How the coach-created motivational climate and athlete goal orientations impact NCAA athlete motivational responses and self-worth

Abstract

Nicholls's achievement goal perspective theory (AGPT) is a leading theory of motivation utilized by sport psychology practitioners to guide coaching education workshops and mental skills training with athletes. Nicholls predicted that a focus on each athlete's skill development, treating mistakes as part of learning, and fostering a cooperative, caring, and supportive environment (i.e., creating a caring, task-involving climate) will help fuel motivation and yield favorable self-perceptions. Likewise, according to AGPT utilizing each athlete's personal improvement and skill development as markers of success can build self-confidence and facilitate performance. While a body of literature in youth sport supports these predictions, comparatively less research has been conducted with collegiate athletes. As such, the purpose of the current investigation was to examine whether the coaching climate on NCAA teams and athletes’ task or ego goal orientations (i.e., personal definition of success) predict their effort, enjoyment, and performance and social self-esteem while playing. A total of 103 athletes (M_age = 20.25; SD = 1.56; n = 37 men) from 18 different teams completed the survey. Both the coach created motivational climate and athlete goal orientation predicted athletes’ responses and all findings aligned with AGPT predictions. The practical significance of the findings includes emphasizing the importance of coaches creating a caring, task-involving climate for their athletes and encouraging athletes to adopt achievement goals that are based on their individual skill levels and capabilities (i.e., a task goal orientation), while recognizing the valuable contributions of each individual athlete on a team.