Teamwork...The Force Multiplier

How many times have you hear the phrase "There is no I in team". I bet if you had a dollar for every time you and I heard that, you and I would be retired on some tropical beach.

But what does it mean to be a team? A true team. A team that is unstoppable. I can tell you its more than just wearing the same uniform.

Teamwork is the heartbeat of success in sports or any activity that requires group success. In football, no athlete wins alone. All 11 players MUST do their job. If they don't, nothing good happens and you definitely will not win.

Unlike basketball, hockey, lacrosse, etc. where one player can win the game for you, that will never happen in football. I am talking high level football. Not Pop Warner Mighty Might level where the dad coaches run their son or the fastest kid on jet sweeps. I am talking about integrated schemes and X's and O's. Why? Because the team must work together and all 11 players must do their job working as a team.

You can't pass the ball if the O line doesn't block. The Running Back can't run if the O Line doesn't block and he is tackled in the backfield. You can't stop the opponent if the defense doesn't tackle. What good is a stud DB if the defense isn't tackling and wrapping? What good is a stud WR if the QB doesn't have time to throw, or the O line doesn't block to the whistle. You get my point.

A team made up of players that trusts and believes in each other and works together seamlessly can outshine any group of individual superstars. How many great football teams have been more team than one or two stud players. Lots! Remember the phase..."defense wins championships"? That would be team work.

But why is team work so vital?

First, it maximizes strengths and minimizes weaknesses. Its an equalizer for your team. Each player brings unique and complimentary skills—speed, IQ, fundamentals, size, strength, discipline, strategy, or precision. Or all of those things. When athletes collaborate and put the team first, they combine these strengths to create a force greater than the sum of its parts. A force multiplier! In a game like football, this concept is absolute if you expect to execute complex and integrated offense, special teams, situational, or defense execution.

Second, teamwork builds resilience. Sports are unpredictable—missed shots, injuries, mistakes, undisciplined play, or tough opponents can shake a teams confidence. A united team that believes in and uplifts each other, offering support, and motivation to push through setbacks or mistakes is gold! This camaraderie fosters trust, allowing players to take risks and grow. Confidence, poise and calmness is contagious. When your teammate knows you have his back, the ability to face and overcome adversity is much easier. In the same regard, fear, frustration, undisciplined, and reckless play where a player is trying to do everything on their own, blaming teammates for mistakes, etc., this is the death of any chance of wining. Many a weaker or less skilled team has won over a statistically better opponent due in part to teamwork.

Finally, teamwork creates shared purpose. Being a part of something bigger than yourself. If the HC has set a standard and objective for the program, team, game, week, etc. you have something worth fighting for. You must have a reason to fight for something. Team sounds pretty good. Winning as a team feels different—it’s a collective triumph that bonds players and inspires fans. It teaches discipline, sacrifice, and accountability, lessons that extend beyond the field. Further, this is critical skill for young men and women to learn in order to be successful and productive members of society. Whether D1 HS contact, youth, or D3 Girls flag football, teamwork is the key ingredient to success on the field and off.

In sports, individual talent shines, but teamwork wins championships. Look at any championship winning team. Its not the one guy or gal. Its the collective. Sure, there may be a few studs to make the big plays, but if you look closer, those plays would not have happened if 10 other people weren't doing their job. Teamwork is the glue that turns potential into victory.

As Coach John Harbaugh says,"Teamwork is a force multiplier. That is why it matters.

When you learn to work in concert with those racing with you, when you learn to pool your talent and energy — you multiply your effectiveness. When we test and challenge one another, we make each other better, we move much faster, and we travel much further."

All 11 players must do their job working as a team. If you can achieve that, you are well down the road to victory. That is why football is the greatest team sport ever.

In the immortal words of Coach Belichick, "DO YOUR JOB!"

Coach David Frederick