Archive for the ‘team’ Category

Joining a Team for the 1st Time

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2016

teamIn this story, Coach Campbell helps Bobby overcome his concerns about joining a team for the first time.

Hey Coach!

Hey there Bobby. What’s up? How ya’ doing?

Oh, not much…but, well, you know how you were talking to us last week about joining a team?team

Sure do!

Well, there is a team I want to join, but I am kinda’ nervous about it.

Well, that is totally understandable.

It is?

Sure it is. I mean, you have never been on a team before. So many new things to deal with, like meeting new kids, new adults, going to practices, the list goes on. But, none of these things are too big for you to handle. In fact, you have already done these things before.

  I have?

Yes, you have. Maybe you don’t remember your first time here at the Can Do Rec Center, but I sure do. You were a real wall-flower. You came in, quiet as a church mouse, not getting too far from the nearest wall, and just watching everything with real big eyes. I could tell you were a bit nervous, but that didn’t stop you from coming in, and taking a look around.

Oh yeah, I remember. Yeah, I was nervous. Everyone knew everybody, and you    were pretty scary. Biggest person I ever saw up close.

 Coach Campbell laughs….

 Yeah, well…look at you now. You walk around this place like you own it. You know everybody, everybody knows you, and you are so over being nervous around me! If you could do it then, you can do it now. Now, here are some tips to help you out. First, be sure to listen to your coach. Be coachable.

  Coachable?

Yeah, that means being able to listen to your coaches, and try your hardest to do what they are trying to teach you, the way they are teaching you to do it. It is probably the most important key to being successful on a team. Believe me, I am a coach a long time now, and there is nothing I like better than a kid who listens and works hard.

What if I am not that good at what they want me to do?

Don’t worry; most kids aren’t very good at first. Yeah, there will be some kids that are better than you right now, but don’t let that discourage you. You just keep doing the work, and you will get there. The coaches will recognize that effort, and appreciate it. I say it all the time as a coach, hard work beats talent that doesn’t work. It will take some time, but it is true. Hard work is what it takes to get better.

OK, but what if I don’t make any friends?

Oh, I am not worried about that, not at all. You will make friends, just like you did here. Don’t get me wrong, you may not become friends with every kid on the team. Heck, you might not even like every kid on the team. But, you don’t have to. You will make friends though, and I bet you some of them will be your friends for a real long time.

Remember, you are not the only one that is a bit nervous, and wants to make friends. In the time before, and after practice, you will get to know some kids. You will get to talking, and well, before you know it, you have some new friends.

So, you gonna’ go out for that team?

YEAH! I am going to go there today.

Super deal; let me know how it goes, OK?

You bet Coach. Thanks.

Ned bio imageStory by: Ned Campbell, coach and teacher in Brooklyn, NY.  He is the voice of  Coach Campbell in the “Can Do” Street programs.

 Parent Note: Coach Campbell has a post for parents on this same subject at  http://candostreet.com/blog-parents/

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Joining a Spring Sports Team

Sunday, May 4th, 2014

So, it is spring, and many local leagues are starting up. Joining a softball, baseball, or soccer team are all possibilities for the “Can Do” Kids.

 Hey Coach!

team Hey there guys, how are you? What’s going on?

 Not much, glad it is finally getting a little warmer. We can go outside more.

 That is a good thing, to get out there and let the wind blow through you, move around some more. I see the local leagues are getting ready to start up. How many of you are going to be on a team this spring?

Hands go up... 

Hey Coach, did you play on any teams growing up?

 I sure did. I played football since I was about 8 years old.

I bet you scored a lot of touchdowns, right?

 Well, I never scored a single touchdown.

What? Huh? Why not?

Well, I didn’t run with the football, or throw it, or catch it.

 Then what did you do?

I blocked. I was an offensive lineman, and it was my job to make sure the guy across from me did not make the tackle. I had to stop him from getting to the quarterback, the running back, whatever, to take him out of the play so we could score.

 So you played football, but you never actually had the football?

That’s right. I did have a very important job though, and if I did not do my job, then the guys with the football could never score a touchdown.

 You see, I was part of a TEAM. I had a job to do, it was very important, and if I did it well, then the TEAM could score, and had a chance to win.

 That is what a TEAM is all about, everyone doing their job so everyone can win together. After all, there is no “I” in TEAM.

 Wow, it’s kind of like the soccer team I signed up for. The coach has me playing defense, so I won’t ever to a chance to score a goal.

Well, someone has to play defense, and if the other team never scores, doesn’t that give your team a better chance to win?

 Yeah, but I want to score goals.

 I know, I do. Everyone wants to be the hero and score the winning goal, or touchdown, or 2 points…but, there are different kinds of heroes, and all of them are important. If you block 8 shots during a game, isn’t that kind of like you taking away 8 goals from the other team? Isn’t that sorta like being a hero eight times?

 I guess. I mean, it’s not like my team could score that many goals. So yeah, I guess it is important that I block the shots.

 It is. Believe me, the people who are watching the game, the ones who really know the game, they will see what you are doing and recognize how good you are because you did it. So, you can be an excellent soccer player and never score a goal.

Wow, yeah…that makes sense.

 Now, on other team sports, like baseball and softball, no matter what position you play, you will get a chance to hit the ball and maybe score. But, you will have to play a position, and some positions get more action than others. So it is a bit more of a mixed opportunity than say soccer, and football.

What about sports that are more just about “me”?

 Well, cross-country running, track, wrestling….those are all very individual focused sports, but there can still be a team aspect. But, unlike other sports, you can be an excellent wrestler, or runner, and be on a weak team. So there is an advantage there, unlike say, football, where you can be a great football player, but be on a weak team and lose every game.

Did you do any of those sports?

I wrestled. Unlike football, when I wrestled, there was no one else to watch. You stand on that wrestling mat alone, just you and the other guy. That is both a little bit scary, and great, at the same time.

 Whaddy’a mean?

Well, on a team, if the team loses…you could blame the team. In wrestling, if you lose, well…it was ALL you. But, if you win, that was all you too. So, you have to take the good with the bad, there is no place to hide. Same for running. If you come in last, well…everyone is going to see that.

So, I guess it really is up to us what kind us sports we should do, huh?

Well, yeah. I would say you should try many different sports, see for yourself what you like and do not like. You may be good at something that right now you don’t think you would be any good at, but you never know.

For some, a team sport is the way to go, for others, well, not so much. The important thing is to get out there, give them a try, and be a good team mate, player, and student of the sport.

Story by: Ned Campbell, Teacher and Coach, Brooklyn NY

 

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