FEATURED ARTICLE
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6. How does playing the game the right
way make a player a good teammate?
Playing the game the right way is observed
by how the player spends quality time
preparing, how they compete, and how
they respond to and make sense of their
results and performance. When the player
plays the game in this way, then the player--
by action not words--- is being a good team-
mate, and for the following reasons:
• The player does their part in helping to put the team in position to win the
game.
• Through their actions, the player is a model to other teammates that they
want to win and that they desire to be part of something beyond being an
individual.
• In playing the game the right way, the player more often than not, will
relate productively with their teammates, both on and off the field, and
gain their respect.
• More often than not, the player will listen to the coaches and follow
through with the game plan.
• The player’s actions will show others what it takes to be part of a team.
7. To what extent can a player help teammates to become more a part of the team?
Just how a player can help a teammate to become more a part of the team will depend on many factors, such as the prior relationship between them, their roles on the team, and sometimes even by the degree of performance of the player.
However, if and when a player senses an opportunity to assist a teammate, and feels comfortable in reaching out to provide assistance to that individual, then that player can consider taking all or some of the following actions:
• Listen to the teammate so that the individual’s needs and concerns can be
understood.
• Discuss with the teammate how you, the player, may be able to assist them.
• When offering assistance to the teammate, do so in an enthusiastic manner.
• Attempt to set up a time and plan so that you can offer the teammate some
quality assistance, rather than proceeding in a haphazard manner.
• The player needs to make sure that he can follow through on his commit-
ment to help the teammate. In this regard, it is better to under-promise
what can be provided to the teammate and over deliver, rather than over-
promise and then not be able to follow through.
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