AN EXAMINATION OF THE MOTIVATIONAL CLIMATE WITHIN AN ELITE SPORT SETTING; USING THE TARGET FRAMEWORK

Abstract

This study examines the extent that a Mastery Motivational Climate is supported within an elite sport environment. A plethora of literature has previously highlighted the benefits of creating a mastery motivational climate within the physical education (e.g. Morgan & Kingston, 2008; Morgan & Carpenter, 2002) and sport domains (e.g. Saotome et al., 2012; Trenz & Zusho, 2011). One framework that has been fruitful in examining the motivational climate is the TARGET framework (Morgan et al., 2005). The current study examines the motivational climate within the elite sport setting of a Professional Youth Football Academy. Observations of the motivational climate were conducted across seven months of a season, and took place during the Academy training sessions. Four coaches and five different age groups were observed across the season. The TARGET framework was used to structure the observations, and in turn the observations were used to inform coach interviews at the end of the season. To progress the research area and appease the qualitative nature of the study; findings were presented and discussed in a realist form, interspersed with narrative tales. The realist and narrative tales discuss the extent to which a mastery climate is fostered within an elite sport setting, and the application of the TARGET framework within a football academy context.