Are you a Team Player? Coaches all over the world have given speeches about it or even just asked the question. When this question is asked or this speech is heard, some players may just very well not understand what being a team player really is let alone how to go about being one. This can be the same way for other coaches on a staff. They may simply be asking themselves, what is a team player or how to become a team player?
Let’s look at what a Team Player is. A Team Player is a person who plays or works well as a member of a team or group. With this being said, you always have to ask yourself, “How do I work with others in a team or group environment?” When you answer this question and your answer is that you are a team player, then that is awesome and I encourage you to keep building on that and never let up. If your answer is that you are not or that you are not sure, then this is the time for reflection. The world of sports and all it’s concepts is one of the greatest things in my opinion that has been discovered. Everyone that has ever played on a team, coached, or been apart of a team environment knows that to be successful as a team, everyone that is involved has to be team players. If you struggle with this, ask yourself,
“Do you give your all with what you are empowered to do as part of the team or coaching staff?
Do others around me enjoy working with me in the act of play or in the office?
Do I value my role as part of the team or staff?
Do I show everyone I interact with the respect they deserve?
Do I value other people’s opinion?
Do I communicate affectively?
Am I part of the issues or part of the solutions?“
All of these questions are very valid when doing self reflection on if you are a team player or not. I want to give you a few key tips that can help you get better as a team player and turn your answer to the question earlier from “I’m not to I am.”
1. Always show everyone the respect that you would like people to show you.
2. Get some understanding when communication between you and some is not clear.
3. Take ownership in what you were empowered to do within your team.
4. Value your position and other people’s position as well.
5. Never be part of the problem, but always strive to be part of the solution.
Working in a team environment is not always easy but you can always strive to make things easier then what they are. I stand by the fact that on teams or staffs in sport that are full of team players, look at their success record. It never fails that teams that suffer from lack of team players doesn’t have as much success or longevity then teams that do have Team Players.
BE BLESSED and GO KBJ!
Bio: Brenita Jackson has coached women’s college basketball for 8 years improving the culture at each school she worked for. She started playing basketball at Cedar Hill High School in Texas,USA and went on to play professionally in Aarhus, Denmark. She beganher coaching career while in Denmark leading the junior team to an undefeated season. She currently holds a Master’s Degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University in Irvine, CA.
Brenita returned to her home Dallas, Texas to continue her passion for coaching young girls and inspiring others to develop and use their gifts. She was recognized as 2011 Sportswoman of the Year by the Jacksonville Progress after winning the Region XIV Championship Runner Up Title along with developing the program’s first All American who’s jersey hung in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, TN. In 2015 Brenita was voted the Region XIV Coach of the Year for a turnaround performance going from 3 to 23 wins in just her second season as head coach.
During her 8 years of coaching college basketball, 6 of them were with her husband Kevin Jackson who was a huge key to her success as a head coach. The two were recognized by the Houston Chronicle as “Couple a winning team on and off San Jac court.” The Jackson’s are known in the basketball community as coaches who care about their players, set high standards and teach life skills through the game of basketball. They founded a company called KBJ Academy where they travel to schools, churches and businesses to host team bonding retreats or leadership workshops. They also consult with coaches on changing the culture at a new school they just joined or consult with players on how to pursue playing college sports. They have experiences that they love to share with all transparency so others can learn, grow and succeed.
