Being on a team is more than just winning. Being on a team: athletic team, dance team, debate team, is one of the more important things your young student and adolescent should partake in to become a well-rounded, resilient person. The need to practice daily, accept feedback, work harder, lose, get yelled at, work cooperatively with other people for the greater good, and show up for practice the next day are life lessons easily taught by being on a team.
TEAM
The dynamics of life shifts when you are practicing or playing with a team. A team bonds a collection of people who may have never come together if not for that one desire to play a specific game. You are no better than anyone else; you are a team. It does not matter the color of oneās skin, what building people worship in, or what someoneās GPA is. All that is required and expected it that everyone gives their all and will put aside their ego to become a fully functioning unit whose goal is to win when playing against another team. To achieve this goal, players need to acquire different skills on the field and in their heads. Players need to understand it isnāt about them but about the greater good of the team. In doing so, putting aside their sense of individual importance and a willingness to play heard must emerge. It is hard work mentally and physically. But, the memories created in the defeats and wins build something no other experience can ever provide. Itās called pride and unity.
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COACH
A coach is a very special person. Players love them and hate them at the same time. A coach does not see disabilities and he or she does not understand excuses. A coach sees potential and knows the strategies to bring forth that potential in every player to achieve the team goal. Coaches have different ways of fostering that potential. Sometimes a coach yells out of excitement or disgust. Many times a coach can have a team run drills or practice a skill repeatedly if players like it or not. But most importantly, every player knows they cannot opt out or run their mouth with a coach; the penalty is too steep.Ā
Today, unfortunately, we have created an environment where students can opt out if things become too hard. If a student feels uncomfortable or their feelings get hurt, instead of talking about it many times they are allowed to walk away from the circumstance. I recently heard of something called a āsafe placeā for students to go when they feel overwhelmed. Being on a team teaches students that safe place is going back and doing it again until you get it right.
THE SELF
A team is bigger than an individual.Ā A team is a group of players who practice together, who do the same drills repeatedly together. They lose together and they win together.
Many children and adolescents identify as their shortcomings or disabilities and give up quickly. Some children and adolescents identify by their successes avoiding the fact there is someone who will always be more talented than them (and they can learn from them) and someone who will always have less talent than them (and they can help that person improve and itās not a threat to their success).
Being on a team teaches players of all ages to see themselves for their potential and how step-by-step, grit and hard work pays off.Ā The thrill one intrinsically feels when they master a skill after practicing it and never giving up is a lesson for them to reflect upon throughout their life. Life is full of challenges that will continually arise. Just as on a team, to overcome the challenges on and off the field requires everyone to abandon a defeatist attitude and work until the goal is achieved.
When you are on a team you are never alone. A team is a built in support system. Behind every high āfive, pat on the back, and head nod is quiet reassurance that despite dropping the ball or letting the puck slide into the net, there is acknowledgement you tried your hardest and together, as a team, that point will be earned back through collective hard work. Celebrating a win with your team is a gift that can never be given to your child. It is a unique experience only created by a coach and a team. Coaches have expectations and a plan for the team to achieve those expectations.Ā
As we prepare our children for the future we need to keep in mind they will need so much more than just academics. We need to prepare our children socially, emotionally, how to persevere, how to problem solve, and how see people for who they are. Being on a team allows your child to experience these things.
What do you think? Weād love you to share your thoughts and experiences.
Love & Peace to all!
Anne C.
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