Intrinsic feedback:

Intrinsic feedback comes from the athlete. This feedback usually comes from the way something feels (kinaesthetic).

Example:

• Feeling off-balance when performing a jump shot in basketball.

Extrinsic feedback:

Extrinsic feedback comes from something other than the athlete, like a coach, teammate or the result of a game. External feedback can either be verbal, written, body language, or the result of a performance.

Example:

• Your coach praising you for your close control when dribbling pas a defender in football.

The effectiveness of feedback depends on:

• Timing: Feedback given straight away will be effective as the performance will still be fresh in the mind of the athlete.

• Amount: Feedback given in small chunks will be effective as the athlete is more likely to remember the key points and focus on improving them/continuing to do these. Too much feedback can give the athlete too much to think about when performing.

• Person: Feedback from a knowledgeable person will be more effective as it is more likely to be accurate.

• Positive: Feedback which starts with positives before negatives can be more effective because it can boost an athletes confidence.

• Information: Feedback which helps the athlete understand how to improve, as well as what to improve, is more effective as it can help them progress more quickly and efficiently.

Short term:

Short term goals can be made and used for individual training sessions, a match or tournament. These goals usually change on a regular basis and are stepping stones that can help an athlete reach their long term goals.

Example short term goal for football:

• Complete a repetition practice for passing on weak foot in next training session

Example short term goal for swimming:

• Improve 100m front crawl time by 0.1 seconds

Long term:

Long term goals are usually made for tournaments, team selections and can last for years depending on the goal. These goals need to be realistic whilst also motivating the athlete to reach new levels of performance.

Example long term goal for badminton:

• Winning the Falkirk Council schools competition this year

Example long term goal for basketball:

• Being selected for Scotland U16s next year

Effective goal setting can be achieved by using SMART Goals. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound.

Specific:

• Goals must be specific to the individual athlete, their weaknesses, and their sport.

Measurable:

• Goals must be measurable so an athlete can easily identify if they have achieved their goal.

Achievable:

• Athletes must set goals that they can reach and achieve.

Realistic:

• Goals must also be realistic, and so challenging that the athlete can not achieve them.

Time bound:

• Goals must have a time frame in which they will either be achieved or evaluated.

Example:

• Short term: Perform 10 successful passes from my weak foot in the next football training game

• Long term: Reach the semi-final of the Falkirk Schools table tennis competition this year