Varsity Girls Soccer – 2015/2016
Why Learn How to Set Goals?
Setting personal goals in any area of desired improvement, whether
athletic or another area of life can provide a person with a greater
sense of direction and focus in their chosen endeavor. Studies have
demonstrated that goals encourage people to work harder and be
more dedicated to attaining their aims. Follow the directions on how to
set goals below for a tried-and-true method of creating realistic and
attainable goals throughout life.
Start by Setting Long-Term Goals
Start the personal goal-setting process by thinking about the ultimate
level of sports performance desired. Keep in mind that in order for
goal setting to work, it’s important to try to create long-term goals that
are attainable and realistic. For example, a healthy 50-year-old setting
the goal of becoming a professional basketball player is unrealistic.
But a healthy 50-year-old deciding that he or she would like to
someday run a marathon is much more realistic.
Long-term goals include what the person wishes to attain within the
next 1 to 5 years, and even beyond. It’s important to keep an open
mind when setting long-term goals, to understand that changes can
and will happen in life circumstances that might lead to the
modification of long-term goals. While these goals will dictate the
formation of both the medium and short-term goals, they’re not
necessarily set in stone.
It’s possible that the goal-setting individual will discover a different
direction or aim as he or she begins to work toward and through the
medium and short-term goals. This is fine and to be expected. Keep
an open, flexible mind and a willingness to change long-term goals if
the need arises such as learning that the knees won’t allow for a
marathon to be run, but that walking a marathon is a more realistic
option.
Medium-Term Goals Come Next
Once several long-term sports performance goals have been set, the
athlete can move on to establishing specific medium-term goals that
aim to help drive him or her toward the long-term goals. Medium-term
goals should encompass 6 months worth of training and athletic
performances. It’s easiest to create these goals at the start of each
new year, often with the help of a qualified expert or personal trainer.
Medium-term goals should include realistic and attainable goals to
reach within a one-year period of time. These goals should take into
account the persons current state of physical fitness and his or her
experience with the sport in question, as well as the amount of time
and money that can be devoted to improving sports performance.
Finally, Set Some Short-Term Goals
Short-term goals provide a person with the concrete plan of action to
attain both medium and long-term goals. Short-term goals can be as
short as goals for a single workout, or for a week or a month’s worth of
workouts or athletic performances. Short-term goals should be specific
and attainable in a relatively short period of time.
In terms of sports performance, short-term goal setting can include
such goals as the following:

completing a certain number of specific, goal-oriented workouts in a
week

completing a race or mock race under a specified time

allowing enough rest days to recover appropriately from workouts

eating properly to encourage top athletic performance and recovery

reading relevant materials to improve understanding of the sport
All of the above goals are realistic and precise, giving the goal-setting
individual clear guidelines and aims that will help push them along the
path toward achieving their medium and long-term goals. Short-term
goals should be written down at the start of each week of training, if
not every day, in order to remind the person setting goals of what
they’re hoping to accomplish in this day/week of training.
Use These Goal-Setting Tips for Improved Sports and
Life Performance
Setting clear and realistic personal goals encourages improved
athletic performance, as well as improvement in all areas of life. Use
the above goal-setting tips on how to set short-term, medium-term,
and long-term goals together in order to achieve better athletic
performance. By creating attainable yet challenging goals in all three
time frames, athletes and others can harness the power of goal setting
and continue to use goals as guidelines throughout their lives.
https://suite.io/alli-rainey/2phz218
An important aspect is for goals to have the SMART Principle applied to them to
give them meaning. The SMART Principle is:
Specific
Measureable
Attainable/Achievable
Realistic/Reasonable
Time Bound
The SMART Principle forms a very important set of considerations in designing
goals as it helps the end content of a goal to be more meaningful and
individualised. For example, a goal which has not had the smart principle applied
might look like this:
Players will make time each week to juggle outside of practice
If we take the same topic of the goal and apply the smart principle, this is the
result:
Samantha will juggle one thousand times each week for the remainder of the
season outside of team practice sessions
The difference is in the second goal there is a clear and very specific task to be
completed within a define time line.
http://functionalbasketballcoaching.com/difference-between-short-medium-andlong-term-goals/
Mental Skills Training for Soccer: Goal Setting
David R. McDuff, M.D.- MD Sports Performance
Many high achieving athletes have a formal system to evaluate performance and improve
outcome. The main intent is steady improvement rather than perfection. This system is created
with specific pre, in or post season goals in mind. Goal setting is a formal process that allows
soccer players at all levels to periodically assess strengths and weaknesses. Weaknesses then
become targets for improvement. It means achieving a specific level of performance in a certain
amount of time using a written action plan. Goals can either be short-term (30 days), mediumterm (6 months) or long-term (1 year or more). Individual goals must be chosen freely without
strong external pressure - something that is yours - something large or small that you really want
to improve. The seven important steps to effective goal setting are discussed below. Each goal
must be accompanied by at least three specific action steps that are worked on regularly.
1. Specific and Measurable - Put a number on it so you know exactly what to do and can
measure the gains. Examples - increase my touches on the ball from 20 to 30 per game.
Increase my shots on goal by two per game. Challenge well for ten balls in the air per game.
2. Stated in Positive Terms - Know what to do rather than what to avoid. Example - increase
quality shots on goal versus reduce shots off frame. Increase the number of saves versus let
in fewer goals.
3. Challenging but Realistic - Find the right balance between pushing for success rather than
setting up for failure. Overly difficult goals will lower self-confidence. Example: Increase
my defensive intensity through better man marking versus do not ever get beat by the
opposing striker.
4. Timetable for Completion - Allows for progress checks and to make sure goals are realistic.
Example: Off season - improve my touch on the ball through daily juggling and drills.
Improve my foot speed by doing plyometric training three days a week. In season - Increase
my assists by 20%. Win 50% more balls in the air.
5. Personalized and Internalized - Each goal must make sense and be adopted for positive selfimprovement rather than forced by a parent or coach. Seek input from others when choosing
or modifying.
6. Monitored and Evaluated - Regular feedback is necessary to determine progress. Progress
may require that goals be modified. Chart results on an index card or graph. Ask others to
help record results like touches on the ball.
7. Linked to Life’s Goals - Goals achievement should allow soccer to be seen in a broader life
context. Improvements in teamwork, discipline, commitment, and patience can lead to
academic success and improved relationships.
Plan to work on two or three goals at a time. Determine the time frame for each goal. Spend
some time defining the purpose of each goal and develop the specific action steps. Some
examples of goals and actions steps are:
Goal (30 day): As a central defender I want to improve my play in the air. This mean
anticipating well, getting into better position, challenging more strongly, and clearing the
ball or directing it to my teammates. I will improve my strong challenges in the air by
50%. This improvement will allow me to break into the starting lineup.
Step 1. Have a partner deliver 25 crosses for heading three times per week
Step 2. Have a partner toss balls for heading for 20 minutes three times per week.
Step 3. Head juggle 500 times per day working up to 100 continuous juggles.
Step 4. Strengthen core muscles with large ball stabilization exercises three times a week.
Step 5. Improve vertical leap with vertimax training three times a week.
Step 6. Improve agility and balance with wobble board training for 15 minutes every day
Step 7. Visualize successful play in the air for 5 minutes every day.
Step 8. Watch several soccer matches and note the techniques of skillful defenders.
Goal (12 months): Improve my shooting on goal by attacking the box more aggressively,
isolating defenders one on one, shooting more quickly, and picking up a strong target in the
back of the net. This will allow me to average three quality shots on goal and score one
goal per game.
Step 1. Practice shooting on goal alone for 20 minutes a day three times a week.
Step 2. Dribble and practice one v. one moves for twenty minutes three times per week.
Step 3. Play in an indoor league over the winter.
Step 4. Participate in small group tactical training twice weekly over the summer.
Step 5. Improve first step quickness through year round plyometric training.
Step 6. Improve flexibility by putting in a new pregame warming & stretching routine.
Step 7. Practice turning on goal & shooting against a defender for 30 minutes a week.
Step 8. Watch 30 soccer matches and/or goal scoring highlights.
Step 9. Visualize successful shots daily for five minutes in the days before every game.
https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF8#q=goal+setting+short+term+and+long+term+in+soccer
Goal Setting Worksheet
Good goal setting gives you an edge in three areas:
1. Goals provide direction.
2. Goals provide feedback.
3. Goals motivate; provide a daily purpose
1. What are your dream goals?
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
2. What are your long-term goals?
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
3. What are your medium-term goals?
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
4. What are your short-term goals?
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
5. What are your daily goals?
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
How Far should I Look Ahead?
Long-term goals tell you where you want to go and medium / short-term goals tell you how you
are going to get there. All are important for effective goal setting. Try this exercise to help you
breakdown your long-term goals.
1. What is one of your long-term goals for this season?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the abilities or skills you need to achieve this goal?
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
c. ___________________________________________________________________________
3. What can you do between now and the end of the season to develop those abilities and skills?
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
c. ___________________________________________________________________________
4. What will you do this week to develop those abilities and skills?
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
c. ___________________________________________________________________________
5. What can you do next practice to develop those abilities and skills?
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
c. __________________________________________________________________________
http://www.totalsoccer.us/docs/TS%20Goal%20Setting.pdf
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Medium-term goals:
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Short-term goals:
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Daily goals:
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