How to Keep Sports Kids Motivated
Summary: Motivating kids in sports requires setting small, tangible goals and celebrating progress. Break larger objectives into manageable increments so your child can track success. Tailor goals to match your child’s abilities and provide consistent recognition for accomplishments. Avoid using exercise as punishment, focusing instead on encouragement and positive reinforcement to build confidence and engagement.
For Cami Hawkins, CEO of Marathon Kids, an organization that provides resources for schools to start running clubs, motivating kids is all about setting small goals and celebrating success.
In an Ultimate Sports Parent podcast interview, Hawkins described how the organization’s coaches set tangible goals that are specific to kids’ interests and abilities. They also celebrate participants’ successes.
“When they set tangible goals, they make sure they are achievable and can check them off in chunks and celebrate when they get to the overall goal,” she says. Marathon Kids uses a mileage log to track achievements in small increments. “By starting with a quarter mile, they can achieve these huge numbers,” says Hawkins.
The organization gives kids different ways of tracking their mileage visually. They can color in graphs or produce leaderboards. The idea is to help them understand that they don’t have to achieve their goals all at once; they can work toward them a little at a time.
When setting tangible goals, coaches should “meet kids where they are,” and understand each child’s abilities and goals, says Hawkins. Some children might struggle to get through their first mile of running. For others, the first mile is easy. Overall, the aim is to set the stage for kids wanting to do more, even after they reach their overall goal.
Motivate Sports Kids with Celebrations
Celebrations are also key to motivating kids, says Hawkins. Marathon Kids, which works within the Austin, Texas and other school systems, has a kickoff event in Austin at the beginning of the year.
There’s also a celebration at the end of the season. The organization even encourages coaches to celebrate smaller gains through the year. These events can be school assemblies or fun runs, for example.
Marathon Kids has discovered that trophies and prizes don’t necessarily motivate runners. For the last five years, kids earned some kind of prize when they achieved a milestone. But the prizes were expensive and increased the cost of the program. “We wanted to open up access to the program so anyone could do it and so we wouldn’t be limited by the constraints of the price of prizes,” she says.
The organization stopped offering prizes, and instead offered a digital lap tracking application. We implemented a less expensive sticker-based prize system was implemented. Just as many people wanted to participate in the program.
“We found that kids get just as much value out of the celebration and recognition as a physical t-shirt or bracelet or medal,” she says.
For parents eager to get their kids running or involved in sports, it’s important to keep Hawkins’ experiences in mind: Set achievable, incremental goals and be sure to celebrate kids’ progress.
She adds that it’s a bad idea to use running as a punishment. The negativity of the punishment–whether it’s for making mistakes in sports or in school–makes it harder to motivate kids to get moving.
Having Tangible Goals
1.Set Small, Achievable Goals
Break larger objectives into increments so your child can track progress and feel accomplishment along the way. Use mileage logs or charts to visualize achievements.
2.Tailor Goals to Your Child’s Abilities
Meet your kids where they are in skill level and adjust challenges so they remain motivated and confident. Avoid pushing beyond what is manageable.
3.Celebrate Successes Regularly
Recognize both small gains and major milestones through events, fun runs, or assemblies. Positive reinforcement encourages continued effort and engagement.
4.Avoid Using Exercise as Punishment
Focus on motivation through achievement and recognition, rather than negative consequences. Celebrate progress to build confidence and enjoyment in sports.
Listen to the Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- Helping Kids Follow Through on Goals
- How This Sports Program Helps Kids Excel in Life
- Teach Sports Kids To Focus on What They Can Control
*Subscribe to The Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast
*Subscribe to Peak Performance Sports on Youtube
Download a free sports psychology report to improve your mental game
The Focused Sports Kid
“The Focused Sports Kid” is two programs in one. There’s a manual for parents/coaches, and a workbook for young athletes.
In addition to learning how to identify their distractions and deal with them, young athletes learn about how and why to focus on sports-specific “performance cues” that will help them feel more confident and excel in sports.
Parents/coaches also learn about these all-important performance cues and why they should help kids focus on them.
FAQ: Motivating Kids in Sports
Q: How can I motivate my child in sports?
A: Motivate your child by setting small, tangible goals and celebrating their progress. Track milestones in ways they enjoy, such as charts or graphs.
Q: Should goals be adjusted for each child?
A: Yes, match goals to your child’s abilities and interests. Meeting them where they are helps maintain motivation and engagement.
Q: Are prizes necessary to keep kids motivated?
A: No, recognition and celebrations are often more effective than trophies or expensive prizes. Acknowledging progress encourages continued effort.
Q: Is it okay to use sports as a punishment?
A: No, using sports as punishment can reduce motivation. Focus on positive reinforcement and enjoyment to keep kids engaged.
Q: How can progress be tracked effectively?
A: Use visual methods like mileage logs, charts, or leaderboards. Tracking small steps helps your child see improvement and stay motivated.
Kids Sports Psychology expert Patrick Cohn, Ph.D. has helped athletes for over 35 years to enhance their performance. Dr. Cohn earned a master’s degree in sports psychology from CSUF and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, specializing in Applied Sports Psychology. Today, he is the president and founder of Peak Performance Sports, LLC in Orlando, Florida.