THE TEAM THE TEAM THE TEAM

I've been thinking a lot lately about developmental sports in the USA, and how they compare to other countries and cultures. 

I've also been thinking a whole lot about the idea of the team. I am going to write a few blogs about that.

There are some big questions like,

Why is America a step (or two) behind Africa and even Europe and Australia in the endurance events at the world level?

Why are we so deep in sprinting and jumping, but way behind in jumping? 

Is the highschool to NCAA model the best for developing athletes long term in order to compete at the highest level?

I don't think there are easy answers or a consensus on any of those questions. 

Here are some more.

What do highschool sports look like in 10 years, with the rise of club and travel team sports? With the advent of NIL in addition to the traditional scholarship model? 

What IS really fair for college athletes regarding NIL and pay for play, when people consuming the content primarily want to watch football and basketball? How does that affect Olympic sports? Does that matter? 

The NCAA is woven into the fabric of athletic development, that is clear. How much and for how much longer is less clear. With the big football conferences going all in on the money (college football is primarily a war between FOX and ESPN right now) how much power does the NCAA truly have at this point, and for how much longer? 

If you want a good history of the NCAA and why things are the way they are, I can recommend two sources. The book Bowerman and the Men of Oregon by Kenny Moore speaks a lot about how Bill Bowerman wrestled with the AAU and the NCAA with regards to Track and Field athletes, eligibility, and the Olympics. 

If you like football, the podcast Split Zone Duo talks a ton about the business of college football. 

In a nutshell, where everything meets right now is how traditionally, donors will donate directly to the university athletic department and the department spreads that money across their budget. Now with NIL "collectives", you can donate that money to the collective to distribute. There's some "pay for play" vs NIL stuff going on with the NCAA right now, how that shakes out isn't totally clear, but where there is money, the bureaucrats will find a way to get some.

Why does that matter? 

What happens to Olympic sports when there is less athletic department revenue? 

What happens if the way the NCAA functions changes fundamentally in the next 5-10 years because football pulls out, because it can? 

And how does that trickle down to the highschool level?

Again, why does that matter? Why do I care? 

I care because in America, I see a breakdown in the idea of the Team. Of working together towards something bigger than you. All of the things above contribute to a culture of mercenaries. 

It's all about getting exposure for that scholarship. 

Or, you don't have a good experience with your first team so you transfer. Maybe twice. 

Maybe it’s not that big a deal, because for every JT Daniels (USC > Georgia > West Virginia > Rice) there are 40 dudes just being good teammates. But, the entire landscape is shifting around the JT Daniels of the world, as far as I can tell.

You could replace any athletic example with somebody jumping around early in their professional career because of money or position. 

The team as an institution is a tricky thing. I think that since the Joe Paterno/Penn State story came to light, there has been story after story about how protecting institutions (teams, parties, schools, churches, leaders) has come at the cost of people and their lives. I believe that people are more important than institutions, and it is good that we are more aware of the danger associated with putting the wrong things on pedestals, or making statues out of people. 

Or, if you look at the political culture, people choose their team and stand behind that team regardless of any bad things that team may stand for, because the good things that team stands for are more important. And the bad things aren't bad, because my team says they're good. 

I don't love that. 

What I'm actually interested in is real teamwork. The best experiences I have had in my life were with teams. I grew up playing football. I was not good, but I loved all of it because I loved being on a team. In college, I probably learned the most working on a team. As an adult in my career, my best experiences have come when the team works together effectively. 

Why am I writing all of this? 

Last summer, my AD said to another team coach and I, "You guys want to win, otherwise you wouldn't be here." That statement was made in the context of our roles in developing relationships with people, and how to lead effectively. 

(LEAD FOR GOD'S SAKE!)

I have been thinking about why I do what I do since then. Why am I so interested in team building, in developing and maintaining a good team culture? Do I care about winning too much?

I do want to win. I want conference, regional, and state championships. But, I have always believed that when talent and culture intersect, winning happens. I don't have to stress out about it, I just have to be a good coach and take care of all of the people on my team. 

And that's where it comes back around. 

I think people thrive when they can work together. The team matters. The team is made up of different people with different needs and wants, but ultimately, we need eachother. 

I know that I cannot exist alone. Whether I'm talking about family, or running, or teaching, or coaching, I do my best when my team(s) are rolling together. 

Track season starts in 24 days.