Setting Goals

Please review this FAQ and the sample goal sheet, think for a while about your goals in ski racing and then download the pdf file. Print out the pdf and fill it out neatly. Bring it with you to practice this Saturday. Please think clearly about your goals. This isn't homework to be simpy rushed through. This is an important exercise. If you have holes in your sheet that's fine. Your coaches can help you with it, but the majority of the sheet should be filled out and represent about 30 minutes thought and effort.

Goal Sheet FAQ and Sample

What are goals? The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; an objective.

Why set a goal? Having goals helps us direct our training; it helps us with mental rewards and shows us specific milestones in our training. When you reach a benchmark you can be proud of the work it took to get there. Setting goals helps us identify how our training is progressing and when we need to make changes to our training.

Why have more than one? To have only an end goal can be overwhelming. To simply have a goal of making the US Ski Team is overwhelming when considering everything that must be accomplished to reach it. When we have shorter term and intermediate goals we can gage our successes, make adjustments to training and keep our attention and focus on the present where they can be most useful. Goals should be refined and reviewed on a regular basis throughout training.

Why put them on paper? Nearly all successful athletes do this. Writing goals down provides a way to focus energy and the paper can serve as a physical reminder of what we want to accomplish and what we need to do to accomplish it. By having the goals on paper we have a way to review progress and make adjustments. Successful athletes constantly review their goal sheets and compare them to training logs and competiton results, and constantly analyze, tweak and refine training as necessary to make sure training and progress toward the goal is on track and schedule.

Why are they backwards? When we start at where we would like to end up, it’s easier to build the goals and recognize the steps we need to make to achieve those goals.

What are requirements? These are the specific things that are required to make the goal happen. For example, if you want to make the State Team, you need to know how the team is chosen. Only after you know how it’s chosen can you figure out what you need to do to get there (steps).

What are steps? Steps are the actions you take to move toward your goals, whether they are short term, intermediate or long-term goals.

EXAMPLE

ATHLETE NAME: Joe Godoski
DATE: 1/8/07

WISH: Make the US Ski Team World Cup Team
Requirements: I probably need a top ten at US Nationals and to ski on the Team at a lower level first, maybe Europa Cup.
Steps: I have no idea
What is it: This dream goal is what you’d like to achieve if all your other goals happen. It’s where you’d love to be if everything works perfectly. It should be lofty, but it doesn’t have to be to compete in the Olympics. It could be to ski on a Division II college team. It’s simply what you’d like to get out of ski racing if everything you do works out and all your effort pays off.

LONG TERM: Make the PARA team to Junior Olympics
Requirements: I have to finish in the top two spots overall at the Derbies/State Championship.*
Steps: I need to consistently place in the top 5 at the normal season races for confidence building during the 2007-2008 season.
What is it: This goal is what you hope to accomplish in three years/at the end of the 2008-2009 season. It should be attainable with very hard work.

SEASONAL: Make the PARA state team
Requirements: top 15 in my age group at the Derbies/State Championship*
Steps: I need to be ready to perform and well prepared before I get there. I need my regular season races to go smoothly and show consistent improvement. I should probably have several top 10 places in my regional races. I need to know how to tune my own skis. I need to make every training session, ready to perform. I need to stop forgetting a piece of my gear (maybe I should use a list when I pack it).
What is it: This is the goal that you want to accomplish by the end of this season. It should be attainable.

SESSION: Work on getting off my inside ski
Requirements: none
Steps: listen to coach, ask for feedback if I am still on my inside ski when we are doing drills and really think about it, ask for some extra drills I can do to help my balance.

*the requirements are not actual requirements as defined by PARA or USSA.

Attachments
goals.pdf