Being a Great Teammate

Experience and time teach us where we fit on the spectrum of athletic performance and achievement. Our peers' voices tell us how they see us as teammates.

MVB culture has always produced teamwork. 

The Daily Coach discusses being a great teammate from time to time. Here's an adaptation:

Every time you step on the floor, in practice or games, three ways show you belong. 

1. Check your ego at the door. ‘We’ matters more than ‘me.’ Stay humble. 

2. Arrive early ("Dean Smith time"), stay focused, finish strong. Energize yourself and others. 

3. Lift your teammates up...in the locker room, off the court, and under pressure. That’s not optional. That’s what it means to be a Great Teammate.”

Here's a checklist created by ChatGPT Plus using my principles and voice and a few external articles:

THE GREAT TEAMMATE CHECKLIST

1. Team First — Always

• Speaks we more than me

• Share credit, take responsibility

• Root for others’ success even when minutes or touches go elsewhere

2. Reliable & Consistent

• On time, warmed up, and mentally locked in

• Same effort Tuesday practice as Friday night under lights

• Coaches and teammates never wonder which version will show up

3. Hungry to Improve

• Use feedback, doesn’t defend ego

• Track growth — stronger, quicker, smarter week to week

• Ask questions, seek reps, choose challenges not comfort

4. Communicates with Purpose

• Talk that helps: clear, loud, solution-focused

• Body language that lifts

• Listens before speaking; understands before responding

5. Emotionally Intelligent

• Stay composed when match tightens

• Know what teammates need - support, fire, calm, truth

• Don’t gossip or fracture - protects the circle

6. Makes Teammates Better

• Encourage, energize, connect

• Win the dull drills and ugly possessions

• Bring friction when needed:

  “That’s not who we are - we’re better than that.”

7. Competes in the Mud

• Chases 50–50 balls like they’re 90–10

• Loves long rallies, grind-outs, side-out wars

• Doesn’t shrink in tough rotations - wants the serve, wants the moment

8. Humble, Hungry, Smart

• Humble → serve the team

• Hungry → work when no one sees

• Smart → read people, read play, elevate the whole gym

The Quick-Test Version

A player is a great teammate if:

1. You trust them in the 24–24 moment.

2. You’d want to share a foxhole - or a fifth set - with them.

3. The gym is better with them in it.

If all three are “yes,” you’ve got one of the dogs.

The simple answer from the best teammates is that it's always about the team first. Great teammates bring a presence, regardless of minutes, role, and recognition. 

Lagniappe. There's a story about Nelson Mandela's father. He used to bring young Nelson to community meetings. Mandela's father always spoke last. That afforded a chance to hear everyone else first and then to deliver a more nuanced response. 

nuance

noun

1. 1. A subtle or slight degree of difference, as in meaning, feeling, or tone; a gradation.
2. 2. Expression or appreciation of subtle shades of meaning, feeling, or tone.
   a rich artistic performance, full of nuance.