Email Campaign Archive

Two Different Ideas on Motivating Through Consequences

-By Dave Cross


A Question for Dave:

Something that got my attention on your Coaches
Clinic DVD was the story about the failing tipper.
You insisted that she successfully complete a tip
or the entire team would do 40 pushups. (I'm
buying into the double or nothing concept but, of
course, first establishing that I am not reluctant
to make them do a load of pushups.) Years ago my
wife and I had difficulty getting our kids to
transition off the net. We finally got through
when we put the setters at risk of punishment. If
the hitters were not getting well off the net on
transition (to create what we called the setter's
alley- 3 meter line to the net) the setters were
doing pushups. This was to stress how they hurting
the setters play. That got the attention of the
hitters, they busted their tails getting off the
net. The hitters giving their all to save a couple
of setters really showed some kids (at least the
setters!) how valuable each one was to their
teammates. A different angle. What do you think?


Dave's Reply:

NOTE: The story this coach is referring to is
about a middle that missed about four tips in a
row because she was too afraid of committing a net
foul and kept taking her eye off the ball, and
thus kept missing the ball for a hitting error.


What I see as the main difference in what I
suggest in the DVD versus what you are suggesting
here is this:

When I have used your idea, I have found that you
run the risk of creating hard feelings between the
girls. Let me explain: If the middles do not have
a consequence for not transitioning, but the
setters get the consequence, the setters may get
ticked at the middles for their mistake-which
causes the setters to do pushups. (Because they
have to do the pushups, but the middles don't.)

Girls in general are much more group-oriented
than boys. If they all have to do a consequence
because of a mistake, that's one thing, but if
some have to do a consequence, while the ones that
made the mistake don't, that is an entirely
different thing.

If, by chance, there already is a little tension
between any two of them, this could escalate it.

I have seen this happen before.

The two ideas both bring the desired
result-getting the player out of their comfort
zone to avoid the pain of causing the pushups-the
difference is in the potential for the idea to
produce an undesirable result-the girls getting
upset with each other.

And with the "double-or-nothing" option allowing
the player to have a second, and even a third
chance if necessary, the pushups are very rarely
ever done-but the desired skill execution is
achieved.


-Dave Cross
National Director
Yes I Can Volleyball