If you’re a coach to a sports team or the parent of a sports-playing child, you’ll know that inspiration is essential to keep players motivated.

So, if you’re wondering how to inspire a team you’re connected with, you’ve come to the right place!

We’re going to give you six easy ways to inspire your sports team. All of them are simple to carry out and will give your players the motivation to keep hitting those goals!

1. Plan a team-building activity

It’s important for players to take time out away from training to relax and unwind. A team-building activity is ideal for helping them to let off steam.

It will also offer a fun environment where players can get to know each other better and form stronger bonds, as well as polish up their teamwork skills!

And if you’re the coach, you’ll learn a lot about how team members interact with each other too.

Here are some fun ideas for team-building activities:

  • Escape room — tests team dynamics and encourages players to work towards a common goal
  • Trying a different sport — builds on existing skills and develops new ones
  • Paintballing — increases self-confidence and interpersonal skills
  • Virtual reality game — stimulates the imagination and bonds the team
  • Board game night — a fun way to stimulate competitiveness
  • Cook-off — helps players relax and sample healthy food too

2. Give targeted praise

Instead of just recognising great work with a “Well done!” or “Good job!”, try being more specific with your praise.

So for football, you could say, “You showed some awesome footwork there!” or for basketball, “Your dribbling was really impressive today!”.

When you’re precise about what you say, your players will know that your praise is meaningful and genuine.

3. Order wristbands in team colours

Something as simple as wearing a wristband in team colours can help inspire and motivate players, giving them a sense of belonging.

Silicone wristbands are ideal for anyone who plays a lot of sports, as they’re comfortable, hard-wearing and can be customised with any wording, such as the name and motto of your sports team.

Choose from skinny, regular or wide wristbands — whichever you think captures the energy of your team. Small tokens like customised wristbands will boost your team’s morale and, in this case, serve as a constant reminder of how awesome they are!

4. Make yourself available

Being available to talk to players outside of training time is invaluable. Keeping an “open door” policy so they know they can approach you anytime will instil a sense of trust and strengthen the coach-player bond.

You don’t just have to talk tactics — your players might want to talk to you about school, relationships or even world issues. It doesn’t matter — the very fact that they feel comfortable chatting with you is a positive sign.

And if you’re a parent of a high-achieving child, remember that their sport isn’t everything. Be around to talk about anything else that is on their mind or they want to share with you — negative or positive.

5. Celebrate small victories

It’s natural to want to shout about the big wins, scored goals and gravity-defying baskets. But you should also celebrate the small victories that often go unnoticed.

If a player has shown small but steady improvement in their performance, gone the extra mile to show up to training or made the pass that led to the winning goal, make sure they get the recognition they deserve.

When praise is unexpected, it can be even more impactful and motivate your players to achieve ever-bigger goals.

6. Use affirmations

Mental endurance is as important as physical fitness when it comes to achieving in sports — research has shown that athletes who show mental strength take part in higher levels of competition, achieve more and perform better.

Teach your players or child to grow emotional and mental resilience to help motivate them, especially when training or competing gets tough.

Practise using affirmations with them — simple phrases like “I can do this” and “I’m playing at my very best” can help inspire them to achieve both their team and individual goals.

The difference between winning and losing

Understanding how to motivate a sports team can make the difference between winning and losing.

So have a go at using some of our quick wins to assure the success of your team.

You can start by designing a team wristband to help inspire and motivate players — check out our full collection in our online shop.

Just the simple gift of a customised wristband could be the spark of inspiration that your players need to achieve more and perform better!