Preseason Team-Building Ideas
The excitement for the upcoming season can be felt in gyms across the state. Likewise, coaches’ anxiety for their new team is growing. Anyone who has coached girls sports knows the importance of team building. The preseason…
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Continue ReadingThe excitement for the upcoming season can be felt in gyms across the state. Likewise, coaches’ anxiety for their new team is growing. Anyone who has coached girls sports knows the importance of team building.
The preseason is filled with unknowns for everyone: who will replace last year’s seniors, what team will their daughter play on, do some players need to learn new positions, how will personalities mesh together, and what can coaches do to ease everyone’s mind. If you find yourself mulling over these and more, take a tip from these Minnesota coaches:
Set Out for Adventure: The Stewartville Tigers, under legendary coach, John Dzubay, take to the outdoors to build team community before the season starts. He has led his team on weekend trips to the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota for the last several years. The canoe trip is a great physical challenge for players and helps them learn to rely on each other. Players are forced to “unplug” and interact without the luxuries of phones and social media. If you can’t coordinate a trip of this magnitude, scale things back but get outside. Take your team on a challenging hike, spend a night outdoors camping, or go horse-back riding. Putting your players in a new environment will help facilitate bonding that is sure to transfer onto the court.
Team Retreats: This concept is easy: spend time together. Devoting a few days solely to bonding outside of the gym. These experiences and memories will have great benefits. Consider taking players to a teammates cabin. Allow players to unwind and unplug while enjoying summer activities together. Or spend a day at an amusement park or attending a Twin’s game.
The Lewiston Altura Cardinals recently took a retreat together to the Christian Crossings Center. There, players participated in non-volleyball activities with a focus on play and teamwork. Their new 2019 team spent time the-dying, cup-stacking, dancing and playing spike-ball.
Team Dinners: The team that eats together, plays better together. Many teams have special pre-game meals but you don’t have to wait for the season to start enjoying quality time at the table together. Take a tip from Melissa Hueseth’s, Cannon Falls team. Not only did they take part in the SMSU Team Camp but on their way home, they indulge in a special team dinner at Pizza Ranch. This tradition appears to go back over the last couple of years. Team building is all about developing these unique rituals that allow your players to enjoy one another.