SMART GOALS for Archery•What are they•Why use themWhy use them

•How do you write themHow do you write them

•June 2007 June 2007 •By Coaches L. D. Falks & Steve CornellBy Coaches L. D. Falks & Steve Cornell

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Goal Setting & Goal Getting

“Without goals, training is unfocused and ineffective. Clearly defined and realistic goals mark the pathway

to success for the athlete and the coach.”Coach Laval D. Falks

“You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there.”

Yogi Berra

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Types of Goals

Short Range:• Attainable in less than a year• Can be goals that have been

worked on for years and are now soon attainable

• May be goals which lead, in the short term, to longer range goals

• Many short range goals are sub-parts of larger longer range goals

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Intermediate Range:• Attainable in 1 to 3

years• Made up of many

short range goals• Take time to develop• May be dependent on

greater maturity or increased skill

Types of Goals

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Long Range:• Not attainable in less

than 3-5 years• Big goals• Things which take

much work• Formed by

combinations of intermediate range goals

• Career oriented

Types of Goals

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• As goals are reached, students and coaches must reevaluate stated goals and decide upon new short, intermediate and long range goals

• The student and coach must constantly reevaluate their stated goals and decide upon new and more elevated long range goals over time

Types of Goals

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Goal Characteristics

• Outcome Based Goals

• Performance Based Goals

• Process Based Goals

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Outcome Based Goals

• Usually result oriented• Out of your direct control• They point to where you want to go…they

don’t show you how to get there• Must be joined with Performance Based Goals

• Example of Outcome Based Goals– I want to win the National Target Championships.

– I want to make the US World Team at the next selection shoot

– I want to win the ASA Classic8

Performance Based Goals

• Generally score oriented

• Result of Process Based Goals

• Must be joined with Process Based Goals to work

• Are where you want to go

• Characterized by achieving “personal bests”

• Example of Performance Goals– I want to beat my average @ 70 meters in The Gold Cup this year

– I want to shoot a personal best FITA National Target Championships

– I want to shoot above 400 at the ASA State Championship 9

Process Based Goals

• The path to success• Lead to your Outcome Based Goals• Must start with honest self-assessment• Characterized by mastering certain skills• Improve weak and strong areas alike• Can be easily measured and defined• Example of Process Based Goals

• Within the next month, I will finalize my bow hand position

• I will execute every shot in both practice and matches by properly using the BEST Method in less than six month

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Why SMART Goals?

• Goals give us something to work toward and to keep us focused on an outcome

• SMART Goals help us define exactly what the future will look like and what steps we need to take to get there

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SMART Goals Are

• Specific

•Measurable

•Attainable

•Realistic

•Timely/Trackable

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Making SMART Goals

Specific• Goals should be straightforward and emphasize what you want to

happen• Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are

going to do• The What, Why, and How of the SMART model

• WHAT are you going to do-Use action words such as direct, organize, coordinate, lead, develop, plan, build

• WHY is this important to do at this time-What do you want to ultimately accomplish

• HOW are you going to do it

• Ensure the goals you set are very specific, clear and easy to define• Instead of setting a goal to shoot better, set a specific goal to

increase your average score by 10 points13

Making SMART Goals

Measurable• If you can't measure it, you can't manage it• The goal statement is a measure for the project; if the

goal is accomplished, the project is a success• Choose a goal with measurable progress, so you can see

the change• Be specific! "I want to increase my average score by .5

points per arrow in the next 12 months." shows the specific target to be measured. "I want to shoot better scores" is not as measurable.

Continued…

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Measurable• Establish concrete criteria for measuring

progress toward the attainment of each goal you set

• When you measure your progress, you stay on track, meet your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goals

Making SMART Goals

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Making SMART Goals

Attainable• Do I have the ability if given enough time

– If a goal is too far out of your reach, you probably won't commit to it

– Your subconscious will keep reminding you of this fact and will stop you from giving it your best

• Will I have support from family and friends• Do I have access to proper coaching• Will my resources (equipment, money, place to shoot,

time, etc) be enough• Set goals so that they are arranged as stepping

stones to the next level16

Making SMART Goals

Realistic• Do I have the work ethic to complete the goal• The goal needs to be realistic for you given the time

and resources available• Do I believe in myself enough to persist• Set goals that you can attain with some effort

• Too difficult : you set the stage for failure• Too easy: reaching the goal is meaningless

• Do I have the time and money• Set the bar high enough for a satisfying achievement

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Making SMART Goals

Timely/Trackable• Set a timeframe for achieving the goal• A deadline gives you a clear target to work towards• Without a deadline the commitment is vague

• You feel you can start at any time• There's no urgency to start taking action

• Time must be measurable and realistic• Making specific goals allows you to track them

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Goal Bracketing

To see if your goals are realistic try the bracketing method

What’s easy for you to achieve right now Too Low

In between Realistic

What’s impossible for you at this point in time Too High

What’s easy for you to achieve right now 305 Too Low

In between 312 Realistic

What’s impossible for you at this point in time 355 Too High

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Smart Goal Example

Short Range Goals (1 year)

• Commit this summer to shoot 4 days a week, and average 150 arrows each practice

• Meet with my coach at least once a week

• Do SPT every week night for ½ hr

• By the end of this year I want raise my average by 5%• Last year’s average:

90M: 200 70M: 248 50M: 250 30M 293

• Average FITA: 995

• Average 3D 378

• Average Field 49820

Smart Goal Example

Intermediate Range Goals (1 to 3 years)

• I want increase my personal best by 10%• Take the Basic Instructor Course next summer• Increase my FITA score to 1100 in the next 2 years• Place in the top 3 at the ASA Classic

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Smart Goal Example

• Long Range Goals (3 or more years)

• Earn a position on the RA Program

• Make the World Team 4 years from now

• Make the next Olympic Team

• Become a Community Coach

• Win the NFAA Outdoor nationals

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Coach’s Role in Goal-Setting

• Advise athletes and help with setting goals– Guide athletes to set

appropriate goals– Review athletes’ goals– Insure that athletes’ goals and

parents’ goals for athlete don’t conflict

• Set certain goals for athletes

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• Make sure that goals are clearly defined and understood – Review goals with athlete to

insure that athlete understands them

– Make sure that the goals are appropriate for the athlete

• Monitor performance and keep track of achievements

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Coach’s Role in Goal-Setting

• Maintain training logs and advise students when goals are reached– Athletes may want to check off

a goal too early– The goal must be reach and the

achievement must be sustained before the goal can be checked

– Training logs are empirical data that can be used as evidence of accomplishment

– Use training logs to track goals and determine where more effort is needed

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Coach’s Role in Goal-Setting

Athlete’s Role in Goal-Setting

• Set realistic goals and work toward reaching them– Athletes must set and own their

goals– Athletes must not allow

influence of what family, friends or what they think the coach wants to influence their goal setting

– If athletes don’t own their goals they won’t work as hard to achieve them

Continued…

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Monitor goals and reevaluate or change them when

necessary– This is the key to advancing

through the goals list– It gives a sense of

accomplishment– Allows for a reward system

for recognizing achievement

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Athlete’s Role in Goal-Setting

Confer with the coach about goals and make sure that they are

clear and timely• Athletes must feel that they can

talk about their goals with their coach

• The coach’s ideas and advice should give the athlete a clear vision of the path to success

• The coach should know the athlete’s ability and whether the goals are appropriate

Keep personal log to track progress 28

Athlete’s Role in Goal-Setting

Good Goals

• Goals must be realistic and attainable

• Goals should be arranged as stepping stones

• Goals must be related to performance and advancement in the sport

• Goals must be SMART

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Goal Setting Worksheet•Create 5 goals of each Type (Short Range - Intermediate Range - Long Range)•For each Goal, in the box to the right of the Goal write the Characteristic of the Goal. Is it based on Outcome, Performance or Process?•After you list each Goal’s characteristic, prioritize it within its group.

Archer’s Name: _____________________________________ Date: __________Coach’s Name: _____________________________________

Priority Short Range Goals Characteristic

Priority Intermediate Range Goals Characteristic

Priority Long Range Goals Characteristic

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• Keep personal log to track progress• Goals must be realistic and attainable by the student• Goals should be arranged as stepping stones so one

goal advances the student to the next set of goals• Goals must be related to performance and

advancement in the sport• Achievement as measured by reaching specific goals is

measurable and affords a greater satisfaction than just winning a tournament or beating another archer

Continued…

Remember

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Remember• Shooting a personal best score during a tournament is

more satisfying and measurable even if the archer doesn’t win while doing it

• A specific goal can be checked off and another can be set• Goal setting can be used for more than just Archery• Setting goals that are too easy to reach is as bad as not

having goals at all• Goal setting can be use in all aspects of your life

• School• Work• Relationships

• Keep Your Goals SMART32