Coming Together

BY ISAIAH FLUHARTY

Fourteen seconds remain as time ticks away on the scoreboard. A player from the opposing team kicks the ball over to his teammate, causing a player from Stanton College Preparatory School to stumble. A fellow Stanton athlete, who was positioned behind him, runs over to his fallen teammate and extends a hand to help him up. A few other teammates rush over to check on the player, and give him a pat on the back for support and encouragement. With a quick smile, the game continues.

Scenes like this are not uncommon in scholastic sports. Student athletes at Stanton practice as a team and work toward a common goal: winning. They spend dozens of hours each week training and conditioning in preparation for weekly games or high-stakes competitions. Each day after school, these athletes are with their peers, building a close-knit bond through teamwork that serves as the key to their success in competitions. Some teams come up with creative ways to share effective bonding experiences, while others find their natural connection almost immediately. No matter what the case may be, a strong sense of comraderie is imperative for the team’s success in that it boosts team morale, establishes trust and improves player performance.

In mid-November of 2018, the entire boys’ varsity soccer team shaved their heads to show team solidarity. According to junior Nic Fakhar, center midfielder for the boys’ varsity soccer team, a fellow teammate suggested the entire team shave their heads.

“One of us had the idea that it would be really cool to all shave our heads because we would get even more recognition [for our team] and [increase] team bonding,” said Fakhar.

In addition to strengthening the team’s overall bond, the support that comes from athletes’ teammates builds their self-confidence. Sophomore Grant Kelsey, co-captain of the boys’ wrestling team, recognizes that once a team establishes its unique relationship, athletes begin to feel comfortable around each other, which allows them to improve as a group and as individuals.

“When you build a stronger bond with your teammates, you’ll start working with your team a lot harder, which promotes personal improvement,” said Kelsey. “A lot between you and your teammates will help you perform better in general.”

Junior Kendra Moisan, a center-back on the girls’ varsity soccer team, also believes that the collective attitude of the team affects the other players’ accomplishments, as well as her own. Optimism, she comments, is effective in maximizing the performance of each player.

“You’re more positive on the field when you have teammates that surround you with their positivity, and that definitely helps your performance,” said Moisan. “We support one another.”

According to senior David Wrenn, improving personal skills within a team comes with getting to know your teammates and building a strong bond. He also adds that competing amidst an unfamiliar team would hinder one’s performance in a competition.

“It would be really weird to compete with someone I didn’t know,” said Wrenn. “So, the fact that we not only practice together but also do stuff outside of just cheer together makes our chemistry within the group a lot better, and that helps us perform our stunts.”

To build their team spirit, the varsity cheerleading squad spends time with each other outside of cheer. Their unconventional methods of bonding exemplify how close the members of the team are with each other.

“One time I did a belly dancing class with the team and that was really fun,” said Wrenn. “We do a lot of fun team building activities outside of cheer.”

Other teams at Stanton have also undertaken creative outings for the sake of team bonding. The boys’ varsity soccer team usually resorts to eating at a restaurant or playing video games at a player’s house, but they occasionally take part in unorthodox activities.

“One day before our game by the beach, we went on Andrew Zalewa’s boat and we all went to Safe Harbor Seafood Restaurant,” said Fakhar.

While the members of a team usually plan their own off-field activities, their coaches often encourage them to spend as much time as a team as they can together. Mr. Brian Heggood, the girls’ varsity soccer coach, has been coaching for 19 years. In his years of coaching, he has found that, to be successful, a team must come together to build a friendship, and strengthen it through off-field activities.

“Being on a team means you’re in a relationship, so clearly you want the best relationship you can with all of your teammates,” said Mr. Heggood. “I think, by spending time together, you’re going to build that trust and you’re going to understand what their motivations are, and meet them as a teammate in the best way possible in terms of motivation and

performance. But, it’s really just about the relationship overall. We have to nurture that on and off the field.”

Poor performance is often an unmistakable sign that a team does not have strong chemistry with one another. A lack of comraderie results is apparent when there is little communication between the players of a team.

“[The strength of] their bond is how they are going to perform, so if things aren’t going well, if there is tension or stress, that certainly comes across,” said Mr. Heggood. “These aren’t professionals being asked to compartmentalize, that’s difficult for a lot of people, so it shows up for sure when the relationship isn’t clicking across the board.”

While the bond of the teammates is important, the future of an individual athlete may come before the bond of the team. Student athletes work hard to hone their skills and become a better player.

Multiple student athletes are playing to earn a substantial sports scholarship, and eventually commit to a reputable college team. While in high school, students have an opportunity to look toward the future, which may place their focus on personal growth rather than team performance. A team’s overall performance attracts college scouts and, if they attend a game, the individual athlete has the chance to shine.

According to multiple Stanton athletes, students take advantage of the visit and use it for their own benefit, rather than putting their best efforts into the team as a whole. In many cases, individual players try to catch the eye of the scout instead of making the best play for the team.

Senior Annelisa O’Neal, setter for the girls’ varsity volleyball team, said the atmosphere and dynamic of the players change when a scout is watching.

“Sometimes scouts will come to our practices,” said O’Neal. “So it will completely change how we run our practices because we will need a particular player to be in the spotlight for that practice.”

O’Neal also mentioned that in order to get a coach’s attention, many players abuse their time with the ball by keeping it with them for as long as possible. This hinders the teams’ performance because the individual player is disregarding the value of teamwork.

“People will definitely hog the ball or try and get more reps in warm ups to make sure they get a good showing in front of their coaches,” said O’Neal.

Despite select players playing for their own benefit at the risk of hurting the effort of the collective team, each player celebrates when one of their own commits to a college team. They congratulate the achievements and hard work the athlete put in to get to that point, as well as their bright future ahead.

“I think everyone was super excited [that I signed],” said O’Neal. “On the team I play on outside of school, every single person on the team is signed to go to college, so it’s a nice environment where we can all prepare for the next level together. It’s also more motivation to work together to play at a higher level.”

Along with establishing friendships that last beyond their time on the field, student athletes gain important life skills being part of a team that allow them to succeed in college and beyond. The field not only serves as the training ground for their next game, but also for their future. The lessons learned on the field— good sportsmanship, how to collaboratively work with others, encouraging and supporting others, and the importance of a team working toward a goal— are ones that can be applied to all aspects of life. These skills are critical in college, a professional work environment, raising a family and many other aspects of life students will experience.