JJVA Travel Coaches - Player Expectations

JJVA Travel Teams - Player Expectations

1)     Take Full Responsibility

It is expected that you will take full responsibility for your actions. If there is an issue with you, your play, or the team, you will find ways to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

2)     Give Consistent Effort

This means that your effort will be the constant of your game. Execution will come and go, but your effort will remain the same. There are a variety of reasons for lack of effort, but you are expected to put those reasons aside and give consistent effort.

3)     Competing When There is a Scoreboard

ANYTIME there is a score being kept; you are expected to compete. One of the keys of competition is being in the same competitive “space” as your teammates. Sometimes your teammate may “get on you” or say something that may “rub the wrong way”. Typically, that means that in that moment, your teammate wants to win more than you do. Learning how to motivate each other when we are keeping score will be your responsibility.

4)     Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

For your game to be grow, you MUST experience failure and be comfortable with that experience. A coaches’ job is to make you as uncomfortable as possible. It is your responsibility to understand that and be comfortable with that.

5)     Be Other Oriented

It is only through doing for others will you build trust with your teammates. Trust is THE most important characteristic of any successful relationship. Whether that is shagging loose balls for others as they train, encouraging others who are having a harder time than you, or making sure everyone knows of sudden schedule changes are some examples of being other oriented and building trust.

6)     Become an Excellent Communicator

You will do this through verbal and non-verbal communication. With verbal communication, you will be as transparent as possible with your words. When confronting a coach or teammate, you will strive to be as honest as possible and say what you mean. With non-verbal communication you will strive to be the player EVERYONE wants to play next to. That means you are constantly encouraging your teammates and working to understand HOW they would like to be talked to.

7)     Respect Yourself and Others

Without self-respect, you cannot respect others around you. There are a lot of people in this club and facility who are doing their best to make sure you have a positive experience. You are to show them respect and thank them any chance you get. That includes all the administrators, facility maintenance workers, coaches, referees and teammates.

8)     Accept Your Role

Each successful season has a common theme: the player’s acceptance of their role, both physical and emotional.  Only six of you can play at one time, but each of you must contribute to win.  Roles change over the course of a career, over a year, and over a season, over a match.  It is the coaching staff’s responsibility to assign you a role; it is your responsibility to accept it and embrace it.

9)     Know the Difference Between Pain and Injury

Where pain is defined by that which requires rehab and/or treatment, it doesn’t prevent you from participating in some way.  Injury on the other hand, prohibits a player from participating. When a player does not address a chronic pain, it turns into an injury.  You are expected to play when you are healthy and sit out when you are injured.