3 Ways to Put the Team Before Yourself
It takes an entire team to win a Championship in softball. Every team is going to face adversity throughout the season or in the offseason months. The teams who learn how to gel and stick together through adversity are the ones who will come out on top.
Learning to play as a team takes time and practice. Even if you put a team of all-stars together, there will be something missing. Team chemistry is built on trust and spending time together on and off the field. It’s up to the coaches to enforce the importance of the team and to put the team before oneself.
There is no “I” in team. Everyone has heard this saying at some point in their sports career if they have participated in a team sport. It couldn’t be more accurate when it comes to softball. It takes an entire roster from top to bottom to win a championship. Every member of the team plays an important role, no matter what that role may be. The tricky part is learning, buying in and fulfilling that role to the best of your ability.
It can be easy to get caught up in personal stats and achievements in softball. When players shift their focus from themselves to the team, the team is destined for greatness. Below are three ways softball players can put the team before themselves.
Celebrate Your Teammates: There is no greater feeling in the world than when you are part of a team, and you get to watch the people around you succeed. This feeling occurs once a player stops putting so much pressure on herself to succeed, and more of her focus on the team. Celebrating your teammates is important. Whether it’s after a great play made in the field, a base hit to knock in the winning run, stealing a base, garnering a major strikeout, or hitting a home run, be the first one out of the dugout to celebrate. Teams feed off of each other’s energy, and when the team is the main focus for each member, magic happens.
Lend a Hand: Everyone goes through some sort of struggle in softball. It may be a hitting slump, a misplayed ground ball that costs a run, a missed pitch that you wish you could take back, a late jump on a steal attempt, etc. This game is full of ups and downs. The teams who stick together and help each other overcome the obstacles are going to go far. Lending a hand could mean you stay after practice and hit your shortstop extra ground balls, so she feels ready. It could mean throwing extra batting practice to a hitter who needs a confidence boost. It could also mean just being there to listen as teammates vent about personal struggles. It’s important to be there and support your teammates no matter what they need you for.
Be Your Best: Holding yourself accountable is the best thing anyone can do for the team as a whole. If each player learns, understands, and buys into their contribution to the team, the team will be unstoppable. If players are their best, this means they give 110% on the field at all times at practice and in games. They also put in additional individual work away from organized team practices. Being your best means leaving personal problems at home when you are on the softball field. When individuals are fully bought into their role on the team, put the team first, and lend a hand to others, the team will succeed.
