CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Sports remain one of the most recognized activities that bring citizens of different nations together across the globe. In the world of sports today, the athletes’ success and failure in games tournament depends on their level of motivation which serve as an essential tool for them to achieve a set coaching is a highly complex process and coaches are required to undertake a variety of tasks such as in-depth planning of training and competition, organizational tasks and mentoring of athletes, which extend well beyond teaching skills and tactics. By doing all this,the athletes fell motivated, motivation is very important in determining the success of the team (Pearl man,2009), motivation is closely linked to the desire to achieve excellence in every effort made(Ntoumanis and Standard,2009), motivation emphasizes the level of effort a athletes issues to achieve a goal.In general, motivation is divided into intrinsic (internal) and extrinsic motivation (external). Intrinsic motivation refers to when one is engaged in a behaviour for self fulfillment, enjoyment and satisfaction from participating activities, while extrinsic motivation refers to consideration for rewards such as compliment, incentives and names(Callerand and Perreault,1999).In the sport context, one of the motivational theories is Self-determination theory or SDT(Deci and Ryan,1985a,2000).It represents the social environment(Mallet et Al,2007). Furthermore in sport, a coach has been identified as a social factor that affects Athlete’s success at all competition levels(Horn,2002,Smolt and Smith 2002,Barnett, Smith and Smoll 1992,Scanlan 1986).The way a coach structures his coaching in training and in competition situation, how to make decisions, the quality and quantity of feedback given based on Athlete’s performance. These coaching strategies can Influence the involvement of athletes in sports as well as their success, this statement is supported through several coaching model proposed by   Chelladurai(1993),Horn(1987,2002),Mahesh Dan Vallerand (2003),as well as Smoll and Smith (2002) which stated that coaches can influence the learning process of their athletes, the excitement of athlete’s achievement motivation.

Back ground of the study

The origination of the term ‘Coaching’ started in the later part of the 1880s.This term has been mostly associated with the sports profession through its varied forms. The first thought which rushes to our mind when we think about coaching is about sports coaching. This is because coaching is very well-developed in the sports arena. The term ‘Coach’ was initially started in 1830 and Oxford University put forth the meaning of this term as slang for a tutor. Coaching can be defined in several ways and methodologies depending on the area where it is utilized and the need is to define it in layman’s term so as to understand the gist of the subject. Thomas Leonard, an American financial planner, is generally acknowledged as the first person to develop coaching as a profession in the 1980s and the concept and history of life coaching today really starts with him. Sports coaching can be defined as the process of motivating, guiding and training an individual in preparation for any sporting hobby, career, or event. Most professional athletes have coaches to help them train and compete.

William James (1842–1910) was an important contributor to early research into motivation, and he is often referred to as the father of psychology in the United States. James theorized that behavior was driven by a number of instincts, which aid survival .From a biological perspective, an instinct is a species-specific pattern of behavior that is not learned. There was, however, considerable controversy among James and his contemporaries over the exact definition of instinct. James proposed several dozen special human instincts, but many of his contemporaries had their own lists that differed. A mother’s protection of her baby, the urge to lick sugar, and hunting prey were among the human behaviors proposed as true instincts during James’s era.This view that human behavior is driven by instincts received a fair amount of criticism because of the undeniable role of learning in shaping all sorts of human behavior. In fact, as early as the 1900s, some instinctive behaviors were experimentally demonstrated to result from associative learning (recall when you learned about Watson’s conditioning of fear response in “Little Albert”) (Faris, 1921).

Concerning the physical training strategies, Ken Mannie carried out a research on: why physical training is important for all athletes(2014),she approved that physical training has become such an integral part of an athlete’s training regimen over the past several decades that you would assume it is universally accepted as standard operating procedure. However, judging from some of the correspondence I receive from coaches around the country, there still appears to be a fairly large contingent of well-meaning coaches who are recipients of push-back regarding strength training’s efficacy and overall benefits. Whether the concerns stem from uninformed parents/guardians, misguided coaches or athletic directors, or antiquated gender stereotyping and misconceptions, physical training still receives a bad rap in some small, restricted circles.

I thought that using this installment of Power line as a vehicle to clear the air on the subject might provide some help to those in the trenches. If you are a strength training advocate, and facing the friction of any of the scenarios mentioned above, here are some evidence-based, documented, tried-and-true facts on why physical training should be a mainstay for all athletes male and female in every sport. These include not only sports-specific indices, but overall health-related assets, as well. Think of them as the “magnificent seven” reasons to physical training.

It helps reduce the incidence or severity of injury.

Injuries are inevitable in sport competition. The cumulative effect of the constant, inherent pounding on the body eventually takes its toll. However a comprehensive, well-organized, properly administered and year-round physical training program results in musculo-tendon units that are more resilient to the stresses and impact forces sustained in athletic activities. When you think of these structures as “shock absorbers” and joint stabilizers, the need for continued strengthening becomes clear. An extremely important point of emphasis here is that this benefit holds true for both male and female athletes. Numerous studies indicate that females show relatively similar gains in muscle size (i.e., pound for pound) and strength as males after several weeks of strength training. This increased strength is just as important in injury deterrence for females as it is for males. The combination of muscle and connective tissue strength and pliability derived from strength training is crucial in dissipating the aforementioned forces that are so prevalent in both practices and games. Additionally, stronger muscles and connective tissue tend to mend better and at a faster rate when injuries are incurred. The bottom line is if for no other reason, these polestar factors on injury deterrence make strength training a requisite for all athletes.

Improvements in overall flexibility

Full-range physical training, like that which focuses on movement paths that complete the biomechanically correct concentric (raising phase) and eccentric (lowering phase) functions of the targeted area, will have an enhancing effect on mobility and flexibility of that structure. Keep in mind that muscles work in pairs, and while one compartment of a joint is shortened (contracted), the opposite compartment is lengthened (stretched). Hence, taking the time and effort to work a given strength training set in a focused concentric and eccentric manner pays dividends in long-term flexibility improvements. Do not fall for the antiquated notions that physical training results in stiff, robotic, clumsy, unskilled athletes. On the contrary, you will find that your athletes demonstrate more power, speed, quickness and athleticism as the result of progressive resistance training program than ever before.

Healthy, efficient body composition

This refers to the relative amount of lean tissue (i.e., muscle, connective tissue and bone) versus fat tissue in our bodies. When we combine a structured, well-designed format of physical training, interval training (via running and other cardiovascular enhancing activities), proper nutrition and rest, we can attain the most productive expression of lean to fat body composition possible. And since muscle is the driving force (literally and figuratively) behind all of the body’s movements, increasing its cross-sectional areas with resistance training while concomitantly decreasing fat tissue improves overall athletic efficiency. Power, speed and quickness can be heightened exponentially with an increase in lean weight, even without a dramatic loss in body fat. More importantly, and in light of the obesity crisis this nation is mired in with the youth population, physical training can be a viable and result-producing component when it is included as a corrective measure.

Increased resting metabolism

Muscle is a very active tissue. In essence, every pound of new muscle burns around 30-40 calories a day for tissue maintenance while the body is at rest. Approximately three pounds of new muscle can raise your resting metabolic rate by about seven percent. The benefits of this occurrence are obvious; the body becomes an efficient, calorie-burning machine that factors into weight control and plays a paramount role in keeping body fat in check. So, even when you are resting and not working hard in the weight room, your thermoregulatory system is so fine-tuned that it works overtime in assisting your body in maintaining your weight goal.

Packing the power

Power is the product of muscle force and movement speed. The combination of physical training and specific skill work relative to one’s sport and position has a positive influence on both of these parameters. Larger, stronger muscle fibers (especially the “fast twitch” variety) result in a higher rate and level of overall muscle force production, which results in the ability to demonstrate pronounced power output in designated athletic skills. The caveats are these: The resistance training must be progressive in nature, and the skill work must be identical to what is expected in practice and competition. When both components are working in concert, the result is a highly efficient, explosive athlete.

Increased bone mineral density.

Physical training places stress on the body, but it is a good stress when properly administered. We already touched on the positive benefits to muscle and connective tissue. In terms of bone material, progressive resistance training heightens protein and mineral content. Significant improvements in bone density have been show to occur after a mere four months of dedicated strength training. Increased bone density results in stronger bones that are more resilient to injury. This is an especially important variable for females, as their risk of osteoporosis expands dramatically as they grow older. Strong muscles and bones through resistance training that’s a winning combination.

Improved glucose metabolism

We know that poor glucose metabolism is associated with diabetes. Strength training is an effective means of improving glucose metabolism, and has been shown to increase glucose uptake close to 25 percent after a mere few months of consistent exercise. Increases in muscle cross-section and overall lean body mass appear to be associated with improved glucose and insulin homeostasis. Some researchers even suggest that strength training should be a recommended approach for helping to prevent and manage type two diabetes and other metabolic disorders. There is also research data on some beneficial effects of strength training on blood lipid profiles (i.e., increasing HDL, and lowering LDL and triglycerides), though it is believed that genetic factors may determine the degree of these positive changes. Physical training is, unquestionably, one of the most effective avenues available to us for enhancing numerous aspects of physical health and performance-related variables. In addition to the positive physical outcomes mentioned, there also is evidence of mental health benefits including decreased symptoms of depression, increased self-esteem and self-concept, and improved cognitive capabilities. With all of those key ingredients to athletic success and an improved quality of life in place, the case for engaging in a safely administered, comprehensive, year-round, progressive physical training program is on rock-solid footing.

As for the technical skills strategies, Jame/Chen/Dave Hennel (2003,2017)assumed that technical skills refer to the specialized knowledge and expertise needed to accomplish complex actions, tasks, and processes relating to computational and physical technology as well as a diverse group of other sport. When coaching athletes it is sometimes difficult to know if you are moving them in right direction. It could be argued that if your side wins more than they lose, then you must be doing something right. But is that true? Over the years I have coached teams that have had winning seasons and others that have lost more than they have won. What and how I have coached have been broadly the same, so why the difference? The short answer is that the natural ability of the athletes has been different. So some start with an advantage and you are able to build on their skills from an advanced level. Another factor is the level of the opposition. So never just judge on results. How should I measure success? I believe that the way you should be measuring success is by the individual improvement of each player and how they gel as a team. While winning results are nice, some of the best moments I have experienced in soccer have been when I have been working with athletes who have not been the most gifted players but have loved to learn and improve their skills. To see them go from a disorganized bunch of individuals to a confident, united unit who have belief in their abilities, and those of their teammates, is a pleasure. They may not win all the time, but they have given it their all. Ten Core Technical Skills: To achieve this improvement you need to be working on their technical skills. Here are the ten I suggest are the most important.

 Ball control ,passing, receiving the ball, running with the ball, turning with the ball, dribbling, heading, principles of attacking, principles of defending, understanding positions and formations.

Assuming you are working with a fairly ‘average’ group of athletes by the time your athletes have reached the age of 19 your athletes should be able to achieve, or be approaching, the following levels. Some will be able to do these and more, but with a typical group you should aim to make this your standard grade.

Ball Control

Be comfortable in possession of the ball using different areas of the foot ,be able to spin and change direction with the ball quickly be able to move the ball between their feet and the surfaces of their foot quickly and effectively

Passing

Be able to pass the ball over short distances accurately in unopposed practices

Receiving the Ball

Be able to receive the ball comfortably and secure control quickly when unopposed, running with the ball, be able to run with the ball confidently with the intention of covering the ground quickly.

Turning with the ball

Be able to turn with the ball unopposed and move in a different direction of travel

Dribbling

Be able to confidently dribble with the ball using different moves and different areas of the foot, be able to dribble with the ball to take on and attack defenders

 Heading

Understand how to head the ball and be confident in heading the ball

Principles of attacking

Understand the importance of creating space when in possession of the ball, be able to shoot at goal confidently from various distances

Principles of defending

Be able to apply pressure the player in possession of the ball, be able to stop players from turning with the ball to play forward, understanding positions and formations, have a basic understanding of positions on the field and responsibilities of the position

Coaching Road Map

Use this as your training road map and watch your players carefully to see how far they are along that road. Set milestones at regular intervals to check their progress and make sure you adapt your coaching sessions. Help them achieve their goals and reach their destination. Once your athletes achieve this standard it is not the time to stop, but to move on to greater achievements. Continue with these ten core skills, but set the bar higher with harder requirements. Continuous improvement should be your aim for all of your athletes to enable the to achieve their full potential.

Also for the mental preparation strategies, ANDREAS MAMEROW(2004) after carried out the research on what positive effect mental preparation strategies can have on athletic, she suggested that, as a competitive athlete, you are dependent on being able to use your mental strength to achieve your full athletic potential. It is precisely in these situations that competitive stress, pressure to perform and nervousness can stand in the way of physical peak performance. This is where mental preparation strategies comes into play. Mental preparation can improve your athletic performance and this can be trained. As a complement to physical training, mental preparation strategies creates the basis for more efficient training and a stronger performance during competitions. ANDREAS MAMEROW DURING A MENTAL COACHING SESSION, the co-founder of the German Mental Trainer Academy he is not only has a degree in mental coaching but is himself a passionate athlete with a background in western riding. In 2006 he coached the German national team at the World Championships in Western Riding in Aachen. He and the team intensively dealt with mental training. “At some point during my own athletic career I came across ‘mental training’. This led me to realize how important the mental component is in sports. “Today he works as a coach, mental trainer and consultant. The German Mental Trainer Academy and their goal. The German Mental Trainer Academy was founded in 2010 by a group of dedicated sports scientists, coaches and athletes – including Andreas Mamerow. Today he is the second chairman of the association. The German Mental Trainer Academy has made it its goal to establish mental preparation strategies as a complementary training method in all areas of sports. To this end, they offer training courses for mental coaches. “We believe that mental preparation strategies should actually be included in athletes training, like all other types of training. Whether it’s conditioning, athletics or technique, it doesn’t matter in the end – mental training should also be part of it.”After founding an association, the next step was establishing a federal association: “We recently took the next step and founded a federal association, the German Federal Association for Sports Mental Training. Our goal is to make mental preparation strategies an integral part of German sports on a very large scale”.Andreas Mamerov believes that every athlete can benefit from mental training: “Every athlete needs mental preparation strategies to put themselves in a position where they can retrieve their training performance in a competitive situation. “What is mental preparation strategies in sports? Fundamentally, mental preparation strategies deals with the direct influence of psychological processes on movement. This includes certain cognitive strategies that are used to optimise movements. This is achieved by the repeated, intensive “thinking through” of an optimal movement sequence, but without its simultaneous execution. This definition is certainly correct in principle, but a little outdated, according to Andreas Mamerow:”Originally, mental preparation strategies was understood to mean exactly that. Today we define mental preparation strategies in a much broader way. “The wider mental preparation strategies concept that is used nowadays also includes all thoughts and feelings in competitive sports. Trainable areas which belong to the comprehensive definition of mental training are for example focus, motivation, mental strength and mental preparation strategies for competition. “Basically, it’s about accelerating performance development. If you combine real and mental preparation strategies, it has been scientifically proven that this significantly accelerates performance development. You can get better faster”. Among other things, movement sequences are internalised and optimised. A side effect of mental preparation strategies is also the minimisation of the injury risk in sports and in everyday life. “Training your focus will reduce the likelihood of injury in sports. In highly focused training, you are always aware of your movement and can thus prevent injury. Logically, lack of focus leads to accidents – this is even seen in everyday life. Accidents in the household happen due to lack of concentration.”Keeping a cool head in competitive situations. Stage fright and stress situations during competitions have so far been the enemy of a competitive athlete. Mental preparation strategies can help to recall the peak performance when it counts the most during competition. According to Mamerow, this is the main goal of mental preparation strategies.

Finally as for Competition strategies, Orlick(2002) after carried out a research on preparing mentally for competition, assumed that learning how to perform optimally for competition can be a challenge. There are often numerous distractions and unique circumstances surrounding most competition events, many of which, young athletes are unfamiliar with. Coaches and parents can play an important role in helping with mentally preparation, in order to maximize performance.

Preparation Before the event

Leading up to a competition, it is important to provide athletes with the mental tools so that they can learn to manage their own performance and create their optimal level of mental readiness. Strategies such as goal setting, imagery, thought management, and emotional control can be learned through practical exercises that incorporate these elements into the athlete’s practice and daily routines. Athletes can then use these tools to develop their personal routines and plans for achieving mental readiness for competition. These plans can be refined and adjusted during the pre-competition phase as athletes engage in practices, and other tournaments and competitions leading up to the “big event”.

Develop refocusing strategies

Athletes and coaches should also learn to apply the tools to develop refocusing strategies for challenging and unexpected events arising during their performance. Coaches will often facilitate the athletes’ use of refocusing strategies by structuring challenges within the practice environment or by simulating competition conditions. Athletes’ personal routines and their process for achieving optimal mental state are foundational elements of the mental training process. It is from this foundation that athletes can begin to explore focusing and refocusing beyond the context of the performance and apply their plans to deal with elements within the competition experience itself.

Anticipate and plan for distractions

An additional part of the preparation for competition involves anticipating potential distractions and impediments to performance and focus. There is significant power in having anticipated an issue before it happens. If something occurs that has already been identified, then the energy and impact of the issue is lessened and an awareness of alternative responses to the situation heightened. Plans need to be established ahead of time for how to deal with the major distractions. Moreover, athletes need to have a general strategy for identifying and coping with the unexpected. One suggestion might be to develop a chart to analyze and prepare for difficult conditions. Athletes and coaches can brainstorm a list of competitive and/or event-related conditions and for each consider the following:

The most challenging possibility (e.g., not playing as much; family and friends having unrealistic expectations of the athlete’s performance);The best way of preparing for it (e.g., clarify team roles and expectations; outline the athletes goals and expectations ahead of time);How the condition might serve as an advantage (e.g., chance to watch other teams weaknesses; opportunity to communicate specific goals to family and friends).Teams can then examine the probability of the event occurring and the possible impact the event might have on performance. Elements that have a high probability and high impact should be explored further and specific plans devised. “Less is more”. In the final stages of preparation for competition, it is important to adhere to the “less is more” attitude. The tendency is to want to over-prepare for the event by squeezing in a number of competitions and practices as the “big event” approaches. Athletes need to be well rested and mentally relaxed in order to perform optimally. Moreover, major changes or adjustments to training, performance or personal routines should be minimized at this point. Small refinements may be necessary but the key is to stick with the elements that have been working. Often this minimalization is achieved with a simple tapering plan, but it is important that both coaches and athletes are aware of the concept and mindful of its implementation.

Preparation at the Competition

There are several things that young athletes and coaches can do to prepare while at the competition itself. The strategies are aimed at creating confidence and focus within an unfamiliar and potentially stressful setting. Come with a clear performance goal in mind

There is a significant difference between having a competition “Performance” and a competition “Experience”. A competition “Performance” implies a clear focus on the task at hand and a commitment to choices that will give the best possible chance for optimal performance to occur. Conversely, a competition “Experience” implies taking in the sights and sounds of the competition without a clear goal or focus. Ultimately, it will be important to find a balance between the two and allow opportunity to absorb the event atmosphere. But to succeed on a performance level, teams will need to direct their focus completely on the task. Orlick (2002) suggests answering the following two questions to strengthen confidence and belief and help direct focus at this point: Why can i develop a list of reasons why the individual or team can achieve the goal they have set out. How I will – identify how the goals will be achieved during the games and what specifically has to be focused on to achieve those goals.

Get familiar with the surroundings

Athletes and coaches should also take steps to familiarize themselves with the surroundings and with everything that is important to them specifically: Find the cafeteria or nearest food outlet, identify a meeting place, and, if you have to travel to the competition, explore the distance from the accommodation to the competition venue. Personalizing particular areas can also help. Bringing things from home, placing posters or team slogans in sleeping areas or dressing rooms can help create feelings of comfort, familiarity and a sense of control. Visiting the competition venue prior to the event can also be beneficial. It helps athletes and coaches get used to the surroundings and any nuances surrounding the facility. If there is opportunity, it can also be beneficial to access the venue when there is no one else around. This opportunity can provide athletes with a chance to walk through or think about their pre-competition plans and preparation strategies within the physical setting. They can also imagine themselves performing while in the venue thus creating feelings of familiarity and comfort before competition even starts.

Prepare a daily schedule

Preparing a daily schedule is another useful tool to use while at a competition. The schedule should be written out and posted and a copy given to each person. Part of mental preparation is knowing what to expect throughout the course of the day and written schedules can facilitate that preparation. Knowing specific times for team meetings, free time, and family and friends, allows athletes the opportunity to fit their personal preparation plans within that schedule. Similarly, it promotes a focus on the present, which can be very helpful. While at the competition, it is easy to get caught up in all the distractions and elements surrounding performance. Knowing when things are going to occur allows athletes the opportunity to focus on exactly what they are doing in the moment rather than wondering when a particular event is going to occur.

Expect the unexpected

Things never go exactly as planned. It is inevitable that something unexpected or unusual will happen. Both athletes and coaches need to maintain a sense of humour or achieve a level of perspective when things out of the ordinary occur. At these times it will be useful to utilize pre-planned refocusing strategies. Further, some crisis or setback could also arise. During those times, it will be important to problem solve and find alternate ways to push through the issue. Open communication between athletes and coaches will be important at this point. Lessons need to be drawn and adjustments made to maintain and regain mental readiness and optimal focus.

Schedule physical and mental recovery opportunities

A final suggestion is to provide ample opportunity for both physical and mental recovery and regeneration over the course of the competition. Encourage concrete strategies to relax or to shift their focus away from performance and competition. Reading books, listening to music, meditating are just a few examples of strategies used to take mental breaks and reenergize the mind and body. Some competition events may last over several days. In these cases, it is particularly important to manage the emotion and excitement over the entire period in order maintain a consistent level of energy over the long haul. Proper recovery is also about appropriate choices. Athletes and coaches need to be mindful of the choices that will facilitate their performances versus take away from the ability to achieve the performance goals that have been set out. To be optimally prepared mentally, the key is to have a clear goal for the event, adhere to personal plans and preparation strategies, stay in the moment, and minimize the impact of distractions. Remaining positive and optimistic, even in the face of adversity, and managing emotions daily are addition strategies that can make a big difference once competition arrives. For the teams who are prepared for the experience, competitions provide exciting opportunities to showcase abilities and are important learning opportunities for young athletes.

The main reason on writing on the “effect of coaching strategies on motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda” is because as a sport and physical education teacher, my dream is to become a coach later because I have noticed that there are many athletes with good talent now our day who just need a bit of training to become champion but they don’t have that chance because of lack of trained coaches to give them the opportunity to realized their dream. I wish to be one of those coaches because:

I Want To Fulfil Athletes Dream

Almost all athletes are exposed to different kinds of sport when they are still very young, and through this they develop dreams of being like their sporting heroes/heroines. As a sports coach i will play a significant part in the process of developing the necessary skills and a healthy mind-set to get the very best performance out of athletes. In so doing, i will play a huge part in athletes being able to realise their dreams.

I Will Fulfiil My Own Dreams

 I love sport, why not develop a career in sport? Over the years of being a sport teacher, I have bared witness to so many other athletes and sport fanatics become ensnared in careers that they do not want to be in. They become “victims” of a struggling economy and end up pitching for work everyday where they do not feel motivated to give of their best. As the famous businessman Warren Buffet said, “If you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life.” Being a coach allows me to stay involved in sport in some way and dedicate my life to something i love and have a passion for.

I Have To Teach Physical Sport Skills

 As a coach I have to teach many athletes a wide range of physical skills. i will teach them how to run, jump, dodge, skip, catch and throw successfully. Through consistent practise i also have to teach visual skills, co-ordination skills, balancing skills and spatial-awareness, skills all top athletes possess.

I Have To Teach Emotional Skills

 Learning emotional control is a crucial skill that can be transferred into any area of my life, be it in relationships with family and friends, in marriage, or even in business and working environments. To be successful in these areas i need to learn how to be composed and be able to recognise and control my emotions. Emotional intelligence is all about recognising my own emotions and moods, as well asmy ability to understand other people’s moods, their behaviours, and motives in order to respond effectively, and improve the quality of my relationships.

I Have To Teach Mental Skills

Any successful  pro athletes will tell you that the number one factor in achieving success at the top, is mental toughness. Being a sports coach allows me to develop characteristics of a winning mentality that you need in order to be successful in any area of life. I have to teach the principles of sacrifice, good habits, repetition, accountability, good self-esteem, confidence, communication and being a good role-model, and in the process develop more athletes like the Federer’s, Messi’s and the Ronaldo’s of the world. I have to develop true leaders who believe in themselves, have positive mind-sets, are hard-working, and who are able to deal with failure and disappointment, and have the grit to overcome any obstacles.

I Have To Develop Strong Leaders

Leadership is a scarce skill. In order for Cameroon to become a powerhouse in a lot more sporting codes, we need strong, honest leaders who can create an inspiring hope for the future. Essentially, as a coach i have to develop strong leadership characteristics within my team in order for those individuals, and in turn that team, to be amongst the best in their sporting code. These leadership characteristics can also be transferred to any area of life.

I Can Scale A Beautiful Life For Me And My Family

 As a coach I got the opportunity to travel all around the world, competing in over 20 different countries. When i make it as a top level sports coach, i will get to do the same. Creating champions and being a successful coach will allow me to live a seemingly unrestricted life and the life that i want. It’s going to allow me to live out my dreams and do things like travel the world with my loved ones. I also get to build true wealth in all areas of life, not just financially.

I Will Have To Serve Humanity

 When I help people achieve their dreams, when i build an exceptional team of leaders, when i instil good values, when i build a blueprint for success, then i build a legacy of changing lives for the better. When I have successful at what i do it allows others to be successful as well and creates an atmosphere of fruitfulness where there are plenty of opportunities for everyone to be successful. By creating champions, i have to be a part of changing the community, city and country for the better. I have to make the world a better place.

I Have To Implement Knowledge

Sport coaches have the skills to optimise every aspect of an athlete’s training to ensure that they produce the best performance. At top level, the difference between winning and losing is in the inches. A coach has knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics and physiology and understands how to apply it to the training process. The coach knows how to apply training load to appropriately stress each athlete in order to get a desired response and adaptation, and extend the athlete’s fitness capacity. A coach also understands nutrition and hydration and how it affects sports performance.

Law No 98/004/ of 14th December 1998 guide Education States the aim of Sport coaching and types of athletes to train. What is sports coaching? Sports coaching can be defined as the process of motivating, guiding and training an individual in preparation for any sporting hobby, career, or event. Most professional sports people have coaches to help them train and compete but you don’t have to be a pro to hire a coach. It’s a common misconception that only elite athletes can benefit from the guidance of a sports coach. All you need is a desire either to learn a sport or to enhance your performance in the sport you already play. To achieve great things in sport, we don’t necessarily have to put our bodies and minds through extensive training programmes, either. The most important aspect of improving sporting performance is to strive every day to be fitter, faster, stronger and sharper than we were the day before. What is the role of a sports coach? The role of a sports coach is hugely varied, but it mainly involves: Teaching rules, techniques and tactics to beginners, providing an objective view to help teams and individuals enhance performance, helping those involved in top-level sports deal with enormous pressures faced in a highly competitive environment. Although the coaching relationship may seem akin to that of coaches and athletes there is often a stronger connection than that. Particularly in cases where athletes progress towards a professional sporting level, coaches can become more involved in the workings of their life. The relationship between coach and athlete must be strong, professional and built on mutual trust and respect. Sports coaches can be hired to teach anyone the basic rules of a sport. So, if you fancy playing tennis but you’ve never even held a racket before – you could hire a tennis coach to teach you how. Your coach will make sure you grasp the very basics of the sport before progressing to anything more advanced. Teaching the basics of different sports is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sports coaching. Once you’ve got to grips with the rules and techniques, you’ll be ready to decide whether it’s something you wish to pursue seriously. If you find you have a natural talent and enjoyment for your chosen sport, you might want to build even further on that. The key to progress is practice, but there comes a point in every amateur and professional athlete’s sporting experience when that progress appears to plateau, unfortunately, when we stop noticing signs of progression, feelings of disparagement can start to kick in making it much easier to give up, sports coach can be hired to assess your performance critically in order to identify particular areas in need of improvement. Once you have a plan for moving forward, those feelings of progression and movement will return hopefully accompanied by a new boost of motivation to reach a higher level of performance.

Taking University of Bamenda as the case study, coaching is very attractive because coaches take their time and follow up a program of work such as:

Planning a Training Session

All is about how coaches of the University of Bamenda structure a training session. It is important a coach takes time to plan each training session. Their training sessions is developed from two or three goals that have been identified for that session. The elements of a training session that all coaches of University of Bamenda include are: session introduction, warm up, games, skill and fitness activities cool down review. Before planning a training session, coaches of the University of Bamenda gather information about the participants, and set goals. If they are working with a new group, the type of information they might need includes: previous experience in the sport, level of development, both with the technical and tactical skills of the sport as well as their level of physical fitness. They avoid activities that require inactivity or drills that eliminate participants. It is likely that the participants to be first eliminated will be the less skilled, who are the ones that need most practice. They use more groups with a small number of participants rather than a few groups containing large numbers. The activities must be appropriate for the participant’s ability and age. They also plane enough time for athletes to practice and experiment with activities. Practice in small sided games is beneficial as it allows skills as well as technique to develop.

Conducting a training session

During the session, the coaches of the University of Bamenda briefly introduce the session, explain what is going to happen and establish a few basic rules: Get things moving quickly, spend the first few minutes on the warm-up, make sure this becomes a habit and fun to complete, ensure that you allow plenty of time for game play and select a range of games that will develop skills, using questions and challenges to assist the participants to learn, use skill demonstrations at key points to assist athletes to understand techniques that may assist them to perform better, ensure that techniques are shown in the context of how they will be performed in a match, and not in isolation, making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process, provide lots of opportunities to practice and learn to master a skill. After the session, conclude the session properly. Include a slower game activity, or a skiw walk if the session has been particularly strenuous, encourage stretching at the end of the session as it can be beneficial for developing flexibility, as well as reducing muscle soreness. Talk to the athletes as they cool down and they revise the key points of the session through questioning, provide lots of praise, they remind athletes of the time and venue of the next practice session or competition, they distribute any flyers, information or other items that they may have for them. Evaluate the session by asking yourself: Was it fun? Did the athletes enjoy themselves? What might be done to improve the session? Did the players participate enough?

The warm up and cool down

Warm-up and cool-down activities should be incorporated into training and competition routines. The warm-up prepares the body for activity, as well as helping to prevent injury to muscles, which can be more susceptible to injury when cold. The cool-down helps the body clear lactic acid that builds up during any activity. Less lactic acid means less soreness and stiffness the next day! What is the ideal warm-up? The ideal warm-up will depend on the sport, the level of competition and the age of the participants. The warm-up should incorporate the muscle groups and activities that are required during training or competition. The intensity of the warm-up should begin at a low level gradually building to the level of intensity required during training or competition. For most athletes, 5 to 10 minutes is enough. However in cold weather the duration of the warm-up should be increased. According to the coaches of the University of Bamenda, the warm-up aims is to: prepare the body and mind for the activity, increase the body’s core temperature, increase heart rate, increase breathing rate. What about the cool-down? Too many coaches neglect the cool-down at the end of a session but for the coaches of the University of Bamenda, it is just as important, especially after vigorous exercise because the body needs time to slow down and it is an important step in aiding recovery. The cool down should occur immediately after training activities and should last 5 to10 minutes. The cool-down can be the same sort of exercise as the warm-up but with low intensity body movement such as jogging or walking substituted for running. Stretching after activity helps to ensure maximum flexibility, relax the muscles, return them to their resting length and helps develop long-term attitudes to maintaining healthy lifestyles. Stretching activities can be included in the warm-up and cool down. There is now less emphasis on static-stretching during the warm-up, so stretches should move the muscle groups through the full range of movement required in the activity being performed (active stretching).Static stretching is still appropriate during the cool-down and can be used to improve flexibility. Some rules when stretching: warm-up the body prior to stretching, stretch before and after exercise (active stretching during the warm up, static stretching during the cool down), stretch all muscle groups that will be involved in the activity, stretch gently and slowly, never bounce or stretch rapidly, stretch gently to the point of mild discomfort, never pain, do not hold your breath when stretching; breathing should be slow and easy, do not make stretches competitive.

Demonstrating a skill

Everybody has heard the old saying that a picture paints a thousand words. Demonstrating a new skill is an important component of coaching of the University of Bamenda. Tips for demonstrating a skill, the coaches make sure that all the athletes can see the demonstration, they are aware of distractions such as the sun, traffic or other groups. The coach doesn’t always have to do the demonstration. Other options include one of the players who you know can perform the skills, or a picture, diagram or video may help. They ensure that the skill is demonstrated in the context of the game situation, so that participants understand ‘why’ as well as ‘how’ it is done. Highlight the main points of the skill. They keep explanations simple and brief. They try not to emphasise more than two or three key points at a time. They avoid pointing out things ‘not to do’ as this will only overload the athletes, at time they break the skill into separate components for the purpose of the demonstration, but ensure they demonstrate the complete skill at normal speed first and at the end. They allowed the athletes practice. New information stays with people for only a short period of time unless they are able to try the skill. Verbal instructions are sometimes unclear accompany verbal instructions with a complimentary visual. They always show the correct skill last. If they are showing a athlete the difference between what they are doing and what they want them to do, they demonstrate the correct skill after they have shown them their current method.

Organising a group

By establishing routines and giving the responsibility for routines to the athletes the coach of the University of Bamenda can devote more time to nurturing the sport skill development of the athletes, they establish set-up and put away systems for the equipment and facility that athletes can assist with. These must be supervised by the coach, they consistent warm-up and warm-down routines, set up areas and equipment in advance for specific elements of the program, ask more experienced participants to help the less experienced ones, have a consistent routine for moving between coach instruction and activity to reduce management time. If the athletes know where to go, how quickly they need to be there and what behaviour is expected of them on arrival, then more time can be devoted to activity. As for formations, coaches of the University of Bamenda always position themselves so that they can observe all participants. To maintain a formation, particularly when introduced for the first time, it is recommended that coaches use markers to define the formation. Care should be taken that the markers don’t hinder performance by distracting the participant or causing an injury. Engaging the participant, the following strategies can be used to engage participants: Voice and expression by varying voice quality and volume to suit the situation coaches can gain the participants attention, and add qualities such as excitement, concern and annoyance. Eye contact by maintaining eye contact, the coach can personalise things, give the impression of confidence, and add expression to the message. Signal for attention ,some coaches use a whistle and others use a variety of commands Whatever the method, it should be loud, different and gain attention. Ironically it is possible to gain attention by being quiet. This usually happens when athletes are expecting noise and it doesn’t happen. Ask questions, using questioning and discussion techniques shifts the focus from the coach to the participant. The participant takes on some responsibility and becomes more involved in the learning process. Praise and compliment, sincere and equitable praise and compliments to the group and individuals provides incentive and motivation to the participants.

Nutrition

The coach of the University of Bamenda advise their athletes to eat bread, cereal, rice and pasta. Moderate amounts of animal foods (milk, yoghurt, cheese, meat, fish, poultry and eggs), and small amounts of the extra foods (including oils, butter and margarines).

choose varieties of foods from within each of the food groups. Remember that breakfast (including cereal, toast, fruit and dairy) is important and a great start to the day, fuel up for training and competition by eating plenty of carbohydrate foods, such as pasta, rice, bread and cereals, choose low-salt foods and use salt sparingly, drink plenty of fluid, coaches should help participants to, follow a fluid replacement routine, or drink before, during and after training and competition. Fluid should be increased during hot or humid weather. Coaches also encourage set times for meals and limit the number of snacks to three per day. Avoid eating in front of the television and do not use food as a reward or comfort.

However, sports participation is for the fun or for any other kind of health, social, or commercial gains, the most important aspect of sports participation is achieving the desired goal in sports. The reasons for involvement in sports and physical activities are at the tiller of interest for those who want to influence others in sports field such as  coaches in order to support people act in preferred ways (Zizzi, Deaner and Hirschhorn, 2003). These determinants are called motivation.

According to the adopted definition, motivation can be defined as: “Motivation is an interaction of external (social & family) and internal factors (conscious & unconscious) that can changed with the passage of time” (Recourse, Souville, and Griffet, 2004). Intrinsic motivation regarding sports participation can be defined as taking part in a sports activity for its own satisfaction and pleasure. In contrast, extrinsic motivation regarding sports participation is not for its own sake, it’s for prize, reward or fame” (Deciand Ryan, 1985b).

Therefore, motivation is a subject of interest largely because of the following reasons: to explain previous and actual behaviors and the prediction and active influence on future behaviors. To reach this goal, researchers have devised various motivational theories. The most widely acknowledge among these is the theory of self-determination (Deciand, 1985). This theory includes cognitive and social factors and several kinds of motivation and behavioral consequences as well.

On the basis of self-determination theory, Vallerand (1997) plans a four stage casual sequence that contains a series of social factors. These factors have wide range of effect on psychological mediators. In returns these factors have an impact on several kinds of motivation which lead to behavioral patterns. In sports context, coaches/trainers are identified as significant social factor for the development of motivation in all competitive sports (Horn, 2002; Smool, and Smith, 2002). Coaches play a very vital role in the development of their athletes. They are more than often the decisive factor as to whether any athlete will have a nice experience in sports or completely quits out of frustration. A skilled coach is someone who can effectively communicate with all his charges, offers leadership, motivates them, boasts a deep understanding of good sporting practices, is ethical and continuously tries to upgrade oneself and boasts a strong aptitude for organization and planning (Horn, 2002). The multifaceted roles played by coaches go way beyond just the playing field. Coaches can also aid in nurturing positive values in athletes like perseverance,

teamwork, and never-say-die attitude that aids their athletes in developing the much needed resilience to handle the numerous challenges of life (Smith, and Smoll, 1992).

The way the coaches structure game and practice situations, their style of making decisions, the relationships they build with their athletes, the quantity and quality of feedback they offer to athletes in response to their performance, and their style of leadership all have a very strong effect on their athletes’ cognitions, behaviors and effective responses (Amorose, 2007). According to several motivational models instructors/coaches/trainers are found to be a vital factor in learning process of players, their enjoyment during sports participation and their moods of competence and their motivational orientation as they make (Chelladurai, 1993; Horn, 1987).

It is found that coaches’ behavior has the potential to produce in harmful psychological outcomes that include burnout, low self-esteem, extreme levels of anxiety and low performance (Amorose, 2007). This raises an argument that what type of behavior of coach’s support in increasing motivation level and which add towards the demise of motivation in players.

Sports coaches in individual (or as team sports) have not the same control situation with their subjects (athletes), it provides them a power to make decisions that have a wide effect on the whole motivational environment (Ames, 1992). Coaches have the responsibility of several goals to be achieved and have to ensure enhancement of different aspects of players as described by Martens (2004). In competitive sports where the focus on performance, bringing and winning of athletes, while in recreational sports the focus is on fun, learning, and participation of all. Due to this, competitive sports and recreational sports both are required to have an interest in creating a motivational environment for the athletes that can assist the successful achievement of these various outcomes.

Statement of the problem

It is found that coaching strategies have significant effect on recreational sport regarding dropout, fun and enjoyment (Haggeret al., 2003; Simons, Dewitte, and Lens, 2003), as well as persistence (Gagne, Ryan, and Bargmann, 2003). However, the relationship between efforts, performance and coaching strategies and concentration bring to notice the fact that to get the desired outcomes (Kowaland Fortier, 1999), an effective usage of coaching is much important in all type of sports especially in competitive sports (Martens, 2004).Bearing in mind these extreme effect of the coaching process, it becomes obvious that the dropout ratios in the start of adulthood in sports participation (Pelletier, 2007) and the high levels of burnout in competitive games (Klinger, 1975) show that the concerned or particular coaches have lack of knowledge about use of motivational environment by their techniques which may motivate the athletes. Acknowledging these extreme influences of coaching strategies on the motivation of athletes and the resulting positive and negative outcomes, the researcher considered it important to study the impact of coach’s strategies on the motivation of athletes. Although a lot of work has been done on coaches strategies and motivation of athletes but no research study is conducted in Cameroon. Most of the researches in the past study the coaches’s strategies on the situation context (e.g. performance) but no previous experiment studies the coaches’ strategies on the motivational level of athletes. This study aims to fill the gap in the existing literature by examining the impact of coaching strategies on motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda.

This study provides comprehensive analysis regarding the coaching strategies and its effects on motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda, the consequences and results of sports competitions. The key issue in sports participation and performance research is developing an understanding of the factors which enhance the motivation of an athlete to participate in sports. Numerous studies have indicated that there are many constructs of coaching strategies that contribute towards the athlete’s motivation however the results are still inconclusive. No research has been conducted pertaining to factors that can motivate or enhance the performance of athletes in Cameroon. Therefore to enhance the motivation of an athlete to participate and perform well in sports, it is important to study the impact of coaching strategies on the motivation of athlete of the University of Bamenda.

Research Objective

Main research objective

To determine the effect of coaching strategies on the level of motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda.

Specific objectives

To examine the influence of physical training strategies on motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda

To examine the effect of technical skills strategies on motivation of athlete of the University of Bamenda

To examine the effect of mental preparation strategies on motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda

To examine the effect of competition strategies on motivation of athlete of the University of Bamenda

Research question

Main research question

To what extent do training strategies affect the motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda?

Specific research questions

What is the effect of physical training strategies on motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda?

What is the impact of technical skills strategies on motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda?

What is the influence of mental preparation strategies on motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda?

What is the effect of competition strategies on motivation of athletes of the University of Bamenda?