Youth Coaching Strategies to Foster Enjoyment and Intrinsic Motivation: A Theory-Driven Approach

Adult sporting practices, including an emphasis on winning, individualism, and competition, are often imposed on youth athletes and can contribute to them dropping out of sport. Self-Determination Theory and Achievement Goal Theory are theoretical frameworks that can help inform youth sporting climates to create need-supportive and mastery-oriented environments, fostering intrinsic motivation and enjoyment. Recently, Mosston and Ashworth’s Spectrum of Teaching Styles, a unified theory guiding decision-making responsibility in teaching and learning within physical education, has been adapted to the sport coaching context. This article provides youth coaches with strategies for creating an environment that enhances youth enjoyment to improve retention rates. It further situates the spectrum of coaching styles within the Tactical Games Approach to increase time spent in developmentally appropriate small-sided gameplay. Practical examples and guidelines are discussed for youth coaches implementing this theory-driven approach.