| ou have been on a few softball or soccer teams | | | | The power of positive. So let's say we have to show |
| where there is one good kid who players much | | | | some year olds how to be a better soccer team. |
| better then all the rest. Most of the games he/she | | | | Would it be better to tell them what they did wrong |
| carries the team and it is expected that he/she will | | | | or to tell them what they did right? Yeah, you got it. |
| raise to any occasion if needed. How do you deal | | | | Stick with the positive here. So in order to get them |
| with this as a coach? What is the reason for the | | | | on the right track, break down the task at hand and |
| team? To win right? That should be simple then. Play | | | | feed them a part at a time. In the example we are |
| the good kid all the time. Wrong and here is why. | | | | trying to show them how to pass the ball more |
| We will take a not so big step from youth sports to | | | | effectively. What is involved in this? Well we have |
| military training. What do they have in common? Just | | | | the ability to understand where to shoot the ball in |
| about everything. Lets take a look at it more closely. | | | | the first place. To the open stop or right to the |
| They both have individuals of different abilities when | | | | player. That would depend on some guide lines so |
| they start. They have one goal. Many ways to | | | | take the simpler, pass the player. Next we have the |
| achieve it. Rules to play (or fight as it were) within. | | | | act of kicking the ball straight and hard enough. Then |
| They have to hang together to be effective. And | | | | we have the act of receiving the ball without it |
| they have to like one another. | | | | bouncing off our foot and away from us. |
| There are two aspects to a team. First its physical | | | | Don't line up the group and ask them to pass one |
| aspect. How fast it is. How strong and so on. Then | | | | another. Why? Because you will have some kids who |
| we have the mental aspect. How well it can think. | | | | will ave played at home and can already do it and |
| React. Keep it together. Deal with stress. You can | | | | some that cannot. All you do is divide the team into |
| train the first all you want but without the second | | | | the "can" and "cannot" groups. Fear that state, fear it |
| you will have no chance at all to succeed. Why is | | | | with your life. Instead what you do is say, "We are |
| this? Because we are only as good as we think we | | | | going to play a new game". Make up some game |
| are. Allow me to illustrate with a story about children | | | | that is allowing the players to perform the action you |
| and flees. In South America children would put flees | | | | want to practice, but without the negative of "why |
| into a jar and place the lid back on. Once the flee | | | | do I have to, I already know how to shoot". This is |
| started to jump it would bump into the lid of the jar. | | | | not the time for individuals, this is the time for team. |
| After only a few minutes the flee would stop | | | | Now have all the kids do the game, make it simple |
| jumping as high and just jump low enough to avoid | | | | enough so that they all can do it, but at the same |
| the lid. At this point the flee was let out of the jar, | | | | time hard enough so that it actually helps them. Once |
| but would never again jump higher then the lit had | | | | you ave mastered this, move on to some other |
| allowed. We are no different, we too react to | | | | exercise that build upon the first. Again, keeping a |
| limitations. We will not keep running into a locked | | | | keep eye out for making the whole team arrive at |
| door or try to walk on water. We learn very quickly | | | | the goal together. All or none. Must be together. |
| from observation. it has long been thought that the | | | | What you will have in the end of this is a team that |
| military will break you down so they can build you up | | | | thinks well of each other. Where gifted player had |
| to be a robot that follows orders. That is a load of | | | | respect for the not so gifted player because they |
| stuff for sure. Nobody is broken down ever. A | | | | both can do what is required. The team also needs |
| broken soldier is worth nothing. A soldier who stops | | | | to learn that they only get to the end by arriving |
| thinking he is better then the guy next to him, is. | | | | together. If you have any reservations about this, |
| When you should a group of people they can do | | | | just remember that if it is good enough for the |
| something they did not think they could, they bold | | | | special forces around the world, it is good enough for |
| through the positive experience. Don't get me wrong, | | | | you. They train as a team, they live as a team and |
| they bond through negative too, but that is for | | | | they win as a team. |
| another article. | | | | Now go and build your team. |