The Team That Stopped Talking
A school netball team has lost four close games in a row, each by 2-4 goals. In the final quarter of the most recent game, players stopped calling for the ball, two players argued after a turnover, and the goal shooter took 11 shots but converted only 4. The coach has been using a rewards system in which players receive points for goals scored, and the top scorer gets a starting position. The captain says the team is 'playing scared' and that players are avoiding risky passes. Attendance at training is still high, but the coach notices players practising only their own shooting and not combination play.
1. Analyse the motivational climate and explain how it may be affecting performance.
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The reward system creates an ego-involving climate in which success is defined by comparison and individual output. Points for goals and a starting position for the top scorer make individual scoring the route to reward. This encourages players to prioritise their own shot count over combination play, which explains why training has become individual shooting practice. It also raises fear of error, because a missed shot or a turnover threatens a player's standing. Avoiding risky passes is a rational response to that threat, but it reduces attacking options and makes the team predictable.
The decline in communication and the argument after a turnover are consistent with reduced cohesion and increased anxiety about evaluation. The goal shooter's 4 from 11 may reflect both pressure and poor supply. The close losses suggest the team is not being outclassed but is underperforming in tight moments, which fits a climate that punishes mistakes rather than supporting learning.
2. Recommend changes to the reward system and to training that would build a task-involving climate, and justify each.
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Replace individual scoring rewards with team-focused recognition. For example, award points for completed passes into the shooting circle, for defensive pressure that forces a turnover, and for players who execute a planned combination under pressure. This shifts the definition of success toward controllable processes rather than raw scoring. Keep selection decisions separate from weekly scoring so that a starting position is not a prize that divides the group.
In training, introduce small-sided games with a rule such as 'every attack must include three passes before a shot' to make combination play the condition for success. Use video or questioning to highlight good decisions, including risky passes that were well chosen even if they did not come off, so players learn that judgement matters more than avoiding error. Set process goals for communication, such as calling every switch, and review them after each quarter. These changes build task involvement, reduce fear of error and give the team a shared, controllable focus in close games.