Whether on the field, course or court, many teams have been preparing night and day to better themselves and their cohesion for the upcoming season. However, building team chemistry doesn’t always come from practices and games. Teams need time outside of what is mandatory to better friendships and overall confidence as a group, and spending more time together enhances the chances of being successful as a unit.
Being a part of a high school sports team is one of the most important and unique experiences you can have during your four years. Most teams train together six days a week for at least two hours every day, resulting in a minimum of twelve hours together on top of school. This is not including games, which could take up to at least three or four hours once or twice each week.
For many teams, the night before games are also spent together. Teams go out to dinner, over each other’s houses for pasta parties and even sometimes order pizzas to the school. Not only does it work to ensure that each person has enough energy and nutrients for the next big game, but it also works to build chemistry within the team. In addition to eating together the night before, some teams may even have team sleepovers, breakfasts and also go places outside of school. This is a lot of time spent together on top of school, which is another six to seven hours spent surrounded by people. This leaves little time for other friends, family and even yourself. Spending time with the same group of people every day can be great for some people, but others may feel different.
Some people may not enjoy having to see the same group of people this much, which is understandable. Personally, I love spending time with my team. The best parts of the week include pasta parties and going out to eat with my team before big games, and I think activities like that have worked to increase communication and also get comfortable with each other on and off the field. I have become friends with people from all different grades who I never would have spoken too if it weren’t for this team, and made some of the greatest friends I have today.
I owe a lot to the sports I play for giving me confidence, increasing my communication skills and also teaching me how to work as a team rather than independently. I’ve learned when to be selfish and when to be selfless, when to step up and when to contain, when to rely on others and when to do it myself. Sports aren’t just a physical game; they’re a mental game. You need to learn how to interact with others, and these lessons are naturally learned when spending time with your teammates. Appreciate the time you have with your team during your season, because when it’s over, it’s over.
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