The Elephant in the Room

Elephants often appear in our midst. 

Digression from ChatGPT: 

"The elephant in the room" is often that topic everyone is aware of but avoids because addressing it could be uncomfortable or could disrupt the team dynamic. Here are some classic examples from sports:

1. Playing Through Injury: In many sports, especially contact ones like football and basketball, the expectation to "push through the pain" often overrides the concern for long-term health. Players may know they’re not at 100%, but the fear of losing their spot or disappointing teammates keeps them silent, which can jeopardize careers or worsen the injury.

2. Unfair Treatment of Star Players: Sometimes, the star players receive preferential treatment, whether it’s lighter punishment for breaking rules or different standards in practice. While this might keep the talent happy, it can breed resentment and damage team cohesion. Addressing this can be tricky because coaches and management might not want to risk alienating the talent that helps them win.

3. Poor Team Culture or Dysfunctional Leadership: This can happen when there’s a toxic atmosphere created by the coach or even by certain team members. If the leadership style is aggressive, unfair, or inconsistent, players may feel demotivated or fearful. Although everyone recognizes the effect, addressing it might threaten their place on the team or lead to a messy confrontation.

4. Internal Team Conflicts: Personal disputes between key players are common in team sports and can remain unspoken despite being evident to everyone. For example, star teammates might dislike each other off the field, but both are valuable to the team's performance. Acknowledging it can destabilize team chemistry, even though pretending it doesn’t exist can lead to tense dynamics and poor performance.

5. Financial Inequity or Disparity: In leagues with high wage gaps, like professional soccer or baseball, the disparity in pay between star players and others can create a feeling of inequality. Teammates may see this as unfair, but challenging it risks sounding selfish or ungrateful, even when it’s apparent that it’s affecting morale.

Fight for your culture every day. Specifically:

1) Be positive. The Patriots won their first Super Bowl when nobody believed in them...except for themselves. 

2) Next person up. "Every day is showtime." What could be more fulfilling than stepping up in the moment? 

3) Bring your best version. This is not your first rodeo, not your first "big game."  

4) Be a worthy opponent. Let everyone leave the gym tonight knowing that MVB brought the fight. 

5) Search inside yourself. MVB isn't coming in 'empty-handed'. Sabine Wenzel is second in the ML12 with 219 kills. Leah Fowke is second in assists with 488 assists. Maggie Turner is ninth with 189 digs. Emme Boyer and Sofia are both in the top 20 in kills, the latter despite multiple games missed.  

6) Feel disrespected? Duxbury is 17th in the Maxpreps.com Massachusetts rankings while Melrose is 28th. 

So what's the elephant? It's not who's not there but who is. Who will it be tonight? I'll bet on Gg Albuja and spectacular defense and serving, especially recently. 

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.