I can promise you that, teamwork does indeed make the dream work. As we all know and have heard many times before there is no I in team.
Here are 10 important traits that great teammates exhibit and can ultimately lead to a team’s success:
1: Communication: Great teammates are able to effectively communicate with their peers and their coaches in a positive manner. They know when it is an appropriate time to communicate and when they should be listening.
2: Selflessness: It is a 2-on-1, do you pass or do you take the shot? Are you more focused on the success of the team or the success of yourself? A great teammate will do whatever is best for the team, not themselves.
3: Respect: A great teammate is respectful to their peers, coaches, on and off the court, when they are in the community and in the classroom. They treat everyone with dignity and equality.
4: Positive attitude: A great teammate has a positive attitude and can keep that positive attitude in any situation.
5: Leadership: Leading by example. A great teammate will do the work they need to behind the scenes so that their team can achieve success. Whether that is cleaning the change room after your teammates left garbage, going for an early morning run, practicing outside of your scheduled practiced time, taking the equipment out or putting it away, et cetera. The best leaders are not afraid of hard work and do not look for individual recognition.
6: Accountability: A great teammate will take responsibility for their actions and will hold their teammates accountable for their performance on and off the court.
7: Dependability: You know they will show up when they need to. A great teammate is reliable and is committed to putting in the work required for their team’s success.
8: Honesty: Honestly, builds trust and trust is required for a team to succeed, for teammates and coaches.
9: Hard work: A great teammate inspires their team to work harder and to be better. They are willing to put in the work required for their team to succeed.
10: Listen: A great teammate can give and take constructive criticism and use it to improve their performance. A great teammates is coachable.
Not only will you play sports with your teammates, you will learn from them, you will share some of the best memories of your life with them and most importantly, you will develop the life skills you need to excel at anything you put your mind to with them. We can all strive to be better; be better leaders, teammates and coaches.
Kristina Segall is the coordinator of the Alberta Sport Development Centre — Southeast. She can be reached via email at ksegall@mhc.ab.ca and via phone at 403-504-3547.
