Achievement motivation and its relationship to athletic performance level among football players

Abstract

This research aims to explore the relationship between achievement motivation and athletic performance among football players, recognizing the importance of psychological factors as key determinants of performance alongside physical, technical, and tactical aspects. The research employed a descriptive-correlational approach, deemed most suitable for the objectives. The study sample consisted of 30 players from Al-Gharraf Sports Club in Dhiqar Governorate, selected purposively. The researcher utilized the Achievement Motivation Scale, based on the Alawi scale (2002), which measures the two dimensions of achievement motivation: success motivation and failure avoidance motivation. Additionally, an athletic performance evaluation form was used, encompassing skill performance, tactical performance, effectiveness, and discipline. Statistical analysis revealed that both achievement motivation and athletic performance were at an average level, with success motivation outperforming failure avoidance motivation. Furthermore, the results demonstrated a statistically significant, moderate, positive correlation between achievement motivation and athletic performance, indicating that higher achievement motivation is associated with improved performance. The research concluded that it is important to integrate psychological preparation and motivation enhancement programs into the training system, along with physical and skill training, in order to raise the level of athletic performance and achieve better results.