Effort Trophy
Mindset
Legend
- player
- coach / parent
- movement path
How it works
Reinforce a growth mindset by celebrating effort and improvement rather than outcomes or natural talent.
What you need
- open gym space
- sticker chart
Your focus
Young children quickly internalize fixed mindset messages when praise focuses on being 'good' or 'talented.' Shifting praise to effort and process teaches children that improvement comes from trying hard and not giving up. This builds intrinsic motivation that sustains participation in sport long-term.
At the start of the season, each player receives a personal 'effort chart' on the gym wall with their name.
During every practice, coach and teammates award effort stickers for hustle plays: diving attempts, getting to a hard ball, asking for another try.
At the end of each practice, the player with the most new stickers shares one thing they tried hard at today.
At month's end, celebrate every player's chart, not the chart with the most stickers, but specific efforts each player demonstrated.
Helpful cues
- I love how hard you tried on that one
- It doesn't matter if it went in, that effort was outstanding
- Every mistake means you're learning something new
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Award stickers for any positive attempt, even verbal encouragement of a teammate.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Ask players to set one personal effort goal at the start of practice and self-evaluate at the end.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.