The research addresses the selection process for the naval pentathlon team of the Naval Academy. Hypothesis: The motor performance criterion in the selection of athletes is not enough, and the performance in training and competitions can be improved if athletes’ attitude towards and motivation for performance are added to the selection. Subjects: The basis for selecting the research subjects were military students who had already passed a first stage of selection when being admitted to the military institution. Methods: Bibliographical study, pedagogical observation, experiment, questionnaire survey, mathematical and statistical method, graphical method. The first stage was oriented towards the selection of a group of 30 subjects (out of 200) using psychomotor performance as a criterion, and the second stage was focused on selecting the representative team of the Naval Academy by means of two opinion questionnaires meant to reveal the subjects’ attitude towards and motivation for performance and competition. Results: We identified the group of 15 athletes who met the conditions of having good motor skills and an optimal attitude towards the preparation for performance within a rigorously planned training system, with coaching sessions designed to facilitate the maximisation of their performance. Conclusion: The selection process will be oriented towards the subjects with specific motor skills in swimming, running and utilitarian routes, but also with real potential for training – improvement of these skills and development of good exercise capacity, all this facilitated by a proper attitude and motivation.