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LOYALTY
Every year I hear someone mention the need to show "loyalty" to the team
by looking after players who have been with the program for "X" number of
years or who have been at every optional workout. That brings up an
important question: Who am I supposed to be loyal to?
On the one hand, a player who has been with the team, working hard at
practices, summer workouts, and after-school conditioning certainly seems
to be more of a "team-player" than those who blow it off for one reason or
another. On the other hand, showing loyalty to an individual can be in direct
opposition to showing loyalty to the team. Something players and parents
often lose sight of is the concept of "team first". No matter who the individual
is, how good they are, or how dedicated they are, if I put the one ahead of the
team, then I have failed the team.
So what does that mean? It means returning players having to fight for a spot
on the team. It means returning starters having to compete for their place as
a starter. It means putting together the best "team", which is not necessarily
the best individuals. Players who are not coachable, players or parents who
aren't a positive for the program, or players who won't buy into the team
concept are a cancer that can destroy a team, regardless of their individual
talent.
Players and parents, as we rapidly approach the next high school season, ask
yourselves this: am I what is best for the TEAM?
Every year I hear someone mention the need to show "loyalty" to the team
by looking after players who have been with the program for "X" number of
years or who have been at every optional workout. That brings up an
important question: Who am I supposed to be loyal to?
On the one hand, a player who has been with the team, working hard at
practices, summer workouts, and after-school conditioning certainly seems
to be more of a "team-player" than those who blow it off for one reason or
another. On the other hand, showing loyalty to an individual can be in direct
opposition to showing loyalty to the team. Something players and parents
often lose sight of is the concept of "team first". No matter who the individual
is, how good they are, or how dedicated they are, if I put the one ahead of the
team, then I have failed the team.
So what does that mean? It means returning players having to fight for a spot
on the team. It means returning starters having to compete for their place as
a starter. It means putting together the best "team", which is not necessarily
the best individuals. Players who are not coachable, players or parents who
aren't a positive for the program, or players who won't buy into the team
concept are a cancer that can destroy a team, regardless of their individual
talent.
Players and parents, as we rapidly approach the next high school season, ask
yourselves this: am I what is best for the TEAM?