The power of praise within our lives is definitely a key motivator for a lot of individuals, in this case even more so for impressionable young esports athletes, re-inforcing these esports athletes for achieving a goal or skill in-session with praise can often lead to a boost in performance and overall happiness in a program, it also helps create a sense of belonging and respect when it comes to the session.
So what else can praise do? Praises can enable the growth mindset and create a supportive atmosphere within the program, instilling a growth mindset prepares students for future success. The skills and attitudes developed through this mindset—perseverance, resilience, openness to learning—are invaluable in every walk of life. Whether it's in academics, careers, or personal growth, these qualities enable individuals to navigate the complexities of the world more effectively.
So why is this relevant? What are the things we've noticed? Well simply put there's not enough praise, or there's the wrong type of praise.
Effort Praise vs. Intelligence Praise
Effort Praise: Focuses on hard work and the learning process, encouraging a growth mindset. It motivates students to persist through challenges, seeing effort as key to improvement.
Intelligence Praise: Highlights innate abilities or intelligence, potentially fostering a fixed mindset. This can deter students from embracing challenges for fear of failing to meet the "smart" label.
Examples of praises used by coaches in ECA training sessions:
"Even though that was a tough game, you didn’t give up. I saw how you adjusted your strategy and tried different approaches. It’s great to see you tackle challenges head-on and learn from them."
"I noticed how well you communicated with your team during that difficult match. Your ability to strategize together and support each other shows tremendous growth in teamwork. Keep up the good work!"
"It’s not easy to keep a positive attitude after a loss, but you managed to do just that. Reflecting on what can be improved and maintaining a positive outlook is key to becoming a better player."
Why Effort Praise Is More Beneficial in Esports
Benefits of effort praises:
Continuous Learning and Improvement: Esports requires keeping up with game updates, evolving strategies, and new competition. Effort praise reinforces the value of ongoing learning and adaptation.
Teamwork and Communication: By focusing on how the group's effort leads to better team dynamics and results, players are encouraged to work together and communicate more effectively, recognizing these as skills that can always be improved.
Handling Pressure: In high-stakes competitions, players praised for effort rather than innate talent are better equipped to handle pressure. They're more likely to approach challenging situations with a problem-solving mindset, considering them as opportunities to apply effort and strategy rather than as threats to their self-esteem.
Longevity in Esports: Developing a growth mindset helps young players maintain a long-term interest in esports, constantly finding new goals to strive for and new skills to master, rather than being discouraged by the inevitable plateaus in performance that come with any skill-based activity.
In essence, the emphasis on effort praise within an esports club or program for young athletes not only enhances their current performance and enjoyment of the games and sessions, but also equips them with life skills such as resilience, adaptability, and a lifelong love for learning. These benefits extend far beyond esports, preparing young individuals for various future challenges and endeavors.
Struggling to give praises during your esports sessions? Think about a few key subject examples below:
Teamwork and Communication
Overcoming Challenges
Dedication to Practice
Strategic Thinking
Resilience in Loss
Positivity
Individual Improvement
Adaptability
Supporting Teammates
Learning from Mistakes
Consistent Effort
Sources:
The power of praise within our lives is definitely a key motivator for a lot of individuals, in this case even more so for impressionable young esports athletes, re-inforcing these esports athletes for achieving a goal or skill in-session with praise can often lead to a boost in performance and overall happiness in a program, it also helps create a sense of belonging and respect when it comes to the session.
So what else can praise do? Praises can enable the growth mindset and create a supportive atmosphere within the program, instilling a growth mindset prepares students for future success. The skills and attitudes developed through this mindset—perseverance, resilience, openness to learning—are invaluable in every walk of life. Whether it's in academics, careers, or personal growth, these qualities enable individuals to navigate the complexities of the world more effectively.
So why is this relevant? What are the things we've noticed? Well simply put there's not enough praise, or there's the wrong type of praise.
Effort Praise vs. Intelligence Praise
Effort Praise: Focuses on hard work and the learning process, encouraging a growth mindset. It motivates students to persist through challenges, seeing effort as key to improvement.
Intelligence Praise: Highlights innate abilities or intelligence, potentially fostering a fixed mindset. This can deter students from embracing challenges for fear of failing to meet the "smart" label.
Examples of praises used by coaches in ECA training sessions:
"Even though that was a tough game, you didn’t give up. I saw how you adjusted your strategy and tried different approaches. It’s great to see you tackle challenges head-on and learn from them."
"I noticed how well you communicated with your team during that difficult match. Your ability to strategize together and support each other shows tremendous growth in teamwork. Keep up the good work!"
"It’s not easy to keep a positive attitude after a loss, but you managed to do just that. Reflecting on what can be improved and maintaining a positive outlook is key to becoming a better player."
Why Effort Praise Is More Beneficial in Esports
Benefits of effort praises:
Continuous Learning and Improvement: Esports requires keeping up with game updates, evolving strategies, and new competition. Effort praise reinforces the value of ongoing learning and adaptation.
Teamwork and Communication: By focusing on how the group's effort leads to better team dynamics and results, players are encouraged to work together and communicate more effectively, recognizing these as skills that can always be improved.
Handling Pressure: In high-stakes competitions, players praised for effort rather than innate talent are better equipped to handle pressure. They're more likely to approach challenging situations with a problem-solving mindset, considering them as opportunities to apply effort and strategy rather than as threats to their self-esteem.
Longevity in Esports: Developing a growth mindset helps young players maintain a long-term interest in esports, constantly finding new goals to strive for and new skills to master, rather than being discouraged by the inevitable plateaus in performance that come with any skill-based activity.
In essence, the emphasis on effort praise within an esports club or program for young athletes not only enhances their current performance and enjoyment of the games and sessions, but also equips them with life skills such as resilience, adaptability, and a lifelong love for learning. These benefits extend far beyond esports, preparing young individuals for various future challenges and endeavors.
Struggling to give praises during your esports sessions? Think about a few key subject examples below:
Teamwork and Communication
Overcoming Challenges
Dedication to Practice
Strategic Thinking
Resilience in Loss
Positivity
Individual Improvement
Adaptability
Supporting Teammates
Learning from Mistakes
Consistent Effort