How to Lead Your Team to Become a Community

Would you love it if all the parents were supportive on your team?

Use these six steps to build support by leading your team to become a community.

#1 Start with a Positive Mindset

You are the leader and everyone should follow you. So start with the positive mindset that everyone will do their best and have the team's best interest in mind. This will not happen 100% of the time, but it is best to set expectations and lead by example. Positive means growth and moving forward, it does not just mean happy all the time. Be in the mindset that your team will grow together and move forward in a positive direction. 

#2 Set up Successful Communication

All we want to do is play softball. But as the coach of a team there is more to manage. Communicate consistently and clearly with your players and parents. Take time to plan out what you need to communicate throughout the season. When everyone knows everything that is going on, everyone will feel better and work together more easily.

#3 Check in and offer support

Even if you have a positive mindset and communicate consistently, things will still be hard or fall through the cracks. Check in with your community frequently making sure everyone knows what they need to do, has what they need, and feels good about how things are going. If anyone is have a hard time, be willing to listen and help them through. Checking with people (even if they have everything they need) goes a long way to show you care. They will know you've got their back and when times get tough, you'll all be on the same side.

#4 Be Positive No Matter What

At some point something will go wrong. Keep the mindset to be positive to grow and move forward in a positive direction. Softball is a game we love and we will get emotional. Take care in tough times and heartache to give everyone space and time to acknowledge feelings, feel them, then move through or let them go. Work as a team to take the next steps that will make the next time around better.

#5 Enjoy Time and Grow Together

Softball is such a hard game with so much heartache. Take time to enjoy the successes and celebrate even the smallest of wins. Enjoy time together on and off the field. Play off each other's strengths to make the most of your community. Find what everyone does best and let them take control of it. Make sure everyone is included and feels like they have their place in the community.

#6 Build a Sustainable Plan

Reflect after a season on what went well and what didn't. Find the things that felt easiest and helped you enjoy the most success. Look at what didn't work, acknowledge and feel the feelings, and then move through it. Decide what to change to make it better for next time. Finally, celebrate with and enjoy the community you built and focus on playing the game we all love.