Motivational Climate and Goal Orientation in Adolescent Male Football Players

Achievement Goal theory and Self Determination theory suggest that the goal orientation of an individual does not develop in a closed room. Rather, it is suggested that an individual\u27s goal orientation is altered through the different perceived motivational climates established in an achievement setting. Therefore, this study addressed two questions: (1) Does an athlete\u27s goal orientation change over the course of a competitive youth football season? (2) Do coaches and parents establish a motivational climate that affects the athlete\u27s goal orientation over the course of a competitive youth football season? A total of 149 male athletes, 8-13 years old completed two rounds of questionnaires. The first round occurred early in the season and consisted of a demographic questionnaire and the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire. The second round occurred towards the end of the season and consisted of the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire, Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire-2 and the Perceived Parent/ Guardian-Initiated Motivational Climate Questionnaire. No significant changes were found in the athletes\u27 goal orientations over the course of the season. However, significant predictors of late season task orientation included early season task orientation and coach task orientation. Significant predictors of late season ego orientation included early season ego orientation, coach ego orientation and parent success without effort. The findings of this study highlight the potential role that a perceived coach and parent created motivational climate can have in affecting athletes\u27 motivation for engaging in sports