Be A GREAT Teammate

BEING A GREAT TEAMMATE should be a goal of every athlete playing team sports and the goal of every parent for their young athletes.  One of the positive side effects of team sports is learning how to work with and compete with others.  This is a skill that will stick with you for the rest of your life.

Make it a goal to be the BEST teammate on the team.  Make it a goal to bring positive energy to every practice and every game.  Make it a goal to push your teammates so that they can be the best that they can be, and make it a goal to pull them along by encouraging.

Your teammates might not always treat you right, but you can only control what you can control and how you treat others.

When people first think about NBA star Carmelo Anthony, 'great teammate' isn't usually the first thing to come to mind.  But in an interview on the Pull Up Podcast with CJ McCollum, he was asked about his favorite teammates, and Melo had a very insightful response:

"Andre Miller was the ultimate, ultimate teammate.  He never complained.  He came to work every day.  He worked hard.  He knew the game and he knew what he had to do to prepare for the game.  That's how I gauge teammates - what do you do to prepare?  What is your mindset to prepare for battle?  If I could learn from that, then I feel like you were one of my best teammates."

He said that he tried to make everybody feel comfortable playing with him and being on his team.

He emphasized that he judges teammates based on how they prepare, not necessarily the relationship, but how a guy gets ready to play.

He said that he doesn't judge a teammate based on the relationship but on how they prepare to play.  

"How do you prepare?  How do you come to work, every single day?  How do you get along with everybody?  How do you get along with rookie and how do you get along with a 15-year vet?  How do you treat the audio-visual guy?  That is how I judge my teammates.  When we are going into the trenches, where are you at?  What is your preparation?  What is your mindset?  What are you thinking about?  Are you willing to put your mind and your body on the line to do what it takes to win this one basketball game?  Can you lock-in?"

Melo said it took several years in the NBA to learn what it took to be a great teammate.  He said he didn't know what it was like to come in early and leave late.  He didn't know what it was like to take care of his body and get the proper treatment and stretch and ice.  He said as he got older, he realized the importance of taking care of his mind and body and how to make it a part of his lifestyle.  

Being a great teammate makes you better, it makes the team better, and it makes the experience better.  Being a great teammate is a skill that will follow you everywhere you go.  Be a great teammate by being prepared, by pushing and pulling your teammates, and by bringing positive energy and enthusiasm every day.  Be a great teammate by helping everybody feel welcome and comfortable.