Are You a Great Teammate?

Not every lacrosse player on your team will be blessed with great talent, but every player, regardless of skill and ability can be a great teammate. Here are 10 qualities of a great teammate. Do these qualities describe you or can you think of someone that they do?

1. A great teammate gives 100% effort:  Your coach can not coach effort!  You cannot control many things that will happen during your lacrosse season, but you can control how hard you play.  The only way to get better is to give your maximum effort. This not only makes you better, it pushes your teammates to get better as well.
2. A great teammate is unselfish:  Lacrosse is a team sport.  Put the team first.  Your job is to do what it takes to help the team be successful.  This isn’t always easy, but great teammates find a way to put the success of the team above their own success.
3. A great teammate is honest:   All great teams and relationships are built on honesty. Your coach and teammates need to know that they can trust you during the ups and downs of a season.
4. A great teammate is humble:  Lacrosse is a team sport.  You may be the star of your team or you may be a role player, either way, remember that the team comes first.  Put your individual accomplishments aside and give praise to your teammates.  Teams succeed when no one cares who gets the credit.
5. A great teammate holds themselves and their teammates accountable:  You should have high standards for yourself and your teammates.  If a teammate is not fulfilling duty to the team don’t be afraid to talk to them about it and get them back on track.  You might need to help them buy in to a particular strategy or help them accept their role on the team.  Don’t accept a negative attitude from teammates, be the player that reaches out to them to help your team as a whole.
6. A great teammate strives to improve: You can always be a better player tomorrow than you are today.  Work to improve your game and you will lift your teammates.  Stay and work after practice and see how many teammates start to join you.
7. A great teammate is optimistic: Don’t be a player constantly complaining to others about what is wrong or not fair.  Look for the positives in your teammates and coaches
8. A great teammate has respect for others:  Respect your teammates. Respect your coaches. Respect your family, Respect your teachers. Respect your facilities.  Respect your school.  Look people in the eye.  Nod and acknowledge your coach when they are addressing you.  Thank your Coach after practices and games. Clean up after yourself.  Be polite.  Encourage and cheer on your teammates. Help create a culture of mutual respect.
9. A great teammate is a leader:  You don’t have to be the best player on your team to be a leader.  You don’t even need to be a vocal leader.  Every player can lead by their actions.  Is what you do on a daily basis making your team better?  Challenge your teammates during drills.  You’ll improve and so will they.  Bring energy to every practice.  Don’t talk bad about teammates or coaches outside the team environment.  These are all ways you can lead your teammates towards success.
10. A great teammate takes responsibility:  All of your actions, within and away from the team, are a representation of your team, your school or organization, and your family. Take responsibility for your behavior and actions at all times.  Conduct yourself in such a way that your parents, coaches, and teachers would be proud of you.  You never know who is looking at you for cues on how to behave.

Coaches – This is a key point for you to remember as well.  Your players are looking at you to see how you behave.  This includes your interactions with players, officials, and other coaches.  Be the person you want your players to be.  Actions speak louder than words.