How to Build Team Unity
If you want your team to have success, you need to build unity. It’s not always easy to do when coaching youth sports, but if you use some of the following strategies, the team should run like a well-oiled machine.
If team chemistry made a noise, it would sound like a “click.” When teams click they raise their level of play as teammates cooperate and work together toward their common goal. Most championship teams credit team chemistry as a key element of their success. But, in the limited time available to youth sports coaches, team chemistry is often a challenge for teams composed of kids not already familiar with one another.
Team unity involves building common experiences, skills, emotions, and goals for the players. However, in a short season, practices and games alone may not provide enough time. To build team chemistry quickly, coaches should consider a preseason or early season team meeting with only the players and coaches that helps break the ice and gets players more familiar with their teammates. Some suggested activities include:
- Player introductions where one player asks another a list of questions and then introduces the player to the group.
- Relay races, trivia quizzes, and similar small group competitions with no more than four players per group. Smaller group size helps facilitate player interactions.
- Problem solving activities featuring game situations or strategies that smaller groups of players discuss, solve, diagram, and present to the whole team.
- An after-practice pizza party that gives the players a chance to talk and interact with one another.
By breaking down normal shyness and letting kids get comfortable around their teammates, coaches facilitate an environment where peer support encourages team play. This environment can help the entire team work together and minimize player cliques composed of players who attend the same school, have the same teachers, or have previously played together. Helping all players get along before a game goes a long way to helping players get along during a game.
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Sports Esteem for this article.
Is Your Player Getting The Most From Your Investment?
Involvement in youth sports is a huge investment for families. Not only are their monetary expenses involved, there are also time commitments to be considered. When considering the sacrifices made by parents, players and coaches, it is important to examine just what everyone is receiving for the commitment they have made to the team.
Concerns about safety and increased urbanization have led to a larger role for organized sports. The associated costs with organized sports leave parents feeling the need to get their money’s worth. This desire to gain value can translate into too much emphasis on skills development and wins without leaving kids the necessary time for fun. To keep things in perspective, parents need to ask themselves what it is they are buying with their organized sports fees. If the goal of youth sports is to build the best kids possible, then parents will want to spend their money in ways that:
- Keep their child playing for as long as possible.
- Give their child the most self-confidence. Generate the best long term memories for their child.
- Do not take away from other more important commitments such as school and family.
- Help improve their child’s abilities to relate well with other kids and adults.
- Teach their child important life lessons such as teamwork and improvement through practice.
Trying to equate skills and wins with monetary value seems like a simple test. However, keeping the larger picture in perspective gives kids the best chance at having fun and thus the best chance for a long and successful youth sports experience.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Sports Esteem for this article.
Knowing and Accepting Team Roles – Part 3 of 3
Understanding and accepting roles is one of the biggest areas for developing a successful team. This is Part 3 of the article “Knowing and Accepting Team Roles.” In this article we discuss getting your players to appreciate their role on the team. Role Appreciation
Perhaps the biggest key leading to your players’ accepting their roles is role appreciation. What you are trying to do is to create a sense of pride in playing a role. You want each player to understand the contribution that they make to the team and to take pride in it, regardless of whether it is valued by the fans or the media. Phil Jackson acknowledged the importance of role playing in his book Sacred Hoops. “I knew that the only way to win consistently was to give everybody - from the stars to the number 12 player on the bench - a vital role on the team.”
Nails and Glue Awards
Getting people to accept roles requires that you appreciate them. By appreciating them for playing roles, your players begin to understand that their role is valued and ultimately important to the team’s reaching its common goal. As Rick Pitino says, “Recognize the people who get less attention in the group because they’re not in the glamorous positions. Thank them publicly for their unselfishness and do it in front of their peers.” While the fans and media may overlook some vital roles, you can appreciate them in a more effective way through team awards.
One such award that I have developed with teams is called the “Nails” award and the “Glue” award. We created the Nails award to acknowledge and appreciate the mental toughness of the player(s) who is “mentally tough as nails.” The award is given on a weekly basis and is voted on by the team. The players are not allowed to vote for themselves. The Glue award focuses on team aspects and is symbolized by the “glue that binds the team together.” The players vote for the teammate who had the best team attitude demonstrated by encouraging his/her teammates and/or making individual sacrifices.
You can create various awards for whatever roles you deem important to your team’s success - like recognizing the player with the most rebounds, assists, charges taken, or screens. Let your players come up with the names for the award. You can either determine your award based on objective stats or have your team vote for the player they felt did the best job. Announce the award at practice, put up a sheet on the player’s locker, and add his/her name to the main award list in the locker room.
Summary
Your team’s success relies on your ability to get your players to understand and accept their roles. Use the previous suggestions to help you define and appreciate each player’s role, and soon your team will be on a roll!
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Jeff Janssen and Steve Horan of PositiveSports.net for the above article.
Knowing and Accepting Team Roles – Part 2
Understanding and accepting roles is one of the biggest areas for developing a successful team. This is Part 2 of the article “Knowing and Accepting Team Roles.” In this article we discuss two ways to define and clarify player roles on a team.1. Individual Meetings with Each Player
There are a few ways that you can help to define and clarify your individual players’ roles. One is to meet privately with each player to discuss his or her role. It usually is best to begin the meeting by asking the player about the roles or contributions the player is making presently. Find out how satisfied the player is with his or her present role as they see it as well as any future roles that they would like to play. Either the player sees things the way you do or you need to bring in your perspective as a coach. If a player would like to play a greater role, discuss what you think it will take for the player to have a chance to play the desired role. It may range from extra practice to transferring to another team to a reality check. The key is to have honest and open communication between you and each player.
2. Teammates Clarifying Roles for Each Other
An excellent and effective way of clarifying and appreciating roles is to have your team members define roles for each other. Our team has found this exercise to be quite beneficial. Have your players sit in a circle and describe each player’s role. Ask the team, “What does Jason bring to this team? What do we need from him in order to reach the team goals we have set for ourselves?” If the person is a starter, the players will probably discuss his strengths and help him see his role more clearly. If he is a sub, players will talk about the need for him to push the starters to get better as well as appreciate the “little” things he does.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Jeff Janssen and Steve Horan of PositiveSports.net for the above article.
Knowing and Accepting Team Roles – Part 1
Understanding and accepting roles is one of the biggest areas for developing a successful team. The obvious problem with getting individuals to play roles is that certain roles have more outside appeal than others. Who gets the most praise and pats on the back after the games? Too often it is the player who scored the most points, not the one who made the perfect pass or made the painful check. Coach, parent, and player attention to the “glamour” roles is one of the biggest obstacles for getting individuals to accept and embrace less popular roles. However, these roles are absolutely critical to your team’s success.Championship teams have players who not only accept these roles, but understand their significance and value to the team and they actually take pride in playing them. As Pat Riley says, “The key to teamwork is to learn a role, accept that role, and strive to become excellent playing it.”
Accepting Roles
Your goal as a coach is to have your players accept and embrace the role that they are given. When each player accepts his/her role and takes pride in playing it, your team will have its best chance of being successful. How do you get your players to understand and accept their roles?
ACCEPTING ROLES = DEFINING ROLES + APPRECIATING ROLES
Defining Roles
A key aspect of role acceptance is helping to clearly define roles for each of the players. Role definition means that each player knows what is expected of him/her both on the court and off the court. It includes the responsibilities that they are expected to handle and fulfill. Let’s take the six-time NBA World Champion Chicago Bulls as an example. Steve Kerr/John Paxson basically had to find the opening and knock down the outside jumper. Dennis Rodman/Horace Grant had two responsibilities, rebound and defend. Ron Harper just had to play defense. It’s usually your superstars who have to take on additional roles (Jordan & Pippen). But the majority of the “role” players just need to play their role effectively and everything else takes care of itself. Each player should have one or two primary responsibilities that when executed successfully, propel the team toward its ultimate goal.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Jeff Janssen and Steve Horan of PositiveSports.net for the above article.
Build Better Team Chemistry: Provide Teammate Time
The better the experience kids have with all things related to sports, the more they want to keep playing. For many kids, the time before and after games or practices is a big part of the experience and parents can take away from their child’s enjoyment by arriving late or rushing out afterward. The time around these activities should be viewed as part of the total youth sports experience.
In addition, pre and post-game chatter among teammates also helps improve team chemistry and team play. When teammates can relate well with each other outside of a game, they are more likely to work together during a game. Kids who keep to themselves or are less involved may act more independently. Good team play comes from sharing and working together, and good player interactions go a long way to accomplish these goals.
Parents can help facilitate this environment by getting kids to games and practices in plenty of time to prepare and then by not pressuring the kids to hurry afterward. By talking with the other players, parents can reach out to those kids who are not as comfortable talking with teammates. When it comes to building team chemistry, parents often have as big an impact as the coach.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Sports Esteem for the above article.
6 Communication Strategies for Team Managers
Hockey season is long so effective communication is key to a smooth season. Managers can make the season flow smoothly and put parents at ease by using the communication strategies listed below:
1. Make a spreadsheet with each player’s name, number, parents’ names, telephone numbers, and e-mail address. Send this information to all parents in a season-opener e-mail.
2. Make the above information into a wallet card and hand it out to all parents. Be sure to include the team logo.
3. Send all parents an e-mail prior to dryland or a scheduled practice. Make sure coaches know of players who will not make an event.
4. Send an e-mail to parents if the schedule changes or events are canceled.
5. Make sure all parents know the correct time/rink!
6. To make your job easier, create a template of the above items and save it in your e-mail drafts so you can copy and paste it for each event.
By keeping parents in the loop and communicating effectively, team managers can help ensure a smooth and enjoyable season for everyone.
Team Management – Lower Your Registration Fees
It is becoming increasingly popular to accept registrations online. When signing up for a registration service, be sure to check the fees you are being charged. If you are being charged more than 3% - 4% per transaction, then shop around.
Also be sure to double-check the per-registration charge (commonly called the per-transaction charge) – the per registration charge should not be more then $.50 per registration. Shop around and ask questions to make sure you are getting the best value so you can help your parents save money.
Kick-Start the Season with a Perfect Parent Meeting
Maybe it’s asking a lot to run the perfect parent meeting to start the season. But you can come pretty close with these steps on the agenda:- Your first item to discuss at the meeting should be introductions. As the team manager or coach you should introduce yourself and other coaches.
- Ask the parents to introduce themselves. You can suggest introduction topics such as their spouse/partner’s name, where they live, past hockey experiences, maybe profession if appropriate.
- Ask that each person tell something about his/her child and the parents’ goals for the season.
- Take time to summarize by comparing everyone’s goals. Discuss any differences or agreements you have so that you can settle any discrepancies.
At a separate meeting, maybe a bit later in the season, the players themselves should also be allowed to discuss their goals and desires. The best coaches and team managers will also consider those player goals and integrate them throughout the season.
Discover How Parents Can Boost Team Chemistry
It's a fact proven season after season: The teams that are the most fun for kids are most often the ones where the parents interact well. They form their own team to support their children's team.
Sometimes the parents already know each other from another activity, such as school. But more likely it's because one parent puts in the extra effort to coordinate events that help parents break the ice, both getting to know each other and, happily, contribute to better player chemistry.
Some coaches fill the role of team organizer. But, their time is better spent preparing for practices and focusing on how players fit together on the ice. Teams mesh better when one parent steps forward and volunteers to be a Team Activities Coordinator who organizes tasks among the parents.
In this proactive environment, there are many tasks which can be done by parents that won’t directly impact skills development but can change a team's dynamic for the positive and create great memories of the season. Some of those tasks the team coordinator can delegate:
- Arranging team meetings
- Coordinating team parties
- Helping with practices
- Helping with player management
- Helping with snacks
- Helping with water
- Taking pictures for a team scrapbook
- Taking video for a team film
- Contacting parents about schedule changes
- Helping with team events
- Helping with team trophies
- Helping with uniforms
- Raising funds
- Researching opponents
- Coordinating activities for parents during practices
- Keeping statistics
One of the life lessons which parents want their child to learn is the need to invest time in order to gain a benefit. Being involved with team activities is a great way for parents to be role models for their child.
