*Almost all of this blog (99.9%) is the work of Independent Certified Coach, Trainer & Speaker for The John Maxwell Team, Amy Snow. I credit her with all of the insight and wisdom. It's just so good, and compliments everything we strive to be at South Titan Basketball I had to adapt it to a STBB blog. Thank you, Amy! The sequoia redwood trees located in California are some of the biggest trees in the world. There is a tree named the General Sherman that is 275 feet tall and 25 feet in diameter! These trees can endure strong winds, earthquakes, fires, storms and prolonged flooding. You would think their roots must go super deep in order for trees that tall to stay standing in such conditions. Not so. Interestingly, their roots are relatively shallow. They often only go down about five or six feet but can extend as far as one hundred feet from the trunk. What’s fascinating is the redwood tree’s root system is intertwined with the other redwood trees, so they literally are holding each other up. The trees grow very close together and are also dependent on each other for nutrients. Only redwoods have the strength and ability to support other redwoods. In addition to the joint strength of their roots these trees also release upwards of 500 gallons of water into the air each day to help create a moist fog that provides the other trees and plants in the forest the water they need to live. So, beneath the surface of these amazing trees is a picture of interconnectedness that creates incredible strength that would not be present if they were standing alone, and they work together in order to survive. This is an awesome picture of how a team can and should function—how we work together, link arms, get to know each other, lend a hand, support each other through victory and defeat, celebrate when others succeed and encourage when others fail. All of this is part of developing a strong foundation, a root system that can withstand the storms, the trials and help the team rise to greater heights than you ever could on your own. Every member of a team brings different gifts and abilities, and yet it is all vitally important for the greater good. It also provides greater strength. A soccer team full of only goalies wouldn’t accomplish much. A football team full of only quarterbacks wouldn’t get very far. No part is more important than another. Each position, each role is needed. We are stronger together than we are on our own. We have a few challenges for you in becoming great teammates: 1. Connect with your teammates one-on-one. Ask open-ended questions (questions where they can’t just give a yes/no answer). Find out what makes them tick, what they enjoy, who and what they love, what challenges them, what excites them, etc. 2. Connection happens during training and in competition, but it’s also important to connect outside of that environment. Go out to dinner together. Have fun competition over miniature golf, bowling, go on a road trip or something else. Informal conversation and laughter go a long way to build bonds. 3. Have a coach facilitate a discussion where your strengths/weaknesses are shared and how they play a vital role in the bigger picture. We refer to these as 'One-Minute Assessments' at STBB. It’s not only important for each player to know what they bring to the court but equally important that each person on the team knows how they fit into the overall success of the team.
Redwoods can never survive on their own—ever. South Titan Basketball can’t either. That is the beauty of building a strong team. The sum of the parts is greater than the whole. Together we are stronger! To learn more about Amy’s one-on-one or group coaching for current athletes and athletes in transition, as well as her leadership training, go to www.amysnowcoaching.com.