Focus on progress, not performance
Coaching Girls Guide
Experts say that girls do better physically, mentally, emotionally and socially when they get the chance to play. But today, girls are dropping out of sport at twice the rate of boys. As part of Nike's work with community partners and experts to reverse this drop-out trend, we created the Coaching Girls Guide: a resource to help mentor, empower and support young athletes.
Seeing yourself get better at something is incredibly powerful. Girls want coaches who help them feel good about their own progress—regardless of the game outcome. This is where the lessons are learnt, and where sport finds meaning. Every swing, pass, sprint or kick solidifies it. So does every miss, trip, foul or error.
In coaching, this is called a "mastery approach"—a set of techniques that foster motivation and effort, develop athletic skills and reduce anxiety. Coaches who use a mastery approach create opportunities for young people to really engage with and take ownership over their learning. A coach with a mastery approach focuses on:
- Things an athlete can control
Coaches who focus on what an athlete can control—like putting in effort, trying new things and sticking with something that's hard—help the athlete to develop the essential building blocks of performance and not just fixate on the final outcome. Focusing on what they can control also helps athletes recognise how they shape their own path and the kind of player they become. - Small wins
No one picks up a tennis racquet and becomes Serena Williams in a day. And if a girl who's new to tennis only ever compares herself to Serena, or even to the best player on her own team, then she's bound to be disappointed. Instead, celebrate those smaller moments—the first time she hits it over the net, the longest rally she completes, the first time she nails that overhand serve—so that she'll stay motivated to keep learning. - Bouncing back from mistakes
Girls often internalise mistakes differently than boys, frequently taking them more personally, which can lead to her quitting more quickly to avoid the discomfort. Figuring out how to mentally move past mistakes helps girls to build confidence, focus on the next play and have fun.
Girls want to know they're making progress—not just on wins and losses, but towards the skills they're learning. No one is born raising a championship trophy. Improvement takes time, and that means it's just as important to celebrate the day-to-day wins (skill building, effort, cheering and teamwork) as it is to celebrate games won and goals scored.
Setting her up for success
- Celebrate skill building
It's not enough for girls to just get better. They need to know they're getting better. Cheers and unabashed celebration, along with thoughtful feedback and progress tracking, help girls build confidence and try new things. - Reward all contributions
Team members will contribute different things at different times. Every contribution matters to the team, so be sure to celebrate the girl who tries something new, even when it doesn't go perfectly. Applaud the teammates who cheer loudly for others, pass the ball more than last week or work particularly hard. - Match kids by ability
In group activities, it's useful to match kids by ability level. This helps drive skill development and makes it easier for them to challenge each other. If a big gap in skill level does exist, ask the more skilled players to help teach the skill to newer players.
Learn more about how to empower girls in your community.