Monitoring the Climate: Exploring the Psychological Environment in an Elite Soccer Academy

Abstract

Fostering a constructive motivational climate is an important contributor to an individual’s motivation (Ames, 1992a), yet research within elite sport remains limited. The purpose of this study was to utilise the task, authority, recognition, grouping, evaluation, and time (TARGET) framework to explore the motivational climate in an elite youth football academy. Sixty-four academy training sessions were observed. Findings suggested that the task, authority, recognition, and evaluation structures are most important in predicting a mastery motivational climate. Task organisation parameters and coach behaviours influential in promoting adaptive and less adaptive psychological environments are discussed.