When you ask most people before a contest, be it a rugby game or a spelling bee, what they want, they will inevitably say, “I want to WIN.”

Who does not?

I have yet to meet someone competing who says they don’t care if they win as long as they have fun. That was fine when we were six, but now it’s not going to be enough. So how do we do it, how do we win?

The answer you are looking for can be found in goal setting. Too many teams overlook this factor, which can be considered the most important training tool available to any team. It costs nothing more than time and can be the difference between an 8-8 record and a 14-2 record. The reason most teams overlook goal setting is because they assume that everyone on the team wants the same thing; Winning, and the responsibility for winning falls squarely on the shoulders of the coach, as does goal setting. What most coaches need to understand is that each individual on the team has different goals for themselves as part of the team. I emphasize the individual because everyone on the team is different and has different attributes and attitudes, which is very evident in a sport like rugby, and can be seen in every training and match. It is the coach’s responsibility to bring these people together as a team and the easiest way to do this is by setting team goals.

Let’s be clear: winning is not a goal, it is the result or the result of achieving the goal (s) that we set for ourselves as a team.

To obtain the maximum results from the goals that we have set ourselves, we must follow some basic principles; SMART principles which mean: S – specific, M – measurable, A – achievable, R – realistic, T – time.

S – specific. To achieve a goal, you must be specific. For example; or the goal is to win 50% more of our games than last year. Let’s use the example above with last year’s record of 8-8, to achieve our goal of 50% more wins; we now have a goal of achieving a 12-4 record. Please note that this should be a goal agreed upon by all team members. Also know that further goal setting is required to reach this record; We must answer how we are going to reach that record, what we have to do as a team to get there, what attitude is needed, what training requirements are needed, etc.

M – measurable. Can our objective be measured? If we are using the goal of winning 50% more games, then the answer is yes, it can be measured by the number of wins and losses we achieve. If we said that we want to play better as a team, although we can feel if we play better, it is not something we can measure. I am sure that we have all been part of the games in which we did not play well, but still we came out with the victory and vice versa, we played very well, but we lost. Playing better is not measurable, but winning 50% more from our games is.

A – achievable. Can we win 50% more from our games this year compared to last? Can this be achieved? If your team has a 16-0 record then it is impossible and it cannot be achieved, but our 8-8 record which becomes a 12-4 record is achievable. We have to remember that everyone on the team has to believe that it is achievable, not just the coach or a select few. Without the collective agreement of the team, the objective may not be achieved.

R – realistic. The biggest problem most coaches face is the reality of the goals they strive to achieve. For example; our record last year was 2-14, to go out and say that our goal is to have a record of 12-4 this year is not very realistic. The team must believe that the goal can be achieved or they will not accept it. We have to make sure we set a goal that everyone believes we can achieve. If we set a goal too high, most of our players will recognize it and not put in the necessary effort because it is too unrealistic. The mentality will possibly be, “why kill myself for something that won’t happen?” On the other hand, if we set our goal too low, we will get the same effect: “I don’t need to try very hard to achieve that goal.” As a coach, we hope never to see this mentality in our rugby players, because it is a direct reflection of ourselves and our ability to help the team set realistic goals. When we set a goal that everyone on the team believes we can achieve, everyone will put in the effort necessary to achieve that goal.

T – time. A big problem that arises when setting goals is that we do not set a specific date to achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves. Using the example of winning 50% more games and having a 12-4 record, it seems that time is already set for us; at the end of the season. However, to make sure we achieve our goals, we need to break them down into smaller goals. For example; After our first four (4) games, we need our record to be at a low of 3-1 to have a realistic chance of 12-4. After eight (8) games we have to be 6-2 and so on.

We only used an example to show the team’s goal setting, but we can’t stop here. In order for us to achieve this goal, we must emulate the right strategy and action plan. It is not enough to say that we want to win 50% more from our games, anyone can say that. As a coach, it is our responsibility to set goals with all of our players so that they achieve their individual goals and achieve the desired team goals.

These principles apply both on and off the rugby field. We must set a goal and mini goals for everything we want to achieve; Nothing will be accomplished just because we set a goal, we have to continually work towards that goal.