There is no “I” in team for T-ville students

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Sina Valmoe, Reporter

Being a part of a team can benefit one physically, mentally, and emotionally. Physically, it can keep the body healthy and better certain areas of playing a sport, such as an individual’s endurance. Being a part of a team emotionally can flourish numerous skills that one player must maintain to be successful. Mentally, being a part of a team can advance one’s confidence and give them the right mindset that’s beneficial to the team.

Douglas Mogle, an all time athlete, explains to CNN news how participating in team sports is important. Mogle says, “Being a part of a team has always played a large role in my success as an athlete, on and off the field. The camaraderie and accountability present within a team setting are things I have been unable to replicate when going at it alone.

In high school, my participation in sports meant more training. Practices and workouts were exhaustive and took up a good portion of my afternoons and evenings. Playing sports helped me develop friendships, hone my skills and stay in great shape.My sudden cardiac arrest in October 2011 created a daily reminder of my health and my need for exercise, but my selection to the CNN Fit Nation team pushed me to think deeper about where I am right now, where I’ve been and where I hope to go.”

Mogle continues with, “Throughout my life, the concept of “team” had been stressed on a daily basis, and now it was nowhere to be found. I realized that I needed to find a team. I needed to be a part of something bigger than myself.”
A team, is a community. You can’t be selfish and expect great things. You have to get to know each other and rely on one another in ways that are counter intuitive to the “Me First” way of thinking. Baseball has 8 other players backing up the pitcher in the field, without which most of the outs would not be made. Who would pass the ball to Messi(professional soccer player for Argentina), in order for him to score another hat trick or how unawesome would Tom (Quarterback for New England Patriots) Brady’s touchdown passes be if there was no receiver to catch them or line to block for him? Even golfers and tennis players will admit they don’t do anything alone, but have a support team of coaches, caddies and trainers to help them perfect their skills. They all have teammates. But the reality of teams is that there are times when you have to lose as a team.
Defensive end, #9 and football captain, Lyric Bartley goes to say, “Being a part of a team has more to it than it meets the eye. Especially being one of the eldest and a captain, I can only grasp the point of view of being on a football team.” Bartley states, “Football is a true team sport where all eleven players must not only work hard but play hard against their opponent to achieve success. If one fails to do so, we lose that battle. The pleasure of being on a team is a feeling one must experience for themselves. There is no such thing where only one person feels success because if you lose, you lose altogether as a team, and vice versa. You encounter and bond with different people and races to become one, to reach the same goal, success.”
Teamwork can be defined in many ways; it is the impression of trust and achievement that you profit after you prosper. Being a part of a team provides a sense of ownership towards their performance in the group because they devoted themselves to the goals they helped conceive. Linebacker, #48 Wade Utai says, “Being a part of a team is an honor. You have been chosen to not only be apart of some team created with a bunch of players, you’ve been accepted into a creation of a brotherhood and into a bond that nobody can would ever break. Being apart of a team is not only an honor, it is also a job.” Utai continues to say, “You are given responsibilities to trust each other and have each others back. You become a part of not only a team but a family.”
When you win, you see how the collective effort and every person’s abilities contribute to your overall success. There may be stars on a team, those with exceptional talent who make your team special and carry more than their fair share, but they are nonetheless part of a greater whole, who no matter how exceptional can not thrive on their own. They need each part of the team to do their job in order to succeed.