Top "Ten" Ways to Keep a Team Together

10.12.2009 By Thumper - with contributions by members of MCB and PBJunkie

Hey all .. I was enjoying a bit of personal paintball nostalgia when this brain fart squeaked out... thought I'de share. :)

Paintball teams seem full of testosterone - lots of passion and an over abundance of alpha genes. Building a team seems EASY compared to actually keeping one together. While it would be worthwhile to explore what NOT to do, this gem explores what a team can do to hold it together.

--------------------------------------------------------------

#1 Level of Play : It is important to establish the level the team is to participate at and then communicate this to all new members and recruits. Don't be afraid to change directions over time - but do try and make sure that drastic changes are team decisions. Team leaders should expect individual and team burn out. A team that plays at a very high level without adequate down time will naturally burn out - and when pushed in this condition will likely begin to fall apart. A number of the following tips help delay burn out.

#2 Continuously recruit : If you are not growing, you are dying - but keep the standards high. Make sure the whole team understands the need to recruit and then welcomes the new guys. Teammates move away, get married, have babies, find new interests, get sick, go off to school, get laid off, get put on shift work, take second job, ....... all the time. Without new blood coming in, any team any sport is dying. Paintball is no exception.

#3 Play w/ honor : If a team cheats to win, it will gain a bad rep - and this can be hard to shake even after the bad apples are cut. If you play (as a team) with honor, clean and like good sports the other teams will respect you, win or loose.

#4 Practice, practice, practice - but keep it fun.

#5 Goals : Set a team goal that every one can agree upon, then work towards that goal. Teammates that are working together on something will not worry so much about the little things.

#6 Communicate : Everyone from the most senior member to the newest recruit deserves to be heard and have the chance to contribute towards team decisions. While it is impossible to make everyone happy, it is possible to make everyone feel a part of a team decision. It is important for team unity to hear and respect all opinions - especially those that differ from the party line. Open forum discussion followed by a team poll is an excellent tool for taking a team "pulse". A word of caution here: the internet and written text work well when people are calm and reasonable. Once a team or personal issue becomes confused or inflamed, face to face contact is best.

#7 Play : Every so often, just go play. Lighten up and enjoy the company of your friends.

#8 Off field pleasures : Contrary to popular belief there are other fun things besides paintball. (examples: Putt-Putt, Poker, Movies, Bacci) -- how about a mini -just for chips- Texas Hold'em tournament? Always remember that there is more to life than just paintball. Become more than just players on a team - become friends off the field. This helps keep communications open and adds to the fun when you play together. Painthappy adds : "Keep it fun. Make sure as a team your lives don't just revolve around paintball. Get out and get together and do something different. The more you are friends, the better the team rapport will be. So do things beside paintball."

#9 Road trip together and carpool HEAVY : The time spent talking on the ride there and back is time well spent.

#10 Learn to lose : The alphas have a hard time with one - and alpha grenades can kill a team. Practicing the no-win situation helps.

#11 Camping : Camping together is a weird bonding experience with magical properties - and it seems teams that camp together stay together. lol... but true.

#12 Coach to the team : Coaches should adjust their techniques to what he feels the team will find fun and challenging. No one will stick around very long if not having fun and others will split when there is no challenge.. This is a delicate balance. Once team balance is achieved (look for smiles), then start working on player specific weak areas - and work privately on these areas.

#13 Delegate team duties (and / or volunteer): If one or two people do everything for the team, they will soon loose heart and burn out but many hands makes light work. Sample divisions of labor : Recruiting, Coaching, Event Planning & Coordination, Accommodations Planning & Coordination, Practice Planning & Coordination, Sponsorships. Delegate well for the long haul. On a slightly more subtle note along these lines: It is important to have everyone on the team be tasked with at least one team duty - and if at all possible a duty they volunteered for. It is not so important that they fulfill the duty but rather that the teammate have the opportunity to be involved and feel included in team "business".

#14 Know when to prune the dead branches : When a member threatens to quit odds are he will. The longer you keep him around the worst for the team. When a member gripes about everything, he pulls down the team... If its bad for the team, cut him.

#15 Sponsorships : Approach sponsorship cautiously. While it can seem like the golden prize to a young, hungry team, complication and responsibility come with it. Depending on the terms of the deal, you might find the game you loved turning into a grueling chore just to meet the number of events or exposure that your sponsor requires in return for whatever you might get. And, what if everybody doesn't want to use sponsor-required gear? What if not everybody pulls their weight?