The fundamentals of teamwork: 6 keys to becoming a better teammate

by Justin Berry

In addition to skills and on-the-court success, every player should aspire to be a good teammate.

In short, that means being someone people enjoy playing with. There are many factors that can contribute to this, including (but not limited to):

Vocal support

Players should always be vocally supportive of their team when they’re on the court and when they’re on the bench. It’s easy to be enthusiastic when you’re playing, but good teammates provide energy and support 100 percent of the time, even if they’re not having their best game themselves.

Accountability

On good teams, players ensure their teammates are fulfilling the standards set by the club and coach. This includes off-season workouts, practices, off-court behavior, and games. Coaches can’t see everything and constantly monitor the team’s effort, so it’s up to each member to make sure they and their teammates are doing what they’re supposed to do. If players are afraid to hold each other accountable to keeping the standard, the team can never reach its full potential. Push each other to do better.

Effort

Regardless of your role on the team, all members of a successful team have to be giving maximum effort in practice in order to produce the best possible unit for the games. It should be considered an insult to the team to not give your best effort; Your practice effort has to be equal to your game effort.

Unity

In any situations that become tough, you should be there to support your team—if one of them gets knocked down, you rush to help them up. If they’re close to an altercation with the opposing team, you rush to intervene and protect them. If they are having a hard time and struggling physically or mentally, you rush to encourage them and lift them up.

Openness

You should communicate openly and freely with your team. Don’t be afraid to offer constructive observations or suggestions to your teammates, but also be open to it when they do the same. No one wants to play with a teammate who thinks they know everything already. If everyone on the team is open with each other, communication can exist at a high level.

Trust

You may not be best friends with every person on your team, but you must trust your all your teammates to do their job. Whether you’re a role player or one of the strongest players on the team, you need to have confidence in each other. This includes things like making the right pass when someone is open, trusting teammates to hit shots and help on defense, and encouraging your team to perform.