The Power of Personal Strivings in Professional Sport: Insights from AFL and NRL
/In professional sports, the limelight often shines brightest on physical performance and game-day results. However, beneath these measurable outcomes lies a crucial yet frequently overlooked element: personal strivings. These intrinsic goals and values significantly influence how athletes and coaches perform, persist, and adapt to pressures inherent in elite sport. Recent events in the AFL and NRL highlight how vital understanding and supporting these personal strivings is, both for individual athletes and team cohesion. What personal goals might you have overlooked in your professional or personal life?
AFL Spotlight: Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Harley Reid
Western Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan recently took indefinite leave to manage personal challenges, stepping back from club commitments to train independently. His choice emphasizes the importance of aligning internal motivations with external sporting demands. According to Emmons (1986), personal strivings—defined as recurring, meaningful goals—play a crucial role in athletes' ability to maintain resilience, self-regulation, and commitment, particularly during personal or professional turbulence. Could aligning your internal goals better support your professional resilience?
Harley Reid, the high-profile No.1 AFL draft pick, faced intense scrutiny over recent gestures and social media interactions. Such instances underscore the impact external pressures can have on young athletes still shaping their personal and professional identities. As research suggests, elite youth athletes aged 17-20 often navigate complex personality development stages, balancing internal motivations against external expectations (Lemyre et al., 2006). This critical period, characterized by Erikson as 'identity versus role confusion,' can significantly affect young athletes’ personal strivings and their professional trajectories. How might external expectations be impacting your identity and personal goals?
NRL Insights: Michael Maguire and Team Cohesion
At Brisbane Broncos, coach Michael Maguire faces scrutiny over maintaining team unity and shared goals. Recent controversies, including criticisms around team cohesion, highlight how coaches' alignment with players' intrinsic motivations significantly impacts team morale and performance. Research indicates that an autonomy-supportive coaching style—valuing player choice, acknowledging emotions, and promoting intrinsic motivation—leads to enhanced engagement, reduced burnout, and improved team dynamics (Mageau & Vallerand, 2003). As a leader, how effectively are you aligning team goals with individual motivations?
Personal Strivings: The Underlying Motivational Force
Personal strivings are essential in elite sport as they provide athletes with a sense of direction and purpose beyond short-term achievements or setbacks. Emmons’ framework (1986) categorizes these strivings into approach (positive, goal-oriented) and avoidance (preventing negative outcomes) orientations. Athletes driven by approach-oriented strivings typically show greater intrinsic motivation, resilience, and satisfaction, positively influencing their professional longevity and personal well-being. Are your goals primarily focused on achieving positive outcomes, or avoiding negative ones?
In high-performance contexts such as the AFL and NRL, environments that nurture autonomy, competence, and relatedness—core elements of Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000)—significantly enhance athletes' intrinsic motivations. Conversely, environments that overly emphasize external rewards, pressure, or control can lead to motivational erosion, athlete burnout, and diminished team cohesion. How is your current environment influencing your intrinsic motivations and long-term satisfaction?
Why This Matters
Understanding and fostering personal strivings is not merely beneficial but essential for sustained sporting success and athlete welfare. The cases of Ugle-Hagan, Reid, and Maguire illustrate that professional sport requires more than physical talent or tactical expertise; it demands environments that actively support athletes' personal motivations and developmental needs.
As sporting organizations, coaches, and stakeholders, we must continually question:
Are we creating environments that genuinely support athletes’ personal goals and intrinsic motivations?
How can coaches better recognize and nurture these individual motivations to enhance team success?
What practical changes can be implemented immediately to reduce burnout and dropout, particularly among young athletes navigating critical developmental stages?
These insights are not just relevant to elite athletes but serve as vital considerations for coaches, sports administrators, and anyone invested in the long-term health and success of athletes. By centering personal strivings at the heart of sporting cultures, we support sustainable performance and meaningful athletic careers. How can you better support the personal strivings of those you lead or influence today?