Creating a Positive Motivational Climate: Strategies for Division I Womens Tennis Coaches

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a handbook of positive motivational strategies that enhance players'performance and well-being. Statement of Problem: When coaches do not use constructive motivational strategies and create a negative motivational climate, both the performance and the well-being of the student athlete may be undermined. Athletes playing in a negative motivational climate are less likely to perform to their full potential or enjoy participating in their sport. This can lead to athletes feeling negative emotions towards the athletic experience, resulting in harm to the athletes, teams, and coaches. Justification: Exploring optimal motivational strategies for Division I women’s tennis coaches is vital. There are 335 Division I schools in the United States of America (NCAA.org). On average there are between 350 to 450 athletes per school who are participating in 14 of the Division I sports 2 offered (NCAA.org). Therefore, approximately 134,000 Division I athletes are affected by the motivational climate in which they participate. Creating a positive motivational climate for Division I athletes is crucial in motivating athletes toward success on and off the sports field. Division I coaches have the ability to impact, either positively or negatively, the lives of many student-athletes.