ABSTRACT

This chapter identifies some of the key evidence and opinion about goal setting. It is not intended to be a review of the topic, which has been done elsewhere (Beggs, 1990). Rather the intention is to provide a background of knowledge against which the coach can assess the value of goal setting with young people. Wherever possible sport examples are related to a central idea, rather than a specific piece of research, to enable the coach to transfer the ‘principle’, rather than the specific finding, to his or her coaching act.