Definition of Team

Well, it has been a while since I've posted and I just felt inspired to write. First off, I hope everyone is doing well after being hit by Hurricane Sandy. Sandy is the first hurricane I’ve experienced and honestly, I didn't expect it to be this bad. (I don’t consider last year’s hurricane tropical storm Irene a hurricane.) Over 8 million people lost power and many homes were destructed. My heart goes out to those that have been affected by this natural disaster and I pray that all the destruction will be attended as soon as possible.

I don’t really know what my main point of this post is, but let’s see where this goes. Over the summer, I joined a church volleyball team and not only did I get stronger physically, but I also grew a lot mentally. Being a part of this team made me realize that team means family. You look out for one another, you all share the same passion for a particular sport, and you advance with one another.

In the gym, we practiced and practiced. There was little to no room for socializing. We had to make the best of our time to quench that thirst to play. That’s the sole reason why we joined in the first place. That family bond in the team only came with it as a bonus. At the end of the day, it wasn't skill that mattered. It was enjoying the moment with the team. I don’t know where I’m headed at this point, but I’m gonna keep on writing.

One day after practice, I was walking back to church with my team. I sat down at the table lost in my own thoughts. I couldn't figure out why this team was so successful compared to my school team. I knew it wasn't only because this team excelled in skills and had many wonderful coaches. I started to think about how family-like this team felt. The insiders, the teasing, all of the fun everyone had—it was so obvious that one didn't even need eyes to see it. The fact that this team didn't lack in communication was also a plus. Communication is essential to anything that involves 2 or more people.

So why couldn't my school team be just as successful? I’m sure the fault doesn't just lie in the fact that every year, skilled players leave the team as seniors. I've actually learned quite a lot from my evaluation on my season.

•         No matter how angry or frustrated you may be from a loss, you don’t ever have the right to take it out on your teammates. They’re a part of the team and they wanted the win as much as you did.
•         However, if you are on a team but you aren't willingly devoting yourself to the sport, you should really escort yourself out. No one forces you to stay and it’s not doing any party any good. You might not feel the need to improve, but your teammates might. It isn't fair to your teammates that are working hard every day just to get better.
•         Talk. Your team is just about as good as done if there’s no communication. Trust me on that one.
•         Encourage your teammates when they need that spiritual and mental boost. It helps more than you think it does.
•         A team is only as strong as its weakest player.
•         Accept your teammates and learn to bond with them. You’ll be playing with them for a while, so you might as well maintain a good relationship with them. Don’t pounce on every one of their flaws. Either work at it or accept it.

By Yei Ling M. 

**Personal note from writer: I originally began this post wanting to talk about how any team is a family but I ended up noting the mistakes my school team made. This is such a bad post but I didn't regret writing this.