What does it mean to be a great teammate? It doesn’t just mean being there for the

other players on your team. That’s a decent start, but there’s so much more to it than

that. So, what qualities go into that magic formula to create “the perfect teammate?”

Like our previous post about staying consistent, there are a few markers of individuals

who happen to make amazing teammates. A good starting spot would definitely to

check those blogs out (Consistency is Key, both parts 1 and 2).

1.) A great teammate recognizes their strengths and weakness.

Having the ability to be self-aware is a quality that is vital for any athlete have if they

truly want to succeed at what they do on and off the field. It doesn’t always come easily,

either. Sometimes we need that reality check to allow our team to have more success. If

you’re shooting 3-pointers from the corners and hitting the top corner of the backboard

six shots out of 10, maybe it’s time you came to the realization corner 3s aren’t your

thing. Here’s where many athletes tend to mess up – just because it’s a weakness does

NOT mean you should give up on shooting corner 3s! All that means is that you know

what you should be working on during practice and on your own time. Now, if you find

yourself missing a bunch of shots you’d usually make, then you might just be having an

off night. That’s your opportunity to think to yourself, “Ok, I’m having trouble making a

few of my go-to-shots… maybe I can set more picks and focus on assists until I get

some shots to fall again.” This mentality flows nicely into our next quality, which you see

in teams that are truly in sync.

2.) A great teammate is willing to play any role to set their team up for success.

Often, while competing in sport as youth athletes, everyone is supposed to get the

same amount of playing time. Travel teams sometimes differ, but most youth leagues

expect their coaches to give each player equal playing time. As a result, it can come as

a real punch in the gut when an athlete gets to a higher level of competition where they

are not as talented as some of their teammates. When this happens, we have two

choices. The first is to give up and quit when we don’t receive the playing time we want.

The second choice is to support our team by any means necessary while we continue to

work at improving our skills. It seems obvious, but going with the second option will get

you far in life. I like to talk about an athlete’s role while part of a team in 2 separate

ways: the number of minutes you get to play in games and the role you play on the

field/court.

a. When a player can understand why they have a reduced amount of playing time and

still have the right attitude about supporting their team, the team will find much more

success. Sometimes it’s out of our control. In high school, you might be the best player

on your team, the county, or the entire state. Many student-athletes don’t always realize

that, when you get to college, everyone is the best player on their team, county, or

state. This means you’ll need to work even harder to get that starting spot. Sometimes,

you won’t get it right away and might find yourself riding the bench. Understanding that

you need to accept taking a little less playing time while staying enthusiastic about

competition because it will allow your team the success you all deserve.

b. This other area related to playing different roles on a team has to do with what their

team needs from them during competition. Sometimes we need to focus on different

things in games. They even differ from game to game. Many times, those stud athletes

in high school are used to having high-scoring games. This method of gameplay does

not usually track after leaving high school athletics. When a player gets to a college

team, they typically don’t need to rely on only one player to generate points or offense.

Sure, a team might have someone who gets the ball in high-pressure situations, but

everyone has a job to do. Instead of needing someone who can generate high amounts

of points, a team might need someone who can lock down an opponent’s best player.

This alteration can change for every team a player might compete for because all

groups have their strengths and weaknesses. We play for the name on the front, not the

name on our jersey’s back.

3.) A great teammate develops genuine relationships with their teammates.

It sounds like it should go unsaid, but the reality is that this idea of being genuine

doesn’t always track. The most successful teams I’ve played with have all been

extremely close. In high school and lower levels of youth sport, a team’s players might

see each other throughout the day in the hall or at lunch. Maybe they have a couple of

classes together. Then they go to practice, and that’s it. There’s more needed to make a

connection with your teammates than just going to the same school or living in the same

town as them. When teams spend time with each other outside of practice, amazing

things start to happen. That team chemistry starts to show on the field in a way that can

make all the difference. Often in high school and other youth sports levels, that means

getting rid of any cliques that might develop on a team. If the upperclassmen start this

push for solidarity, everyone else will follow. This shift in team culture means making an

effort to get to know the players on your team – learning their likes and dislikes, favorite

movies, or foods. It’s even easier in college because the student-athletes will end up

living and taking classes with their teammates. Walking to a dining hall after class to

meet up with my teammates was one of my favorite things to do. Chances are, if you’re

a student-athlete and reading this; it’s one of yours too.

Come back next week when we explore other areas that relate to this idea of what it

means tobe a great teammate! For now, think about what it is you do to be the best teammate

you can be. Is there something else you can be doing?