Players at all levels frequently get too comfortable in their roles! In some cases it’s a negative role (e.g. the guy who always complains and blames others for his mistakes). In other cases it’s a positive role (e.g. the girl who hustles after every loose-ball and constantly makes energy plays for her team). Most importantly, in most cases players get TOO comfortable in an EXPANDABLE role that offers room for tremendous growth and opportunity. While the quietest player on the court will likely never turn into the most vocal one, (s)he has the potential to become a significantly better communicator!
Even in the NBA, a league full of “specialists” and one-dimensional role players, the most motivated players and the ones most receptive to coaching find ways to grow their repertoire of intangible weapons! Jordan not only added a much improved fade-away jumper later in his career but, more importantly, learned how to relate to and lead his diverse teammates. Dirk Nowitzki developed his patented one-legged jumper while also taking his leadership skills and mental toughness to another level to win the NBA Championship. It would have been all too easy for these players and numerous others to hide behind their already impressive accomplishments and stay in their comfort zone. But they chose not to…and, in many cases, they received a little help from a great coach or mentor along the way.
Coaches, here is a great, innovative drill you should implement in the pre-season and periodically revisit throughout the competitive season to challenge your players to maximize their intangible contributions to the team. Follow these steps:
- Create notecards with the following 6 roles (2-3 cards each depending on number of players):
- (+) Hustler: Goes after everything defensively and offensively with relentless energy, sacrifices for the team
- (+) Instructor: Speaks up defensively and offensively, e.g. communicates offensively and defensively, tells teammates what spots to be in
- (+) Encourager: Demonstrates consistent positive attitude through positive physical touches, e.g. high fives, and verbal encouragement, e.g. “great pass”
- (-) Complainer: Blames others for mistakes, complains about calls, fails to assume responsibility for anything negative
- (-) Scary Cat: Shies away from responsibility, does not speak up and communicate, hides behind teammates’ efforts, constantly apologizes
- (-) “Hero” Baller: Tries to do everything alone, shows no trust in teammates, wants all the credit
- Divide your players into two teams. Have two stacks of the same combination of notecards (one for each team). Have every player blindly draw one. No one is allowed to share their role, but everyone has to act out their role! Scrimmage for 5 minutes. Make the scrimmage game-like (e.g. scoreboard, refs).
- Next, have one team draw from a stack of positive notecards (a thru c) and one from a stack of negative ones (d thru f). Don’t let your players know the stacks contain different sets of notecards. Continue the scrimmage for 5 more minutes!
- Then, reverse positive and negative roles for the two teams by letting players draw notecards again, accordingly. Keep playing for 5 more minutes!
- Lastly, have all players draw from a stack of NEW notecards you created, each of which lists all three positive roles. Scrimmage for another 5 minutes!
- Debrief by having your players discuss challenges and benefits they experienced individually and as a team as a result of their roles. Communicate the POWER of COMBINING all 3 positive intangibles and the TRANSFORMATIONAL POSITIVE EFFECT it has on team culture and performance!
You can make your own variations to the drill if you’d like. For example, add and modify assigned roles and mix up the drill progression to fit the needs of your team. Let your imagination run wild and always remember that any player, no matter how great, has the potential to increase their intangible contributions to the team if challenged in creative ways!