In the world of competitive paintball we talk a lot about team. But for most it means little more than a pre-game chant and cramming 5 or 6 guys into a single hotel room. Don't get me wrong, both of those things can help build the camaraderie amongst the players you want but it can also be superficial. The latest Virtue video featuring the Russian Legion talks about team and team building. PBN has the video here. In the Legion's case it's a largely new team with young players and a blended team as it includes a number of French players from the TonTons. It is a mix of experience, culture and language and they are making it work--and it's happening because they have discovered how to be more than the sum of their individual parts; they have become a team.
In a competitive environment team is more than friendships. It's more than getting along or having fun as a group. It's more than eating meals together and hanging out together on the road. All those are team-building activities but they only lay a foundation for building a team.
A team only truly exists in the crucible of combat on its chosen field of competition. Team has one goal, one purpose with every member acting in accord to achieve that goal and fulfill that purpose.
Which sounds pretty damned inspirational but what does it mean? How do we get beyond the pre-match chant? When do we know we're really a team?
One answer is when you play like a team but that too isn't very helpful. So, whenever the mood strikes (or you lazy slackers remind me) I'll do a few posts that may serve as guideposts for the journey. Next time we'll take a look at team chemistry. In the meantime check out the RL video.
In a competitive environment team is more than friendships. It's more than getting along or having fun as a group. It's more than eating meals together and hanging out together on the road. All those are team-building activities but they only lay a foundation for building a team.
A team only truly exists in the crucible of combat on its chosen field of competition. Team has one goal, one purpose with every member acting in accord to achieve that goal and fulfill that purpose.
Which sounds pretty damned inspirational but what does it mean? How do we get beyond the pre-match chant? When do we know we're really a team?
One answer is when you play like a team but that too isn't very helpful. So, whenever the mood strikes (or you lazy slackers remind me) I'll do a few posts that may serve as guideposts for the journey. Next time we'll take a look at team chemistry. In the meantime check out the RL video.
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3 comments:
It's knowing what the guy on either side of you will do when the shizz hits the fan.Everybody has a plan,but how do you or your team react when Mr. Murphy show up?I could look at my team mates and with a quick gesture, word, or look I knew what they wanted or needed me to do.That can only be done through trust,cohesion and blood loss. Or in this case sweat.
Wanna volunteer to write a few posts? :)
As much as I'd like to disagree and say that RL has just gotten a few lucky breaks with the scheduling, I think they definitely have started to gel and play more as a team. Of course, in Riverside, their best showing ever they played with a smaller squad. Heat back in their winning season played the same tight knit squad over and over. Impact when they're doing well usually does the same.
So it would seem the ideal team size is around 8 solid players that you can actually begin to gel with as a cohesive unit. Do you think there is something to this? Smaller rosters "gel" quicker or more effectively?
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