Is your team a family?

At the WBCA National Convention at the Final Four in Indianapolis, Kyle Rechlicz (then at Dayton, now at Wisconsin) had a terrific roundtable presentation about team building.

She asked one basic question, "When you have recruits on campus, how many of you tell the recruit that your team is like a family?". Naturally, we all raised our hands. Then her next questions stumped us, "What do you do to make that happen?'. 

In other words, how were we practicing being a family? Was it only talk and no action? You can declare yourself a fast break team, but if you don't work on your transition game daily- what kind of fast break team will you be?

Kyle sends out "Motivational Mails", otherwise known as M&M's, and presents different team building exercises to help improve your team's feeling of being a family, improve communication, trust, etc. I highly recommend emailing her and ask to be put on her mailing list! (KAR@athletics.wisc.edu) Here's an excerpt from one of her emails:

M&M #2:  CAMARADERIE REVIEW
Is it possible to be a “Family” without trust? How do you build something so quickly that takes some people years to develop? In this M&M you will find helpful activities to guide your team towards the trust and camaraderie it takes to believe in each other and be successful with one another.

1.    Buddy System

·      Split your team up into groups of 2 or 3 (underclassman with upperclassman and not with someone they are already close to).

·      Give them the following rules:  Once every 2 weeks you need to do an activity with your buddy (and only your buddy)!  Be encouraging on and off the court and attend their extra workouts. If your buddy is late...you are late…if your buddy breaks a rule…then you have also broken that rule! Occasionally, you may be popped quizzed about your buddy, so truly try and get to know each other.

·      Keep up with your team by asking them how their buddy is and simple questions that they should know the answers to. 

·      Explain to them that they have to learn to pull together to be successful even when it isn’t their closest friend on the team!

2.    Past, Present, Future

·      At the start of the year, when your team is working to get to know each other better…bring in the Past, Present, Future Team Building Activity.

·      At a place outside of the gym (coaches house, restaurant, etc.), have each player bring something that reminds them of their past, something that is relevant to their present, and something that represents what they want for their future.

·      It can be anything from pictures to stuffed animals to a magazine article (believe me, I have seen it all).

·      Instead of having them present their items to the team, pair them up with someone new and have them explain their items to each other.

·      Then have their partner, explain to the rest of the team and coaching staff what each items means to that individual person. 

·      Let people ask questions, as well, because this will further build your team’s trust and the discussion.