How to Be a Great Teammate

Via Herb Welling

Can we simplify?

1) Care for others

2) Be positive 

3) Put the team first 

 

Repetitions

Recognize a hierarchy of training activities with argument about the precise order. These are just a few options. 

Random practice 

Sport is chaos and training cannot be precisely sequenced and simultaneously random. Scrimmaging is chaos but often without "enough touches" to maximize benefit. 

Small-sided games (SSG)

SSGs overcome the limitation of scrimmaging (number of repetitions). Fewer players -> more reps -> faster learning -> clearer accountability. An example: 3 person, 2 contacts

Practice with a teammate

More touches and still opportunity for creativity. You say, "that looks boring." Exceptional players stay focused on fundamentals to the point that actions become "do, don't think." 

Coach John Wooden said of future Hall-of-Famer Bill Walton, "He never tired of practicing the fundamentals of footwork." 

Solo practice

How can you get solo reps of hitting, passing, and digging? It takes a bit of imagination. 

Lagniappe. Become capable of playing "harder for longer." What does it take to break you? 

Lagniappe 2. The same standards of behavior apply to everyone. Leaders model excellence. Leaders make leaders. Leaders mentor younger players. Become the standard. 

Whenever there is a dispute, both parties are required to have equal levels of integrity, to be open-minded and assertive, and to be equally considerate. The judges must hold the parties to the same standards and provide feedback consistent with these standards. I have often seen… pic.twitter.com/jWLn5ED64P

— Ray Dalio (@RayDalio) March 25, 2026

Four Types of Players - Whom Do You Become?

Become the player you want to be.  

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Steal from Other Coaches*

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization. 

*Adapted from my basketball blog.

"Good artists borrow; great artists steal." - Picasso

Joe Mazzulla fills up the postgame statsheet with buzzwords and sound bytes. There's value to the approaches of the best coaches.

Give credit to the players. 

Coaches know that their livelihood depends on the players. Excellent coaches inhabit the "give credit" realm.

Never become complacent. 

The Celtics won three games in four nights, including Monday night's win in "Cream City" (Milwaukee). When asked about that, Mazzulla responded, "We'll see how it goes Wednesday." Everyone in sports gets judged by the next performance and you have to be willing to put it out there. 

Process...process...process

Mazzulla said that it starts with the Front Office. "Brad" finds guys with "competitive character." Rookie Hugo Gonzalez, playing a few minutes a game for Real Madrid last season, got a start and delivered tough defense (+27), career highs in points (18) and rebounds (16), three steals and two blocks. 

Competitive Character (An AI digression)

Doing What Wins - Not What Impresses

Competitive character means:

• Valuing the right shot over your shot

• Sprinting back on defense when tired

• Screening with force even if you won’t get the ball

It’s substance over style.

Stevens has often emphasized that the game rewards people who focus on “winning behaviors” - the unglamorous details.

2️⃣ Emotional Control Under Stress

For Stevens, competitive character includes:

• Responding to adversity without drama

• Playing the next possession

• Not letting officials, mistakes, or momentum swings dictate effort

It’s poise without passivity. Competitive character shows up most when things go poorly.

3️⃣ Consistency, Not Spikes

He has repeatedly valued:

• Daily work habits

• Film engagement

• Practice intensity

In his programs, talent alone was never enough. The question was: Can you bring the same competitive edge every day?

This echoes your “rare is dear” theme - consistency is scarce.

4️⃣ Team-First Accountability

Competitive character includes:

• Accepting hard coaching

• Telling the truth in film sessions

• Taking responsibility for breakdowns

It’s the opposite of blame-shifting.

Stevens’ Butler teams weren’t the most athletic, but they were famously connected and disciplined. That wasn’t accidental — it was cultural selection.

5️⃣ Competing the Right Way

He has described competition as:

• Guarding the ball

• Rebounding

• Executing late

• Trusting teammates

This translates to "our deal":

• Win this possession.
• Choose the high percentage action.
• Play with poise. 
• Protect the team standard

None of this is 'secret sauce' or 'proprietary'. Coaches with great relationships and players who care enough to buy in, commit, and compete can do this. 

Lagniappe. Execute. 

Results don’t come from strategy they come from execution (behavior).

— Alan Stein, Jr. (@AlanSteinJr) March 2, 2026

Lagniappe 2. Improvement. 

Neemias Queta on where he’s taking the biggest strides this season:

“I feel like I'm taking strides in so many different aspects of my game, and there's so much more I can get better at.”
-@CLNSMedia pic.twitter.com/cNfStmn9L1

— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) February 25, 2026

 

"Get Out of the Bucket"

“Get out of the bucket.”

Bookmark this one.📍 https://t.co/M71Hazws89

— Greg Berge (@GregBerge) February 7, 2026

Volleyball is a game of momentum. That is why it's vital to keep opponents from getting "on a roll." Don't allow "death by a thousand cuts."

Self-regulate.

Help teammates self-regulate. 

Find ways to refocus such as "stop and take a deep breath," having a catchphrase like "next play" or visualization tool to see yourself making the next play. 

Failure as Fertilizer

“You’re not allowed to give excuses because excuses are a sign of weakness. We give no excuses when we fail. Failure is just fertilizer to help us grow as a team,” Rick Pitino

Excuses are yours to make.
Standards are yours to own.
Your choice matters. pic.twitter.com/4tqhyPVKkA

— The Winning Difference (@thewinningdiff1) March 17, 2026

‘This honest Turk,’ he said to Pangloss and Martin, ‘seems to be in a far better place than kings…. I also know,” said Candide, “that we must cultivate our garden.’ 

In the French philosophical novel Candide, Voltaire reminds us to care for our garden. This resonates throughout sports as coaches explain, "I'm only worried about our team" or "I don't have any control over that." Charlie Jones wrote a novel about covering Olympic crew, having asked an oarsman about conditions. "That's Outside My Boat." 

Coach Scott Celli can't concern himself with the ML12 schedule, stronger opponents, or (limited by MIAA) offseason player development. 

As a player, recognize that "losses are lessons" and the most vivid lessons arise from failure not victory. 

In "Golf Is not a Game of Perfect," Dr. Bob Rotella writes that one of the biggest mistakes a golfer can make is to work on swing mechanics during a tournament. Total focus belongs on the shot at hand, which includes club selection and course management. Similarly, don't fix your attack mechanics or serve during a match. 

Coach Celli adheres to John Wooden's advice, "Don't whine, don't complain, and don't make excuses." 

The best way to find playing time, role, and recognition from September through November is to refine your technique, tactics, physicality, and psychology now, during the offseason. Refine now, reward later. 

Lagniappe. Control your breathing. 

Navy SEALS use box breathing to stay calm & intensely focused during stressful situations.

3 times per day for 5 minutes each will exponentially reduce your cortisol / stress levels.

Come back to this tweet to practice daily pic.twitter.com/vnnPlbIvfJ

— Bitcoin Teddy (@Bitcoin_Teddy) February 22, 2026

A Quick Test

Where are your weaknesses or physical needs? This instagram video suggests a simple test (do with both legs) to help diagnose problem areas. 

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"Alternative Blindness"

"Each deal we measure against the second-best deal that is available at any given time - even if it means doing more of what we are already doing." - Warren Buffett 

Choose the best option among all available options.

Scarcity Is Real

You know the saying "robbing Peter to pay Paul." There are only so many roster spots, minutes, and practice hours. Coaches and players make hard choices about allocation of scarce resources. 

The Trap: False Choices

What if a coach decides that only serving and scrimmaging matter. Both may even be the best options.

The question becomes, how much of each?

And which serving drills? Which type of scrimmage? Not all “good” is equal.

Competition Creates Complexity

Take middle hitters. There are two starting spots and multiple capable players

It’s never Player A vs Player B. It's Player A vs Player B vs Player C… and sometimes Player D.

And then: who fits best with the setter? Who blocks better against this opponent? Who performs under pressure?

This is not vanilla vs coffee.

Don’t Miss the Edelman Lesson

Julian Edelman was a college quarterback. He became one of the most clutch receivers in the NFL. Why? Someone saw another option.

The Edge

Exceptional programs don’t just work hard. They evaluate constantly, compare options honestly, and adjust when better choices appear.

Don't become "blind to possibilities" in life because there are often more possibilities than you know. 

Lagniappe. What is your contribution? 

Geno Auriemma said, "Your contribution doesn’t have to be 25 points. But it has to be something."

"Your number one contribution is the energy you bring."
You don’t have to score to make an impact.

Great teammates bring energy, effort, and attitude. pic.twitter.com/8d8CYE0xuk

— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) February 21, 2026

Lagniappe 2. Excellent coaches are students.  

The best coaches don’t just study the game. They study other ways to see the game.

That’s what Joe Mazzulla did this summer.

Instead of staying comfortable, he went to France, not for vacation, but to learn.

He spent time with Le Mans head coach Guillaume Vizade to exchange… pic.twitter.com/syMb0IQtza

— James Purchin (@JamesPurchin) March 23, 2026

Volleyball Values

“When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’

’The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’

’The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master — that’s all.”

― Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

Writers toss words around like children throw playthings - culture, standards, values. Casual abuse of English is lazy. Inhabit specifics, terms as shared experience.

Humpty Dumpty answers: Meaning belongs to whoever has control. Coach Scott Celli owns that narrative. 

When the coach defines them clearly:

• shared language

• shared expectations

• shared behavior

What words shape values? Simplifying, think effort, teammate, compete, accountability. 

Make Words Observable

Values need visibility. 

Effort

Not: “Play hard.”

Instead:

• Sprint to base every transition

• Close the block every rep

• Cover hitters on every swing

Teammate

Not: “Be supportive.”

Instead:

• Talk on every serve-receive rep

• Help a teammate up immediately

• Own your role, even as a reserve

Compete

Not: “Be competitive.”

Instead:

• Score the next point after an error (stop the bleeding)

• Stay present at 23–23

• Execute despite fatigue

Accountability

Not: “Be responsible.”

Instead:

• Stop excuses.

• Make corrections. 

• Do your job so others can do theirs

Your actions define your values. 

Lagniappe. Train your focus and skills. 

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A post shared by Reese Bates (@reesebatesvolleyball)

Making a Difference

Kelvin Sampson shares what separates good programs from great ones.

It comes down to 3 things.

"The best teams come from the coaching staffs that are the best demanders. There are certain non-negotiables."

"We're not going to sit down and talk about this...This is the way it's… https://t.co/3XXHNDrng8 pic.twitter.com/ZWxYInHGdS

— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) March 17, 2026

The formula is:

1. Standards 2. Accountability 3. Raised Expectations.

What do coaches want? They want to make a difference in people's lives. Nobody can make everyone happy because there's a finite amount of minutes, roles, and recognition.

As a player, what matters to you? Suggestions:

"Team first." Every exceptional coach from Wooden, Belichick, Calipari, Auriemma, and Coach Scott Celli puts the welfare of the team first.

"Be an ambitious giver." Make teammates better.

"Impact winning." You can do that with effort, encouragement, and behaviors representing yourself and the team.

"Be good at what you do a lot."

"Become a lifelong learner, a "learn-it-all." That includes knowing your responsibilities and those of other team members. #AttentiontoDetail

Reject the "killer S's." Avoid sloth (laziness), selfishness, and softness (lack of mental toughness).

Lagniappe.

Be a life-long student. pic.twitter.com/1ZLXBSfSJh

— Reads with Ravi (@readswithravi) March 15, 2026

You Gotta Dance Like Nobody's Watching

"Dance like no one's watching," thought Shirley Dander...because the point of dancing is everyone's watching, or they are if you're doing it right." - from Slough House by Mick Herron

Dancing is inherently performative and relational - it's display, it's communication, it's dominance and invitation simultaneously. 

Volleyball is also "performative" and best executed when played as though nobody's watching. Athletes can't be self-conscious, concerned about how they look instead of focused on the play in the moment. 

Focus 

Whether you play in front of nobody in practice or a thousand people at a playoff game, focus completely. The next ball deserves your full attention.

Communication

Talk engages, energizes, and intimidates. Be ELO - early, loud, and often. 

"Reading"

Top players aren’t always faster. They’re earlier. They see it sooner. Reading the serve, the setter, and the hitter are part of the continuum of CARE - concentration-> anticipation-> reaction-> and execution. Top players are "one step quicker." 

Situational Understanding

Sometimes you attack for a winner and others are "get me over" returns. Trust is built when players match decision to moment. Play the right play.

Mindset 

Former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz had a saying, "You hang it, we bang it." Volleyball rewards consistency and aggressiveness. 

The Paradox

Volleyball is a performance. But the best performances happen when players: forget the crowd, forget the noise, and forget themselves and lock into the game.

Final Thoughts

Dance like nobody’s watching. Not because nobody is. But because the moment you stop thinking about the audience…you start playing at your best.

Lagniappe. Place your focus on the person you want to become. 

The person you will be in 5 years: pic.twitter.com/Sfac2zq4ye

— Reads with Ravi (@readswithravi) February 19, 2026