Msgt Mike Anson’s, FMS Athletic Director, writes an editorial on “Motivation”

During the growth mind-set a coach can use empirical evidence as an ongoing motivator. After working out for weeks it is normal for athletes to suffer through periods when they lack the desire to work at a high intensity every day. The same is true for all of us. One method I used successfully with the cross country and track and field teams was to just show the athletes their individual results. By mid-season, I was able to show most of my runners how much faster they had become, and nothing I said mattered as much as seeing the undeniable evidence of improvement on paper. Coach-speak only goes so far. The same technique can be used in all sports and activities, with something such as swimming or strength and conditioning being easier to quantify than others, like football or soccer, but even then things like weight lifting and 40-yard sprint times can be used in a similar manner. The point is to vividly demonstrate to athletes that work input equals work output. There are no shortcuts, and as a coach I could prove it in some circumstances. The key, again, is consistency and effort in training. It is very motivating to see evidence of improvement. Funny how that works, isn’t it?