In the sporting world, I believe all good coaches never like to reprimand players. Of course, coaches do scold their players at one point or another, but that is often done only to emphasize on the tactics and techniques and to enforce discipline in executing them, and that is for the overall benefit of the team to move forward.

After all, not every player respond in the same way and some definitely require a little bit of prodding to help them progress.

At least that is what I believe in.

A big part of team dynamics revolves around the common goal of the team, and the common agreement on how everyone should work together to achieve this goal.

Unfortunately, this is exactly what is sorely lacking in the team.

In terms of the program and the quality of the methods used in training, we are definitely one of the best. However, players fail to observe and appreciate these and focus too much on their own pleasures and wants, instead of the team as a whole.

“Physical training is tiring, I’ll just slack off for a bit. No one will be able to tell. Only this time because I’m too tired.”

Your teammates are tired, the entire team is tired, the coach is tired. By slacking off for that bit, you are deceiving the team and the coach, who had trusted you in the first place. And unconsciously, that one bit that has gone unnoticed will result in you slacking off more often, and over time, these will accumulate into something significant, and the team will eventually find out when you constantly lag behind the rest. By then, it might already be too late to salvage the situation.

“My friends are going out for __________ (insert favourite activity), it won’t matter that I skip just one training. I’ll train doubly hard the next time.”

Firstly, it is not fair that your teammates are training hard every session and you are out somewhere enjoying yourself. Secondly, the team needs to train together to improve on team cohesiveness and chemistry, by not being around, everyone else will understand each other on court that little bit better while you will be the one who is going to be disadvantaged. Lastly, no matter how hard you train the next time, you will never be able to compensate because you can never perform at 200% for the entire training session.

“Coach is not here, I can slack off and he will not be able to know.”

This is a very common misconception that the coach will never find out what he does not see. He may not know for that one time, but as mentioned, such slacking off will accumulate and the results will show for themselves. He may not be around for you to see, but he does not have to be around to actually watch you. It is not what you do when the coach is around, it is what you do when no one is around that matters most. Your actions will also provide information about your character, which will probably be reflected on court, to the coach. Discipline and integrity are important values which the coach places high emphasis on, and it will never be compromised.

Every action that you do has its consequences. Your negative body actions may hurt another teammate unwittingly. A less than 100% effort will influence the rest to follow suit. A goal conceded by the defenders could be the result of the forwards not focusing on their task of pressing their opponents into making mistakes.

What is important here is that teammates must be able to push each other to become faster and stronger, physically, technically and tactically. You should not rely on someone else to push you. Take initiative, take ownership of the team, do your part to encourage each other, and put in your best individually to become better for yourself, and thereafter for the TEAM.