How to Create a Team... or Not

I recently watched a high school football game at a school that has a long-standing traditon of losing. After watching the coaches keep the first-string offense and defense on the field the entire game, even when losing by over twenty points with less than two minutes to go, and noticing several players that stood on the sideline the entire game without going in for even one play, I think I know why.

For all their talk of being a team and teamwork, these coaches don't have the first clue about how to build a team.

OK, so here's a quick clue-by-four...

The first, and foremost, rule for building a team: make every member of the team believe that they are a vital and important part of the team. When you leave players standing on the sideline for the whole game, even when losing badly, you're telling those players that they are not even worth mop-up duty. In essence, you're telling them they are worthless.

And someone who is made to feel they are worthless will never buy into the whole "team" concept.

Now don't misunderstand, I'm not advocating giving every player a chance to play out of some sense of fairness or wanting everyone to be treated equal. If the game is close and you stand a chance of winning, keep the first string in there, but when the game is clearly lost is another story.