Teaching Teamwork Through Basketball | Carolina Basketball Camp
/in Blog/by Brighthaus
Learning how to work with others in a team or group setting is an invaluable life lesson. When kids learn teamwork, they learn how to socialize, how to cooperate, how to cope with failure, how to work for a common goal, and how to accept responsibility for their actions, and all of these skills will help them to become stronger, more confident people in all aspects of their lives as they continue to grow and mature. And team sports—In this case, basketball—are one of the easiest ways to teach kids these important life lessons.
Why basketball?
The most obvious reason: it’s fun. When kids are playing basketball, they’re only focused on the game. They’re too focused on running, shooting, guarding, and competing to even noticing that they’re being taught valuable life lessons about teamwork and cooperation. And when this process is overseen by experienced professionals, like at a summer basketball camp, or school league, there is no room for fighting, blaming, or finger-pointing.
The other reason basketball in particular is a great sport for teaching teamwork, is that it truly is a team sport. Take baseball for instance. While baseball can certainly teach some good lessons in teamwork, the one-on- one aspect of pitcher versus hitter opens the door for individual heroics. Even if the rest of the team strikes out every at-bat, one player is all it takes to hit a couple home runs and win the game, whereas in basketball, no matter how skilled any single player is on the squad, he or she cannot succeed if the whole team doesn’t work together as a unit.
How does basketball teach teamwork?
Selflessness – The offensive part of the game provides great opportunities to teach young players to be unselfish as they work together to score and win. When you’re selfish on the basketball court, your whole team suffers. On offense, the key to scoring is to confuse the defense so they don’t know who is going to take the next shot or where that shot will come from. This is where selflessness is key. If there is only one star player taking all the shots for the team, the defense will simply double up on that player and mark them out of the game. If that star player tries to be selfish and hog the ball, he or she is going to be shut down and end up turning the ball over and hurting the team. However, if your top scorer learns to be unselfish, he or she can actually use the defense against itself by drawing their attention and then passing the ball to an open player.
Cooperation – On defense, rotation is key. If you see that an offensive player has been left open, or beat his or her defender to create a scoring opportunity, and you are near enough to step in and provide a second layer of defense, you then have to trust one of your teammates to step in and defend the open space that you leave behind while trying to break up the play. This means that players on a team have to learn how to look out for each other, and support each other when they are vulnerable. After a while this becomes instinctual, and players learn to both take care of their own positions, while keeping an eye out for their teammates and naturally rotating in when the defense is in trouble.
Accountability – Just like in life, making mistakes is a natural part of basketball. If you miss an “easy” shot, or get caught out of position, or get burned on defense, the whole team suffers and you feel it. This provides excellent opportunities to teach kids to recognize and learn from their mistakes, and take accountability when they let themselves or their teammates down.
Coping with Failure – Nobody likes to lose. But, losing as a team can be a great bonding experience. Just like no single star player can win by themselves, no team loses because of one single individual poor performance. When the team gives its all and still has to take a loss, each player is forced to look at their performance and think about how they can work better as a team to win the next one.
From getting great exercise to learning better communication and cooperation skills, enrolling your kids in a league or basketball camp is a great way to build their confidence, improve their ability to work with others, and generally make them more well-rounded individuals. And the best part: They’ll never feel like they’re learning, because they’ll be having a blast the entire time.
10 Simple Team-Building Activities For Your Under 14s
What was the last activity you used to grow the connection within your youth team?
Perhaps it’s your first training session of the season, or maybe you’ve recognised a need to galvanise your group mid-season, so here are 10 quick activities you can conduct at training to promote interaction and cohesion within your team.
1. Birthday Challenge
Sometimes the traditional ones stick around for a reason. Players line up along the sideline, and the coach prompts players to order themselves according to birthday (January 1 – December 31), using their voice. This allows the coach to teach about the importance of good communication, particularly non-verbal communication. A reward such as a players’ choice activity can be provided if the entire group can order themselves correctly.
2. Snake Race
Players are split into teams of 4-5 (the longer the better), and form a ‘snake’ like line on the baseline. Players stand close enough to each other such that a basketball can be held between the back of one player and the chest of the player standing behind them without touching the ball with – hands. Teams race to complete a course advance to the half-way line and back, without dropping a basketball or touching one with their hands. If a ball is dropped, teams must stop and replace the ball before resuming the race.
3. Bounce Into Conversation
We typically add unusual equipment (such as a tennis ball or pool noodle) into a dribbling drill to draw focus away from the dribbling task – here is a variation that encourages communication and builds relationships within your group.
Players adopt a typical two-ball dribbling activity, where the dribbler must perform two-ball dribbling moves whilst progressing from baseline-to-baseline, and their partner acts as a ‘spotter’ for loose balls. However in this version, the ‘spotter’ is required to tell the dribbler a story as they complete the dribbling task. Once they reach the opposite baseline, they must repeat and/or answer a question about the story they have just been told. Known as the dual-task paradigm, the ability to absorb a story whilst dribbling closely relates to the ability to process movements of nine other players. This also provides players with an opportunity to practice the important life skill of active listening.
4. Co-design Team Values – Whiteboard Approach
A team standard, rule or value has exponentially greater weight when it is delivered by the players rather than the coach, and provides the coach with greater leverage to enforce those underpinning behaviours as the season progresses.
I’ve completed this exercise with 12-13 year olds, and I’m sure coaches smarter than I have done it with players even younger. Ask for one player to act as scribe – preferably one with legible handwriting, and guide the group through a brainstorming session on the three questions below. Give them a gentle push in the right direction where needed, but resist the temptation to fill awkward silences, or impose your pre-conceived notions on what the answers should be.
What do we want to achieve this season? (Outcomes)
How do we want people to describe us when they watch us play? What words would they use? (Performance)
What actions or behaviours do we need to perform to achieve that? At trainings? At home? (Process)
Most importantly, you’ll receive a greater understanding of why your players play. I’ve learnt over time that assuming the answer to this question can be your folly (Fun fact: not all junior representative players are there to win!)
5. Understanding each other’s perspectives – Post-it Notes
‘Design Thinking’ is a contemporary and effective way to create solutions in the workplace, and can also be a novel way to engage your players.
Buy a pad of post-it notes and pen for each player – the more colourful the better. There are 3 steps in the design thinking process:
Brainstorm individually
Players have two minutes to write as many answers to the question (1 per note) as they can. Questions could cover a variety of areas:
What is your role on this team?
Why do you play basketball?
What do you enjoy most about trainings?
What are your expectations of your teammates?
What are your expectations of your coaches?
How could we perform better in games?
Theme your thoughts collaboratively
Players place their answers on the wall, and if another player has the same answer, they are grouped together.
Discuss the findings as a team
Now you have a wall of colour and perspectives from your team, it’s time to reflect with the group and ask – ‘what are we seeing here?’ Which theme emerges as the most important to your players?
6. 2 Truths, 1 Lie
A good exercise to break down barriers early in a season. Players take turns at telling the group three facts about themselves – two truths and one lie. Teammates must guess which fact they believe is the lie!
7. Huddles
Every few minutes within your small-sided games, promote opportunities for teams to ‘huddle’ and discuss their tactics. In younger age groups the players may initially not know what to say – leave them to work through the uncomfortable silence – but don’t underestimate how young players can effectively huddle. I recall coaching a team of Under 9s who by the end of the season were relaying messages to me from mid-game huddles “Next time on defence we’re going to trap the first pass”. They are your proudest moments as coaches, as opposed to drawing up plays on a whiteboard.
8. Let Players Acknowledge Players
Give a platform for your players to give compliments to each other and recognise good values in the training environment by asking questions in your post-training wrap-up:
“Who do you believe pushed you the hardest tonight?”
“Who displayed the most respect?”
9. Blindfolded Shooting
Trust, fun, communication and shooting – all in one! Players are split into pairs with one basketball between them, placed randomly on the court. One player is blind-folded (a tea-towel folded diagonally is usually a good option) and spun in circles by their partner. When the coach calls “Go!”, the partner must direct their teammate using verbal cues only towards the ball, then towards the basket, before directing them where/how to shoot. The first team to score a basket is the winner. Ensure to praise players who provide good, thoughtful communication to their partner.
10. SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
As important as developing cohesion on the court is, socialising and spending time together off the court can be just as – if not more – beneficial as the various activities delivered by coaches in trainings. By organising something as simple as a team barbecue, a stronger bond between the coach, players and their families can be achieved, which can translate to a higher team morale and a greater enjoyment of the sport of basketball.
Share with us – what other activities have you used to grow the connection within your youth team?
Five tips for becoming an effective team player
"Stars win individual games, but teams and strategy win championships" - Michael Jordan, considered one of the best basketball players of all time .
On the basketball and soccer fields, you don't just take over the game.
Good job performance also means being a good team player.
Companies expect employees to work together to effectively achieve their goals. The strength of the team lies in the application of different skills, perspectives and approaches to solving business problems and problems. Teamwork inspires, increases motivation and responsibility, and helps create an environment where people can learn from each other. And use the knowledge gained in the interests of business.
The ability to work in a team shows that you can add value to the organization as a whole by putting your experience and strengths at the disposal of the team.
How can you develop the skills to work for the benefit of the team?
Know what's what
Good team players understand what needs to be done and why. They know how their skills and abilities will help the team complete the task. Simply following someone else's instructions is a fast road to resentment and isolation. When you play for a team, you know your role, why you are doing it, and how to support others by helping them improve.
Support teammates
Acknowledge teammates' accomplishments and encourage them in their work. Make it your priority. When colleagues are faced with a problem, offer to help them if you can help.
Constructive criticism
Because you know the collective goals and the contribution you and your teammates make to achieving them, you can offer advice and help when problems arise. However, be careful. People respond well to comments when they see a sincere desire to help. Criticism should be constructive and serve to achieve common goals. Therefore, be sincere and honest. Team players never score at the expense of their colleagues.
Conflict management
Avoiding conflict in the workplace is almost impossible. One way or another, conflicts between people will arise, especially if you need to complete a task on a tight deadline or under stressful conditions. Remember that the combination of diverse skills and different personalities is one of the main indicators of a good team. When disagreements arise, team players take a step towards each other, offer ideas for resolving the situation, and are also able to listen to constructive criticism addressed to them. Conflict management is a key skill and a key leadership quality, no matter where you are on the career ladder and whatever your aspirations.
Having a clear understanding of your capabilities
When managing conflicts or other people's expectations, it is important to know your strengths and weaknesses and, accordingly, your capabilities. The decision to participate in a team project must be approached thoughtfully. Excessive workload or zeal can lead to stress, resentment, and other types of obstacles that can derail a collective project. It's important to know when to say "no" or how to negotiate with a team leader or colleague so that the job gets done well and within a realistic time frame.
Becoming a team player is not always easy and can take time and effort.
However, the recipe is simple - don't give up, stay true to yourself and your commitments, show respect for others, and you'll end up on the winning team.
Weak team, Personal graters and Minus morale / Sudo Null IT News
Spent half a day on the basketball court. A good warm-up, and, as the Americans say, “thought-provoking”. I want to share some observations - common, in my opinion, for team sports and team development.
Observation 1: WEAK TEAM
The formation of a team of unfamiliar and unfamiliar players on the site is happening rapidly. We crashed three-on-three, more or less fairly in terms of height, in terms of the level of play, and off we went. If after a couple of minutes you realize that you are in a weak team, it is difficult to enjoy the game.
Funny pattern: think "I'm on a weak team" instead of "we're a weak team". Moreover, regardless of their own level of play. It would seem that both are the formulation of a fact, but there is a nuance. I tried to repeat to myself several times, to observe the sensations:
I'm on a weak team, I'm on a weak team… I'm on a weak team. It feels like something like: “I am my poor thing,” such an injustice happened to me, what can you do.
We are a weak team, we are a weak team... we are a weak team. At first, a similar annoyance, but with each repetition on the word “we” I start to wind up, a much more active reaction to, in fact, the same fact.
Output:
There are no passive donors in the team. We can change a lot about the original “given” when we take responsibility for teamwork. Think “we” more often when you notice someone else’s or your own weakness.
Observation 2: PERSONAL GRATERS
Several times I observed this effect: you need to break into teams, but you really don’t want to get into the same team with that type. And of course, someday you will have to play with him, or even worse, program in pairs. How to be? Quit the game? Change project?
There is a belief that in a good team everyone should be friends, practically love their neighbor. But many virtuoso teams of athletes, scientists and musicians prove it false. If the task is the reason for the team, then only personal contribution is the reason to play together. Bank robbers gather in teams not for musical and gastronomic tastes, but for the benefit of the cause. In the vast majority of cases, we have something to appreciate even those people whom we do not like.
Output:
We like people who are like us, and the project benefits from people with different styles and skills. Look for reasons to work together instead of reasons to like each other.
Observation 3: MINUS MORAL
Minus morality - this is how in sports and team games they call actions that undermine the morale of the team, endangering the results, health and even life of its members. Regardless of the technique of the game and the stellar composition, often teams that have not learned to recognize and get rid of such actions lose out to those that have strong team spirit and a sense of support.
The effect of minus morale may not be so obvious in the office, but it is perfectly observed on the sports ground. Often the dynamics of the game, and even the score, change radically when getting rid of a player who makes scathing comments and reproaches.
The job of an engineer is to solve problems for which there are no ready-made solutions. Technological expertise plays an important but far from decisive role. Fear of experimentation, inadmissibility of mistakes, criticism from technical leaders are social stoppers that block the flow of value creation.
Output:
The social context determines the team's success. We can achieve better results by agreeing on the rules of engagement. Decide what is “minus morality” for us and gradually get rid of such actions.
Software development is a team game. At least I like that way of thinking. But in my opinion, our field lacks good team experience and strong examples associated with it.
On offense, the key to scoring is to confuse the defense so they don’t know who is going to take the next shot or where that shot will come from. This is where selflessness is key. If there is only one star player taking all the shots for the team, the defense will simply double up on that player and mark them out of the game. If that star player tries to be selfish and hog the ball, he or she is going to be shut down and end up turning the ball over and hurting the team. However, if your top scorer learns to be unselfish, he or she can actually use the defense against itself by drawing their attention and then passing the ball to an open player.
This means that players on a team have to learn how to look out for each other, and support each other when they are vulnerable. After a while this becomes instinctual, and players learn to both take care of their own positions, while keeping an eye out for their teammates and naturally rotating in when the defense is in trouble.
I’ve learnt over time that assuming the answer to this question can be your folly (Fun fact: not all junior representative players are there to win!)
They are your proudest moments as coaches, as opposed to drawing up plays on a whiteboard.
When disagreements arise, team players take a step towards each other, offer ideas for resolving the situation, and are also able to listen to constructive criticism addressed to them. Conflict management is a key skill and a key leadership quality, no matter where you are on the career ladder and whatever your aspirations. 
It feels like something like: “I am my poor thing,” such an injustice happened to me, what can you do. 
But many virtuoso teams of athletes, scientists and musicians prove it false. If the task is the reason for the team, then only personal contribution is the reason to play together. Bank robbers gather in teams not for musical and gastronomic tastes, but for the benefit of the cause. In the vast majority of cases, we have something to appreciate even those people whom we do not like. 
