Building Team Chemistry

Bonding is critical to the success of a team. Pulling for each other results in the sum being greater than the parts of a team. Coaches know the value of bonding to the W/L record. Players control its implimentation, strength and effect.

TPM,
Great subject. & I agree with you!!
My sons' HS coach calls himself a "players coach", whatever that means
He "talks a game, but does elsewise"...Every year there's a player that either gets into trouble, or causes trouble in the locker room or dugout. And, every year at the first booster club meeting, he tells the parents & players "I know we had a lots of problems last year, but this year will be different......"

While I agree that "team bonding" is pretty well left up to the kids, I think Coaches could have a greater impact. Some players are "all for one, one for all" mentality...others have to be lead (or pushed) to even try to get on the same page!
Son's summer coach is much more "in tune" with the players. And the results show. My son is very fortunate to have formed several great friendships with players from his summer team(s)over the years.

I see too many "ego's" on the HS field... jealousy, envy, "I don't care" attitudes...They'd be invited to leave the summer team.

Chemistry is one of those intangibles, like hustle and heart, and may spring from the same well.

Of course a good coach can foster it to a willing team. But I've also seen decent chemistry amongst guys with a common enemy: the coach, i.e., "winning in spite of him".

Building a team chemistry in HS is difficult because the HS coach has to deal with the players he gets--he cannot truly select players in the manner that a travel team coach is able to.

TPM,
Good topic. I really noticed team chemistry when my son went to college. In high school it was almost nonexistent. I wasn’t aware of the great difference until you are around college players. Playing college baseball and going to college in general is an experience that tends to bond young adults together. While a team may have a great chemistry, I noticed that some players don’t fit into the chemistry. Some players are almost shunned by their teammates for a variety of reasons. While it’s not necessary that players socialize off the field to have a great chemistry, I think that helps. Of course the coach is part of this chemistry but I’m at a loss to explain where he fits in. Maybe someone else can add their thoughts.
Fungo

I've noticed the difference in college, too. I would have thought that team bonding would be more noticeable in HS because a lot of the players had known each other longer. But now that I think back, the HS team was a little more segmented, with smaller bunches of players being close.

As a college freshman I know my son really enjoyed his teammates, but this year (soph) the whole team seems so tight. They appear to have a strong common vision of their goal for winning the conference this year, and they seem kind of like a big group of brothers, hanging out together a lot. My son loves it - he always wished he had a big brother in addition to a little one (or sometimes INSTEAD of!).

Their coach does seem to contribute to the bonding. Near the start of fall practice he suggested some off-field meals together, and a couple of other fun events. And of course he is the one "leading the charge" in their shared determination for success on the field next spring!

quote:

Originally posted by Fungo:
Of course the coach is part of this chemistry but I’m at a loss to explain where he fits in. Maybe someone else can add their thoughts.
Fungo

A good coach contributes to and enhances team chemistry by being genuine and establishing honest, trusting, caring relationships with individual players as well as with the team as a whole.

I believe team chemistry can make or break a team. I also think that my son's HS program may have been an exception. Those kids did everything together - they hung out, went to basketball or football games together, etc. The coach also did a few things differently each year depending on the make up of the team to help foster that. He would have madatory meals - some years more than others. He split the kids up when on overnight road trips - freshman, soph, junior, senior to "force" different ages to spend time together. After fall ball each year, all the returners have several weeks of flag football which fosters the development of team unity. The boys themselves had an optional conditioning activity that they would get up and go to three mornings a week with older kids offering rides to the younger ones. From our HS experience, team chemistry was an absolutely important component and was recognized as such by players and coaches.

College - I think the housing situation at my son's school helps with the process. They have a complex of ten homes housing 4 boys each. It's out in the country, so the boys tend to all hang around there together or if they go off to the bigger city, they tend to do so in packs. So, in this instance, I would say the environment is helping to build that important component. I also think by the college level, that players are mature enough to recognize what "team" means.