Motivation Research

Medic, Nikola, Bradley W. Young, and J. Robert Grove. "Perceptions of five-year competitive
categories: model of how relative age influences competitiveness in masters sport."
Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 12.4 (2013): 724+. Academic OneFile. Web. 31
Oct. 2014.

Motivations change according to the specific goals in which the athlete(s) is working
towards.
All athletes are motivated by at least one of these five categories: 1. Power, worth, and
recognition. 2. Fun. 3. Freedom. 4. Love and belonging. 5. Survival.
The category of power, worth, and recognition is driven by the attention seeking greed
within oneself. The constant need to show off or one up the rest of the group proves to be
a motivating factor because they thrive off of being successful and better than everyone
else.
Category one also revolves around psychological pay. This type of reward is tangible.
Getting an allotment of money, a luxurious house, fine dining, etc. These type of athletes
will quit the moment they stop receiving the tangibles because it is not worth it to them
just to play the game because they love it.
Category two is fun. This category is an important factor especially at a younger age.
This motivator is sometimes weak because when it gets difficult it is often common to
surrender and to not follow through.
Fun is often not a primary motivator in older more competitive athletes. Often times this
can put the perception of sports as one that seems only fun to the very young.
The next category is Freedom. This motivator is present when the athlete is given many
choices. Freedom motivation is a type of problem solving.
Freedom is seen as the decision making category. When athletes find the best alternative
to a problem or issue, this is when they ultimately succeed and beat everyone else.
Category four is love and belonging. Here this strong motivator captivates the team
players who receive joy from supporting the team and will do whatever it takes to
improve the team.
Love and belonging aids to meeting the needs of others and makes others more content
with whatever the situation may be. Defining this category does vary; it is either
described as sensual in nature or that it is done for those who care about the individual.
Category five is survival. This is a motivator that leads to success. It is also on Glassers
Need Wheel.
Those motivated by survival do not fall into the pits of weakness, but are rather tough and
perseverant. To this type a crowd, those who endure through the pain will benefit from
the greatest reward.

It is important to distinguish what each independent athlete wants. Once someone can
establish motives and desires of an athlete then the rest of the team and coaches can all
get on the same page. When everyone is on the same page and same understand of
desires, this is when optimal success is reached.

I believe that this article is very helpful. I agree with the points of the article and how it views
each of the categories. I believe they accurately some up the main motivational factor of
athletes. The only part I seem to not match up on is the object of fun. I believe the author in a
sense overlooks this factor and condemns it a little too much. I believe fun is still a primal
factor for many as they become more competitive and older. As a whole though, I agree with
the main thesis in how these five categories must be discovered amongst a team and their
coaches in order to maximize their potential. When everyone understands one another than
that special bond will take each athlete to the next level.