Effects of Motivation on Process of Training Young Light Athletes

• Published in: Acta Universitatis Palackianae Olomucensis. Gymnica Vol. 37; no. 2; p. 110
• Main Authors: Tataruch, R, Marcinow, R, Iskra, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Fakulta telesne kultury 01.06.2007
• ISSN: 1212-1185

Conscious participation in the process of sport training constitutes one of the most fundamental factors affecting the attainment of success in sport. The preparation for a training and sport competition require a variety of actions which have an impact on the mentality of and athlete and includes development of motivation and attitudes, intellectual and theoretical preparation (Sozanski, 1999). The objective of the current paper is the determination of motivation level in young light athletes in the training process and investigation into the question whether the athletes endowed with cognitive control (fully consciously participating in training process) tend to be more involved in the course of training than the ones who do not possess this control. This testing involved 30 students (15 female and 15 male) aged 14-15 with a similar level of sport competence. They were subsequently divided into two groups. At the first stage of testing the experimental group was made acquainted with the purpose of the experiment and with the structure of planning training cycle. Each unit of training cycle was preceded with a short overview of the training tasks and collection of information concerning the current well-being of individual athletes. Throughout the course of the training process the objectives of undertaking particular activities were determined and discussed with athletes. In contrast, the control group was only generally familiarized with the general overview of training. The survey which followed served in order to determine the level of aspiration, expectation and motivation along with the level of conviction about the effect on sport results. The results confirm that cognitive control upholds motivation in the fulfillment of tasks, even the ones which are in a distant future. On the basis of the published psychological research of cognitive control it could be concluded that results in sport attained by experimental group will be better in the experimental group than in the control group.