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It is difficult to imbibe team spirit in sports that require the least teamwork. Consider a sport like baseball or even cricket for that matter. There could be few occasions when the whole team actually got the chance to play as a team. The reason behind this is not because the players chose not to play as a team. The reason is behind the design of the sport.
Baseball and cricket are sports where individual performances can win matches and tournaments. Sometimes a team’s fortunes can depend upon an individual player’s fortunes. This is unlike football. Which is a total team sport. All players must co-operate to win a goal. It does not matter how good the striker is. The striker is as good as the team.
So how does one make players in non-team sports play as a team?
There are ways to do it. Here are some.
Setting objectives
When in discussion with players, setting objectives can make the team realize what they are playing for. Some players might be playing for personal goals more than team goals. It can happen in such sport, where individuals stand out more than the team.
Preparing plans
In sports that have less team-participation, team spirit can be imbibed by preparing a plan or a script. A win can be drafted on paper. Different players can be given different roles. Care must be taken not to compromise the player’s ability with the role. The whole team should be treated like a family, where each member has a role to do. While one player can hold the fort, the other can attack. Such strategies can imbibe team spirit.
