they are going to move forward and the area of focus in preparation for the next match/competition.
BOUNCING BACK FROM A LOSS: With every sport comes triumphant wins, easy blowouts, close games, and unfortunately, tough losses. Findings show that girls worry more about ‘messing up during a game or competition” than they do ‘making the winning play’. It is important for coaches to be aware of the priorities for their own athletes and ensure their own priorities are similar. When your player feels defeated form a loss and lacks belief in their capability, it is crucial that you remind them that winning is a byproduct of processes not an end goal.
5 WAYS TO HELP YOUR PLAYER RECOVER FROM A LOSS:
- EFFORT AND ATTITUDE: Independent of athletic performance, positive reinforcement should be given when young players display effort and a positive attitude in the face of adversity or failure. For example, if your athlete strikes out but has a good attitude, a phrase such as, “I’m proud of your attitude and effort, you’ll get it next time,” let’s your athlete know you are still proud of them, and that attitude and effort are more important than the result.
- SEPARATE IDENTITY FROM ATHLETIC PERFORANCE: With every player you work with, make sure they understand that their identity is not tied to their athletic performance. If they did not play well in a game, that does not mean they are a failure!
- POST MATCH ROUTINE: No matter the score or the performance, if you install a routine that you keep consistent after every match, bouncing back and willing to improve and learn will become a match easier job.
- TAKE TIME: It is easy for a parent or coach to immediately react following a tough loss. Discussing or analyzing a performance when your player is exhausted and not ready to listen isn’t helpful. It is important you give her time to reflect alone before giving your input.
- UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: However painful or devastating a loss is for you as a coach, your emotions and behavior towards your players must remain level-headed, caring and kind.
This page was written in courtesy of Women’s Sports Foundation
Zarrett, N., Veliz, P.T., & Sabo, D. (2020). Keeping Girls in the Game: Factors that Influence Sport Participation.
