Keeping Your Team Strong (Part 2 of 3): Players

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Players:

The athletes play a critical role in keeping their team strong & ready for the season.  Superstar players can help you win a game,but teams comprised of strong character and skilled players will help you prepare to win a championship.  So what can players do to help keep their team strong?

Take care of business at home & school. 

Too many times athletes hurt their teams at critical moments because they don’t get their school done, keep their grades up, or obey the rules at home.  It’s really basic – maintain your grades and don’t get in trouble at home.

Work on your game outside of practice.

                I know it can be tough to get in much practice time outside of practices/games.  However, nothing does more for a team then to a see a player help them win by using a skill that was a weakness coming into the season.  So, find extra time each week to work on a weakness, or enhance a strength. You don't pay a price to fail. You pay a price to succeed. How much are you willing to pay?

Be humble – Serve your team.

                Real champions are humble servants.  They serve their team by giving encouragement constantly, helping their teammates get better outside of the gym, pushing themselves to the max in every drill and at every game, accepting their role, and having a right attitude.  Sometimes the circumstances get rough and a player will be greatly tested.  An injury, reduction of playing time, loss of a coach or teammate, or issues at home can really hurt the psyche of an athlete.  Yet if that same athlete responds with a positive attitude and puts his thoughts and efforts on serving others, then not only will they learn some valuable life lessons, but they will become a rock of stability when the team needs it most late in the season.

Keeping our teams strong throughout the course of the season requires a lot of hard work by the parents, players, and coaching staffs.  The outcome of the season though will be largely determined by the player’s desire for excellence.  Players can be overcome by the circumstances, or they can overcome the circumstances.  It’s not our actions, but our reactions that defines the character within us.  A player’s right reaction to a long season will help the team be strong!