IGNITE Her Comeback Team
By Shayla A
The beauty of a running team is this: it creates a supportive space- physical, emotional, mental, and social- for reaching individual goals at individual paces as a collective group. Each team member is encouraged, supported, and trained collaboratively within all ability levels. A running team empowers each individual uniquely where they are and where they are going to obtain common achievements. Running teams are inclusive to all levels and abilities in all communities. In this episode of IGNITE, we will discuss how to pull your individually amazing girls into a beautifully collaborative team to take across the finish line!
A team connects. It interlocks skills, abilities, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. With empowering words, bold actions, reachable goals, solid patience, and fulfilling proof, a team can soar through all obstacles. The former American basketball player and coach, Phil Jackson says, “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” The sole purpose of a TEAM is CONNECTION. A connection that links relationships with others and with our own selves. There are five avenues we empower to deepen our team’s connection. If we enhance these five areas within our practice time, our team will build trust, friendships, and accountability. It will grow their confidence and foster a type of support only they can find in your GOTR practices!
Let’s start with COMMUNICATION. Communicate to your girls the various ways a team supports, encourages, and empowers each other. Give recognition out loud when you see or hear great teammate support happening in your practice. It can be a simple phrase, “I see that teammate support!” or “There’s a terrific teammate!” I have seen quite a few girls holding hands while they walk laps. This is a beautiful picture of support and encouragement! Think about the last time you held hands with someone while walking. It could have been a spouse, friend, child, or parent. The purpose of holding that loved one’s hand was for support, whether giving or receiving, that strengthens the bond and builds the connection between the two of you. Communicate out loud to your girls how awesome that tiny gesture can build strong teams!
Hand holding, elbow locking, and arms around the shoulders signal to the brain, “You are about to venture forward with someone! Get ready!” Stimulating COLLABORATION and COOPERATION among your team of girls are important building blocks for your running team. Running, jogging, and walking can be an individual sport. Research shows that a person goes further distances, accomplishes more milestones, and has more accountability when they are participating with a team. With a running team, there are shared goals, share vulnerabilities, and shared accountabilities. Your team is committed to showing up to practices, putting forth their best effort, and empowering each other through the activities, warm ups, and laps. Bonds are strengthened and connections are made during collaborative discussions and cooperative exercises. Any time an activity involves more than one person, collaboration will happen, cooperation will take shape, and teams are empowered!
Collaboration and Cooperation sometimes require CONFLICT RESOLUTION to step in and lend a helping hand. The 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, is quoted saying, “I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.” This is a bold statement to me. It is sometimes scary to talk with someone new, let alone someone you may not feel good energy towards. Over the seasons, I find myself telling girls, “Walk and talk with someone new. You might be surprised what kind of friend you find.” Finding new friends and hearing new opinions expands our mental toolbox. The beautiful moments in a practice happen when there is a conflict, whether from inside the practice or from outside and it’s brought into the practice. Conflict is uncomfortable and most people try to avoid conflict on some level and at some capacity. When we allow conflict to settle and allow the girls to express their opinions and resolve with our guidance, bonds and connections are formed stronger than if the conflict had been squashed or resolved for them. It is okay to set the day’s practice lesson aside, refer back to prior lessons, and coach your team through any conflict. Believe me, they will get more from that one practice when they had their feelings heard, felt acknowledged, was included, and resolved an issue with a friend or potential friend. Conflict resolution strengthens bonds, connections, heart strings, and mental adaptabilities. Conflict resolution releases oxytocin, the trust and bonding hormone, and dopamine, the reward and satisfaction hormone. Allow the space and time for your girls to resolve conflicts, even if it takes more of the practice than we desire. The outcome will be greater for the team than forcing the conflict away.
Resolving conflicts warrants CELEBRATING! Celebrations are absolutely critical to the life of a team! Goals are achieved, mountains are climbed, friendships are strengthened, and teammates are empowered. All of these are beautiful reasons for the smallest to biggest victory celebrations! Energy awards given during a practice, instead of waiting until the end, will spark the dopamine hormone and have a ripple effect throughout the rest of practice. Consider them dopamine hits sprinkled on your girls that will empower them to celebrate themselves and each other. You cannot celebrate too much. You cannot encourage too excessively. You cannot give too many compliments. It will not damage them, hurt them, or spoil them. Do not hold back in your celebrations! In reality, we are not celebrated enough. Celebrate the individual girl, the collaborative team, the empowering coaches, the goals achieved! Bring forth the hard work, the committed time, the powerful support, and the empowering belief that we can do hard things TOGETHER! Helen Keller teaches, “Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” You are not alone in this season. Your girls are not alone in this season. Together we are rockin’ out the distance, the miles, the growth, and the connections! Keep the team moving forward!
Shayla A is the Coach Mentor for Girls on the Run Greater Kansas City. Her background comes from the classroom, coaching, day treatment schools, wellness, and advocating for children with special needs. She enjoys empowering and advocating for girls and coaches
in every challenge and celebration. Connect with her for support and assistance this season via call, text, or email. shaylaaranda@gmail.com | 816-284-9770
RESOURCE LIST TO IGNITE HERS and YOURS COMEBACK TEAM:
Stick Together: A Simple Lesson to Build a Stronger Team by John Gordon and Kate Leveall
The Soul of a Team by Tony Dungy
Swimmy by Leo Lionni
A Little SPOT of Teamwork by Diane Alder
TO WATCH A VIDEO ON HOW TO IGNITE HER COMEBACK TEAM: