Team Building

https://vimeo.com/648264788

"Team building is all about getting on the same page, and it's all about building personal relationships and connections." - Topher Scott

Topher Scott discusses the importance of team building in the video above. The 3 major concepts to build teams are:

1. Formal Team Building

Formal team building activities show the team (and the parents) that you care. When they know that you care and are invested, it is easier for them to care and get on board as well. 

  • Team Building Activities: There are lots of team building activities that a youth hockey coach can do with their team.
    • Mental Activities: team building can include mental activities that can be discussions, round tables or brainstorms where a team has to work together to come up with answers or participate in discussions.
    • Physical Activities: A coach can set up a physical team building activity where players go to obstacle courses, or other activities away from the rink that requires the team to connect and work together to achieve a goal. 
  • Bring In An Outside Speaker: a new voice can instantly inject a new message, concept or idea to help your team connect with each other. This can be done locally in person or virtually with a video call to the team. 

2. Informal Team Building

  • Social Gatherings: get players away from the rink and the coach with social gatherings. Encourage positive interactions and inviting the whole team. Talking behind each other's back in small clicks will negatively hurt your team. Positive interactions away from the rink will translate to a great relationship & culture at the rink.

3. Get On The Same Page & Build Relationships

  • Get On The Same Page: When you communicate why you are doing what you are doing and keep each other accountable with your standards, identity, and goals, everyone will be on the same page.
  • Build Relationships: When developing deep relationships, you begin to love each other, look out for each other and play for each other. This is when great teams and great things happen.