Individuals and teams progress the most when they challenge themselves with goals. To be worthwhile, goals must challenge teams and yet also be manageable.
I like the acronym SMART.
S stands for specific. For a developmental or rebuilding team, that might mean finishing in the top half of a league or making the playoffs.
M means measurable. Although process goals are critical, outcome goals like improving attack efficiency or increasing digs or blocks could apply in volleyball.
A equals attainable. If you were working on your vertical jump and wanted to increase it, expecting twelve inches would not be attainable.
R encompasses realistic. Even a superior team has limits. On an espn.go.com poll, almost forty percent of Patriots fans thought the team could go 16-0. Not realistic.
T includes timely. If you wanted to lose weight or improve your fitness in some fashion, expecting overnight success means failure. A thoughtful plan that allows for execution matters.
Goals shouldn't be set by 'outsiders'. Coaches and teams have ownership for THEIR goals, not media, fans, or even families. A shopworn sports saying goes, "the star of the team is the team." A boat goes fastest, straightest, and farthest when everyone has their oars in the water pulling together.
Maxpreps.com has valuable information including schedules, statistics, and recent team history.
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Great post on goal setting.
You may want to check out GoalsOnTrack, a very nicely built web app designed for tracking goals, habits, and todo lists, and supports time tracking too. It's clear, focused, easy to navigate, and most of all, really works!
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