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Teamwork - Our Club's Pillar of Character for September

By San Ramon FC Staff, 09/06/19, 12:45PM PDT

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We define teamwork to mean working as a group to achieve a common goal.

Soccer, almost uniquely amongst all sports, requires teamwork for success.  

At this point in the season, almost everyone knows their coach and teammates, and the first few games should be in the books. 

At San Ramon FC, teamwork is one of our 11 pillars of character.  We define teamwork to mean “working as a group to achieve a common goal.” 

Soccer, almost uniquely amongst all sports, requires teamwork for success.  It is often said that soccer is a player’s game – this is because, during the actual game, it is difficult for the coach to have much influence – there are no timeouts. Coaches cannot call a timeout. There is not a break between plays, the game just rolls on.  As a result, the players need to be able to make adjustments for themselves and figure out how to work together to score and to prevent the other team from scoring. 

Whatever the level of a player, coaches and players must build a sense of togetherness and unity quickly.  For our recreational teams that only come together for a few months and who start playing matches soon after their first practice, this can pose a challenge.  For our competitive teams, where players are vying with each other for playing time and positions, players may, at times, have opposing interests.  Getting those opposing interests put to the side is a challenge all coaches must find a way to overcome.  

Throughout September, our teams will be working to improve their ability to work together.  This may include simple activities at practice like having players run relay races – great for building excitement and getting players to work together - or off the field activities like team parties, meals, or events like scavenger hunts.  

Here are some ideas to build teamwork:

  1. Have the players run relay races with or without the ball.  Age does not matter, these always bring excitement and feelings of togetherness, especially if you can find races that require multiple players to work together to complete them.
  2. Play "Stick Together" – Players divided into 2 groups (1 group in pinnies the other no pinnies).  
    • Create an appropriately sized grid.  
    • One group is “it” and holds hands in a straight line.  
    • That group has to stay with hands held and try to tag everyone on the other team in 60 seconds.  
    • Only players on the end will be able to tag.  
    • If the line breaks, the line of players cannot tag anyone until the line re-forms.  
    • Players in line must communicate and work together.
  3. Have a team dinner the night before a game. 
  4. Attend SRFC Club Day as a team on September 14 and participate in the free games and activities.
  5. Create challenges that players have to work on together to solve. 
    • Consider planning a trip to an Escape Room.
    • An Escape Room activity can provide an entertaining, off-field challenge that requires teamwork to succeed.
  6. Attend a college, professional, or semi-professional soccer match together.
    • ​​​​​​​Our club's next "Night at the Earthquakes" is coming soon

Activities that promote teamwork and togetherness will help players develop chemistry and can lead to greater team success over the course of the season.