Being a good player isn't just about skill. If you want to improve your game as well as that of your teammates, you can learn to fill the positions the team needs for you, lead by example and be the most sporting player. Many teams need good players. Are you ready to face this challenge?
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Method 1 of 3: Studying Your Role
Step 1. Develop the basics within yourself
If you want to be a good team player, you have to work hard first to be good among athletes, spending time building your basic skills is very important in sports. If you want to be a great basketball player, then you need to spend time practicing your dribbling, developing defensive skills, and learning to pass the right ball. If you want to be a great soccer player, you have to learn to control the ball, shoot accurately, and find open spaces.
It's great to go outside and play the sport you play, but doing specific exercises is an important part of training. Instead of just doing shooting drills, practice some specific dribbling drills in practice, or rehearse the defensive drills you learned from your coach. Practicing to develop this skill is less fun but it will help you to become a strong and tough player
Step 2. Learn the responsibilities of your position
Playing on a team means filling a specific role. Unlike a tennis player or a golfer, playing as part of a team means filling a role. It's not every American soccer player's job to score landings, and it's not every soccer player's job to score. Being a good player means learning the specifics of the responsibilities and roles of your position, and learning how to best fill those roles.
- Learn specifically where you need to be on the field and what your role is. If you're a defender, learn how you choose opponents to defend. If you're a ball controller, what's the best way to distribute it on the court?
- The first time you learn how to play sports, many of us want to occupy high profile positions: quarterback, striker, point guard. A great team is a team of players who are able to play in the positions that best suit them. If you're a great defender, don't waste your energy envying the position of the forwards. Accept your position and commit to improving your skills.
Step 3. Practice hard
Coming to the training ground and putting your best effort into every practice is essential to being a good team player. Practice hard and your skills and knowledge of the game will improve, setting you and your team up for success.
- Be on time for practice and be ready to work. Prepare the tools you need and sufficient drinking water. Start stretching and get ready to work.
- Have a good attitude in practice. Some athletes are multi-talented, but they seem to prefer playing video games at home rather than improving their skills with teammates. Be a better player than that.
- Put all your efforts and abilities on the training ground. If you stop and rest when you should be lifting weights, running around or doing special exercises, you will be slow, weak, and lose talent compared to your opponent. Let's practice.
Step 4. Stay healthy
Even if you're a great athlete, you can't be a good player if you spend all your time treating injuries and recovering on the bench. It is very important to take care of your body and stay healthy and in the best condition to play matches and give the best chance for your team to win, home and away.
- Warm up before training and cool down after, every time. Never run straight onto the court without stretching and warming up to work hard. Good players should also stretch for a few minutes after training, to avoid cramping and soreness.
- Get enough rest between workouts. If you have to train tomorrow, you shouldn't stay up late playing X-Box and chatting online. Get enough rest, at least 8 hours, and allow your body enough time to recover and rest before doing another workout the next day.
Step 5. Stay hydrated throughout your workout
A study of NFL players found that almost 98% of them were dehydrated prior to training, which can reduce performance levels by as much as 25%. Sports drinks and water are important for maintaining electrolytes and hydration, giving you the energy to work at your highest level and stay healthy. Before training, drink 400 or 600 ml of water, and try to drink about 250 ml of water every 15 minutes during your workout. Drink slowly to keep your stomach from bothering you during intense workouts.
Step 6. Listen to your coach
Good players need to be coachable, which means you have to learn to accept criticism and apply new lessons to get better and improve your skills on the field. Coaches aren't people who tell everyone they're doing a great job and that everyone will eventually become a pro. Coaches are there to make you a better athlete and train you to win. Sometimes, it might mean that you will receive some suggestions and criticism.
- Bad players will turn a blind eye and feel frustrated when they receive criticism and good players will listen and learn from it. If your coach calls you out for doing slow squats during your workout, you may be feeling down, or you can say, "Yes, coach!" and sweat a little more.
- Never argue with your coach, especially in front of other players. If you have a problem with strategy, or something your coach told you in practice, set up a time to have a private talk about it yourself. Good players never question the authority of the coach in front of the team.
Step 7. Communicate in the field
Teams must be organized and coordinated to win. The team that is silent will lose and the team that is actively talking will increase the chances of winning. Encouraging other players, calling when asking for the ball, and communicating clearly about players and strategy are important parts of a team's success. Make it a goal to be louder compared to the other team at all times.
It's important to talk to your teammates, but try and avoid badmouthing the other team. Unless it's very important to talk about as a motivational slap to your teammates. So, do it, but gently
Step 8. Push through the pain
Practice isn't always fun, and matches can be exhausting. But good players – great players – learn not to think about pain in training and keep fighting through it. When you're tired at the end of the game and the ball is rolling freely between you and the goal, you can run after it slowly and limply, or you can push yourself and run fast. Good players will run fast.
Find ways to stay motivated and excited about the competition so that you will be energetic and enthusiastic to fight throughout the game. Listen to some exhilarating music out loud, or energize yourself with a sports movie, or some other team-building workout you enjoy
Method 2 of 3: Practice Good Sportsmanship
Step 1. Lose with honor and win with class
Each match will run until the last minute and you will find out that your hard work was enough to achieve victory, or that you still need to work hard to achieve it. Good players will be tested at the final whistle. Can you control it calmly and respectfully? Or will you be angry? Sportsmanship starts with knowing how to win with respect and also how to lose with honor.
- When you win, it's okay to celebrate, but it's bad to insult your opponent. Have fun because you won, but never spoil it. Congratulate and compliment other players for playing well and stay positive with the experience.
- When you lose, it's okay to be disappointed. Nobody likes defeat. But don't show displeasure, make excuses, or blame the opposing team or your teammates. Make every defeat a learning experience. What can you take from the match to improve in the next game? What could you have done better?
Step 2. Follow the rules and play clean
Good players don't play cheats, or even look for cheats. Good players realize that the game is not only about winning or losing, but about how you win or how you lose. You should be able to look back on your performance with pride, whatever the outcome.
In many team sports, the rules are often subject to change. Learn the rules and keep them in mind, stay up to date with the latest and most widely used rules
Step 3. Play with passion
Good players play with their passion and emotions when they are on the pitch. For some players, seeing a good storyline or from a good dramatic perspective on the game is an important step to get excited. Saying "It's just a game" is a good way to get half-hearted for the rest of the game. Michael Jordan used to get insulted by his opponents, and used him as a reference. He makes every match an opportunity to prove to his opponents and prove them wrong (even when they haven't said anything before starting).
Don't let your emotions take over and push you to be unsportsmanlike. Play with passion, not anger. Practice being able to control it, turning it on and off only when you're out on the field. When the game is over, let it end
Step 4. Don't show off
Showing your skills to impress other players, spectators or opponents is bad sportsmanship. While often caught up in today's competition and wanting to do better, a good player doesn't need to show off his skills or feel his skills are better. Know that you are talented and that you are a good player without chasing goals, embarrassing other players and overreacting to supporters.
One good team technique that you can incorporate into a practice habit is to learn to back off when you've got a lot of points. In soccer, if your team has scored more than 6 goals, start making a rule not to kick into the opponent's goal until every player on the field has touched the ball. Use this opportunity to improve your ball control. Make the match more challenging for yourself
Step 5. Don't argue with the official
When the referee makes a call, especially one against you or one of your teammates, don't argue. Follow the instructions issued and speak respectfully to the officials. Disputing or arguing can make the punishment worse, showing poor sportsmanship.
When you talk to an official, use the words “Sir” or “Madam” and try to calm yourself down, if you get frustrated. Take a moment to take a deep breath and check your emotions before you speak
Method 3 of 3: Becoming a Leader
Step 1. Lead by example
Being a leader doesn't mean being the most talkative, giving a motivational speech midway through the round. Calm and patient or vocal and inspiring, leaders come in many forms, but have one thing in common. Leaders lead by example. You need to practice with what you want to show, put a lot of effort in the match and improve your game. When your teammates see you putting your all on the pitch, going the extra mile, running when you're tired, they will be motivated to do the same. Give 100% every time.
As a team leader, remember you are not a coach. It's not your job to tell players what to do, your job is to be a good player. If other people are motivated by your performance, that's great. Otherwise, stay focused on your craft and do the best you can
Step 2. Learn to motivate your teammates
The team is only as fast as the slowest player, the chain is only as strong as the weakest link. Try to identify your teammates who need a little extra and help them out by partnering up during practice, or cheering them on during practice. If you're a strong player, you'll automatically prefer stronger players, but try spending time with younger teammates who may need to learn more. This will mean a lot to them and make you stand out as a leader.
- Encourage your teammates, clapping and cheering when you succeed in doing something, and also when you see other players frustrated with what they are doing. Take control of your team's morale and drive them to success.
- Different teams have different dynamics, which means that there isn't just one way to motivate other players. Some good players may need to be motivated with reverse psychology: “You skip this one if you feel tired. Maybe it would be better to let the new players play, wouldn't it?” Likewise, some insecure players may need a boost to step up their game: “You look great on the pitch. Carry on, son."
Step 3. Never make excuses or blame teammates for failure
Morale will quickly drop after a loss, but if you blame the match, it will only bring you down even deeper. Never blame a player on a team for a loss, or make excuses with your own game. It wasn't the officials, or the weather, or any substitution errors that caused your team to lose. It's all because of the team.
- If one of the players is clearly playing badly, there's no need to talk about it. If the player looks very depressed, take them aside and cheer them on. Boost their spirits by assuring them that it's not their fault.
- If one of your teammates gets punished for breaking the rules, make yourself and the rest of the team punished too. If one of your teammates gets a yellow card and has to run around the field in the next practice, run with him. Invite other players to do the same. Become stronger as a team and move together.
Step 4. Make noise from the sidelines
Leaders have to shout and cheer, do each game as if it were the Super Bowl. Entertain and cheer up your teammates even when you're not on the pitch give it their all. Invite your teammates to do it during the game even if they are not playing. Support everyone and be noisy.
Step 5. Get everything out in the field
Every time you play, inspire your teammates by putting your all on the pitch. Put in 110% every time you play. Push through the pain, believe in your training, and make sure you never end a game with regrets that you could have played better. Put all the sweat and effort to give your team the best chance of victory.
Tips
- Try to practice cool tricks that will impress your coach and teammates back home!
- To gain more experience, watch soccer tactics videos and practice regularly improving them until you get the hang of them.
