Top Tips

Coaches often provide their time freely because of thesatisfaction, fun and enjoyment derived from watching theirathletes grow and achieve their potential. However, from timeto time, frustration can creep in as their focus turns to managingbad behaviour. The aim of this article is to assist coaches byproviding four strategies for engaging young athletes in sport.

Positive ReinforcementPositive reinforcement involves giving a ‘reward’ for goodbehaviour, such as following training instructions or performing askill. To ensure positive behaviour is maintained, rewards couldinclude simply commenting on good practice or offering a smile.By creating an association between good behaviour and positivefeelings, athletes will wish to receive further rewards and willcontinue to behave well.

Negative ReinforcementNegative reinforcement involves providing a negative responseto bad behaviour. The coach can try telling the athletes to stopa bad behaviour or present a situation where if bad behaviour iscontinued a negative consequence will occur. An example couldbe the coach stating that if the group is badly behaved, the fungame at the end will not be played.

PunishmentThis is split into two categories. Similar to negativereinforcement, the first is a negative consequence given whenathletes behave badly; for example, making the athletes doexercises like press-ups – although caution should be used whenadopting this action. If a coach uses press-ups as a form ofpunishment, members of the group may think they aresubsequently being punished if the coach then wishes to includepress-ups in a circuit session.

The second type of punishment involves the removal ofsomething positive when athletes behave badly. The punishmentcan take the form of being excluded from that part of thesession in one of three types of ‘time out’. ‘Observational timeout’ is taking the athlete out of the session but allowing them towatch. This allows the athlete to see the fun they are missing,thus encouraging a sense of loss. An ‘exclusion time out’ is wherethe young athlete is not allowed to watch the session. This couldbe by sitting the athlete in a safe position in a session going onnext to the main session. A ‘seclusion time out’ is where theyoung athlete is completely removed from the session, with thecoach asking a parent* to take the athlete home.

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Managing Behaviour in Sport:Strategies for Coaches

Top Tips: Managing Behaviour in Sport: Strategies for Coaches

Top Tips

© sports coach UK, 2011

Thanks go to Jamie French, Carnegie Faculty at Leeds Metropolitan University for developing this Top Tip.Designed and produced by Coachwise Ltd 90704:14.

Tactical IgnoringTactical ignoring differs from the previous three strategies. Asbad behaviour is often an attempt to gain attention, it can bestopped when no reaction is shown. By ignoring safeinappropriate behaviour, that behaviour is not being ‘rewarded’with attention and will lead to it stopping.

In conclusion, coaches should not feel unable to control thebehaviour of their young athletes. If one of the strategiesdiscussed above does not work, coaches should try using one ofthe others. As each athlete is different, they will responddifferently to each approach. So, try each one to find the bestone for you and your athletes!

*The term parent includes carers, guardians and other next of kin categories.

ReferencesFuller, N., Chapman, J. and Jolly, S. (2009) Positive BehaviourManagement in Sport. Leeds: Coachwise Business Solutions/The National Coaching Foundation. ISBN: 978-1-905540-67-9.

Dunn, J.M. and Fredericks, H.D.B. (1985) ‘The utilization ofbehaviour management in mainstreaming in physical education’,Adapted Physical Education Quarterly, 2: 338–346.

French, J. and Cobley, S. (2007) ‘Managing disaffected children insport: strategies for coaches’, The Coach, 37: 66–69.

Lavay, B.W., French, R. and Henderson, H.L. (1997) PositiveBehaviour Management Strategies for Physical Educators. Leeds:Human Kinetics. ISBN: 978-0-873228-80-0.

Sherrill, C. (1997) Adapted Physical Education, Recreation andSport: Cross-disciplinary and Lifespan. 5th edition. Boston: WilliamC Brown Publishers. ISBN: 978-0-697258-87-8.

Walker, J.E. and Shea, T.M. (1988) Behaviour Management: APractical Approach for Educators. 4th edition. USA: LongmanHigher Education. ISBN: 978-0-675208-29-1.

Winnick, J.P. (2010) Adapted Physical Education and Sport. 5thedition. Leeds: Human Kinetics. ISBN: 978-0-736089-18-0.

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Top Tips: Managing Behaviour in Sport: Strategies for Coaches