As in war, players perform their best when their motivation is to support their fellow teammates.  If someone feels cared for and a sense of belonging, they will fight to the ends of the earth for you.  You can build team chemistry by:

1. Holding social events so players and coaches get to know each other.
2. Getting involved and showing concern for player's lives off the field.
3. Giving team captains more responsibility for self-enforcing team standards.
4. Create sub-team identities (Dog Pound for the defense, the "Bricklayers" for the offensive line, etc.)
5. Create team traditions (toughing the Gator on the way out to the field, senior-frosh mentoring, etc.)

What to look for

Here are some things to take into consideration when you are looking at your team:

1. Does your team have agreed-upon goals they created as a team?
2. Do the players openly encourage and support one another?
3. Do they have open communication with one another, as well as the coaching staff?
4. Does each player know what their role on the team is?
5. Is there mutual respect among the players and coaching staff?
6. Do players use statements such as "we" when referring to the team, or is it more of an "every man for himself" mentality?
7. Have they created a positive team image for themselves?
8. Are the individual contributions of each player recognised (regardless of whether he/she is a starter or not a starter)?
9. Is the team as a whole committed to improving performance?
10. Does each member consider themselves as a "team player?"

A productive team has players that share common goals, a common vision and have some level of interdependence that requires both verbal and physical interaction. Teams come into existence through shared attitudes about a particular sport. They may come together for a number of different reasons, but their goals are the same - to achieve peak performance and experience success. The ends may differ but the means by which one gets there is the same - teamwork. Every member of the team is accountable when it comes to teamwork.

To build cohesion, there must be team leadership, and coaches can develop that leadership so that its built from within.  Here are a few ideas to foster leadership.  

 

• Allow the team to pick their own captains.  Let them decide who they respect the most.

• Make captain responsibilities more than just determining kick-off.  Captains are part of the team's overall leadership team.  They should have a seat at the table for any big decisions affecting the team, and they should be the main ambassadors of coaching objectives within the team itself.  For example, if you're having a problem with lateness, don't give a coaching decree from above.  Let the captains figure out what to do about the problem.  Let the captains and players take ownership of the problem themselves. 

• Develop team identity.  A song, a flag, a saying posted over the doorway to the clubhouse...create the symbols needed to create a sense of belonging and cohesion.

• Plus / Deltas.  Plus / deltas is a nice way of saying positives and negatives.  Let the captains review with the players what's working and what's not after each practice. 

• Create a slide show of highlights.  Coach K at Duke does this for all his players.  He reminds them how good they are before each major game. 

• Habitat for Hummanity-- build a house together
• Bonfire of old losing season --Get rid of old demons from previous seasons
  
• Team Poker -- offense against defense
  
• Go-Karts -- have fun and bring out players' competitive spirit on the track
• Golf Scramble -- best balll out of four.  Divide between Dline, Oline, etc.
• Ropes Course
• Social Outings --sometimes include partner, family, etc
• Ooutdoor Survival
• Military Training
• Team Trading Cards (like baseball cards)
• Have a Team Suit the player wear for special occasions
• Profession Cross-Match -- publish a list of business or services that your players perform to enable networking and using each others' businesses.
• Create a Facebook Group Posting
• Cross train though other sports
  • -- running
  • -- jumping
  • -- rafting (team building)
  • -- rock climbing

Two 'On-the-Field' Activities

 

RADIOACTIVE FIELD II
The goal is to transfer the entire group across an open area using one pair of magic boots. No body part can touch the ground except for feet wearing the magic boots. The boots cannot be thrown across the field.  They can be carried. Each foot on each person can only wear a boot safely for one trip across. After that foot is used, it cannot be used for any more trips.

 

THINK OUTSIDE THE CIRLCE

Cirlce your players up.  Have them throw a ball in any order so that each player touches it once.  Have them remember that order.  Time it, and then ask them to beat it.  Time it again, and ask them to halve the time.  Ask them to halve it again, and again.  They'll soon ask you to restate the rules again.  1) Each player much touch it only once, and 2) in the same order as the original sequence.  Then, they'll start to work together and think outside the box.  Eventually, they'll put their fingers in a vertical line and drop the ball so that it touches everyone in sequence in less than a second.

• Veteran-rookie partnerships
• Sign a 'magna carter' or constitution for your team
  
• Run til you need a buddy to step in
• Give something up
• Paint an object
• Touch the plague/eagle/symbol of the team
  
• Winners run
• Line of commitment -- don't step over this line unless your ready and committed
• Team retreat
• Seniors give back
• Spegetti dinner
• Raise hands when ready for the next conditioning
• Role for captains
• Mission statement
• Team goals and timeline
• Team song
• Rewards for accomplishing goals
• Game balls
• Everyone signs the goal and mission statement
• Installation of rookie members
• Suit and tie day
• Plastic bracelets (like Lance Armstrong bracelets)
  

Synergy

Synergy: is defined as "harmonious teamwork toward a common goal to the degree that the outcome is greater that the sum of the parts." Simply put, this means that a group of like-minded people working together towards a common goal are more apt to be successful than the individual's effort.

In nature, the beasts and the birds have long worked together in a synergistic manner. The flight of the goose is a prime example. They fly in "V" formation so that their efforts aid each of the other members of the flock. When the leader tires, he/she moves to the back of the flock and drafts off the birds at the front. If a bird falls out of formation, they feel the drag of trying to go it alone, and quickly rejoin the flock. The lioness in search of prey does not go it alone. The adult females of the Lion's Pride hunt in synergy so that all the members of the Pride may eat.

In business, athletics, and family relationships, we can learn from the animals in the wild. Where implemented, synergy helps businesses become more successful and profitable. Athletic teams with less talent are able to defeat more talented teams simply because they worked together for a common goal. And families that work and play together tend to stay together.

So how do you go about assembling Your Dream Team?

1. You must identify a small group of like minded individuals
2. Keeping the group size small allows you to focus on your goals
3. Have regular meetings with Your Dream Team - mobile phones off, no interruptions
4. Meetings are to be upbeat, positive, and should be beneficial to everyone
5. Every must agree to be fully involved
6. Share something positive that has happened since the last time you met
7. Share opportunities and adversities, and ask for feedback and help

Just recently I was told about a group of athletes that met for dinner once a month. They discussed the positive as well as the negative things that were going on in their athletic careers. This is an example of a Dream Team in action. They had unknowingly become each others support group and they came to rely on each other

The following is the list of our captain's responsibilities:

Generate Team Spirit

• Organize a least one social event outside of practice
• Lead the team cheers at meets
• Provide end of the year awards to all team mates
• Other: locker notes, pep talks, fun runs, ice cream treats, team lunches, whatever you can think of to motivate the team members

Lead warm-ups, stretches, and cool downs

• Lead team in daily stretching and dynamics, making sure the team does them effectively, efficiently, and together
• Gather entire team at meets for warm up and cool down at meets
• Be a model when it comes to warming up and cooling down

Be a role model for all team members

• Be on time everyday with all necessary equipment
• Help coaches focus the team during team meetings
• Attend all team events
• Bring disciplined work habits to practice daily
• Maintain a summer journal and the mileage chart information
• Be knowledgeable about the sport, training, and equipment

Organize summer running

• Pick a time and location
• Make sure at least one team member is there for every run
• Phone team members and encourage them to run and attend

Know and support your team mates

• Know everyone's name by the 2nd week of practice
• Show interest in all runners' progress
• Be approachable
• Cheer on team at workouts and races and encourage others to do so

Be a team spokesman

• Be a conduit between the coaches and team concerning team issues
• Help articulate team goals for the team