Motivational Techniques Used
Ken Carter was a former athlete at Richmond High, and his future turned out great, he's an owner of a Sporting Goods Store, his business was going very well, but he got a job offer to coach at the school he once attended as a student. He took the job hoping to create change and steer some of the kids into the right direction for the future.
The guys on the Richmond basketball team were undisciplined, uncooperative, didn't have any team cohesion, but it didn't matter to Ken Carter because that was what he wanted to accomplish by coaching the boys. He knew it was going to be very difficult. He had to first take charge of the team and then motivate them towards excellence on and off the court.
Likewise, Coach Carter approached the team in various ways in attempt to motivate them to be the best they could possibly be. He used techniques such as encouragement, discouragement, second chances, teamwork, punishment, respect, commitment, history, inspiration, and a contract to motivate his athletes. Coach Carter often encouraged his players during games, reminded them their various skills, what they are capable of, and how their training is exactly what will help them win. He also used discouragement to motivate his players to meet his expectations by telling them they aren't capable of meeting his expectations (reverse psychology). For example, in the movie, when Cruz came back to ask for a second chance, Carter told Cruz to just leave because he wouldn't be able to complete the requirements to get back on the team, but because Carter said that, Cruz worked harder than ever before to meet Carter's requirements to be on the team. The requirements were that Cruz do 2500 push-ups and 1000 suicides within a couple of days. The task was impossible and without a surprise, Cruz fell short of the requirements. He was motivated through Carter's offering of a second chance and discouragement but that wasn't enough to get back on to the team. Later, the team was motivated through teamwork and collaboration, that Coach Carter brought, to help Cruz finish his requirements to be on the team. Also, Carter motivated his team through punishment, he regularly punished the entire team for any individual who came late to a practice or any other disrespectful action such as smack talking to an opponent. Through these punishments the team became more disciplined, respectful to everyone, and themselves, which ultimately created cohesion within the team and motivated them to be better basketball players and respectful citizens. Another technique Coach Carter used to motivate these young athletes to be the best they could possibly be was commitment, through Carter's commitment for the team when they needed it most helped to create a positive and motivational vibe through the team to aim for excellence in everything they do. To add to that, Coach Carter used history and inspiration to motivate his athletes as well. He elaborated on the lives of those who once played on the same basketball team at Richmond High with him when he went there. He explained how they either ended up in jail or they died since they only played basketball and did not complete their secondary education to meet requirements to get accepted in college leading onto a future on the streets. He inspired the athletes by letting them know why and for what reason he wanted to coach the Richmond High Basketball Team. That reason being, he wanted to steer these kids into the right direction which was getting an education while being an athlete and heading towards college instead of jail or death. Through the contract, the athletes remembered their commitment their promise, and their respect for the contract, to live up to it and not believe they are above the law. The athletes were motivated by the amount of dedication by Coach Carter entirely that they worked harder than they ever did before in school and Basketball to make it into the state championships as well as college.
The guys on the Richmond basketball team were undisciplined, uncooperative, didn't have any team cohesion, but it didn't matter to Ken Carter because that was what he wanted to accomplish by coaching the boys. He knew it was going to be very difficult. He had to first take charge of the team and then motivate them towards excellence on and off the court.
Likewise, Coach Carter approached the team in various ways in attempt to motivate them to be the best they could possibly be. He used techniques such as encouragement, discouragement, second chances, teamwork, punishment, respect, commitment, history, inspiration, and a contract to motivate his athletes. Coach Carter often encouraged his players during games, reminded them their various skills, what they are capable of, and how their training is exactly what will help them win. He also used discouragement to motivate his players to meet his expectations by telling them they aren't capable of meeting his expectations (reverse psychology). For example, in the movie, when Cruz came back to ask for a second chance, Carter told Cruz to just leave because he wouldn't be able to complete the requirements to get back on the team, but because Carter said that, Cruz worked harder than ever before to meet Carter's requirements to be on the team. The requirements were that Cruz do 2500 push-ups and 1000 suicides within a couple of days. The task was impossible and without a surprise, Cruz fell short of the requirements. He was motivated through Carter's offering of a second chance and discouragement but that wasn't enough to get back on to the team. Later, the team was motivated through teamwork and collaboration, that Coach Carter brought, to help Cruz finish his requirements to be on the team. Also, Carter motivated his team through punishment, he regularly punished the entire team for any individual who came late to a practice or any other disrespectful action such as smack talking to an opponent. Through these punishments the team became more disciplined, respectful to everyone, and themselves, which ultimately created cohesion within the team and motivated them to be better basketball players and respectful citizens. Another technique Coach Carter used to motivate these young athletes to be the best they could possibly be was commitment, through Carter's commitment for the team when they needed it most helped to create a positive and motivational vibe through the team to aim for excellence in everything they do. To add to that, Coach Carter used history and inspiration to motivate his athletes as well. He elaborated on the lives of those who once played on the same basketball team at Richmond High with him when he went there. He explained how they either ended up in jail or they died since they only played basketball and did not complete their secondary education to meet requirements to get accepted in college leading onto a future on the streets. He inspired the athletes by letting them know why and for what reason he wanted to coach the Richmond High Basketball Team. That reason being, he wanted to steer these kids into the right direction which was getting an education while being an athlete and heading towards college instead of jail or death. Through the contract, the athletes remembered their commitment their promise, and their respect for the contract, to live up to it and not believe they are above the law. The athletes were motivated by the amount of dedication by Coach Carter entirely that they worked harder than they ever did before in school and Basketball to make it into the state championships as well as college.