Goal Setting
Goal setting isn’t just a motivational tool — it’s a roadmap for progress, accountability, and team culture. Here’s how you can guide your team to set goals:
Why Goal Setting Matters
Provides Direction: Goals create focus during training and competition.
Builds Motivation: Players are more committed when they have a clear purpose.
Encourages Reflection: Helps athletes and teams track progress and identify areas for growth.
Fosters Team Unity: Shared goals can strengthen team culture and collaboration.
Team Goal Setting Guide
Using the S.M.A.R.T goal framework, ensure goals are:
– Specific – Clearly define what you/the team want to achieve.
This can be done by sitting down with your team at the start of the season on defining what is important to them. Depending on the age/skill level of your playing group, the result/goals of the meeting may be performance or development driven. You may also like to set a time to revisit these goals and either set new goals or develop a plan to reach the current goals if you are not in alignment with where you need to be. As an example, you may revise goals, mid season. every 6 week etc.
An example of goals may be:
- Hand over opposition passes
- Improve centre pass %
- Force opposition turnovers
- Conversion of turnovers
- Using channels to create space
- Coming forward for the ball and lobbing it over players
– Measurable – Include a way to track progress.
- The easiest way is to collect game statistics on each goal and present this ti your teram, either weekly, fortnightly etc. Players need to see and know there is progress to keep them on track and in alignment with your goals.
- You may want to create a goal tracker and keep it on your coach kit and get the player to update their progress weekly.
- Include numbers or milestones so progress can be tracked
– Achievable – Challenging but realistic.
- Encourage stretch goals, but adjust if they start to feel overwhelming or discouraging.
The goal should push the player/team, but still be within reach.
Ask: Is this realistic given our current level and time frame?
– Relevant – Align with team values and objectives.
Make sure goals align with team values or season priorities. When the team is discussing their goals, as the coach, gently keep them in a direction with goals that will be in alignment with their season.
Ask: Why is this goal important for the player or team right now?
Tie goals to game day performance, training themes, or team culture (e.g. communication, work rate).
– Time-bound – Set a checkpoint
Every goal needs a deadline to stay on track.
Ask: When do we want to achieve this by?
Set checkpoints (weekly or monthly) to build momentum and allow time for reflection.
Team Goal Setting template
Sit down for a 30 minute session at the beginning of the season or at a checkpoint during the season.
Here’s a suggested outline:
Warm-Up Discussion (5–10 min)
“What do we want to achieve as a team this season?”
Brainstorm Goals (10 min)
Team goals (e.g. better communication, ball pressure)
Refine Using S.M.A.R.T. (10–15 min)
Review and tweak goals to meet the SMART criteria
Write and Share (5–10 min)
Have players write their goals on a shared board/poster or in a team notebook
Weekly goal reveiw
Provide players with a simple printable sheet or digital tracker:
Goal of the week:
One thing I’ll do to move toward this goal:
What worked well this week:
What I’ll adjust next week:
Mid-season goal review
Every 4–6 weeks, have a short team check-in:
Are we on track?
What’s been working?
What needs to change?
Celebrate progress, even if it’s small!
Coach points
Model the Process: Share your own coaching goals with the team and the parent group.
Make it Visible: Keep team goals posted on a wall, whiteboard, laminated sheet in your coaching bag or shared document.
Celebrate Often: Acknowledge small wins and progress to keep energy high.
Stay Flexible: Revisit and adjust goals as needed based on the team’s journey.
Article written by Kat Dahl
Elevate CEO
Community netball expert
