All team members should share in a sense of involvement as each have a stake in the group's achievements. Coaches must ensure that all players have the opportunity to play their part and share in the accomplishments of the team. Conversely, all player should be prepared to shoulder the responsibility for disappointing outcomes as well. Established Ground Rules Successful teams establish ground rules early in the season and allow these ground rules to govern how the team will be run during the course of the season. These rules set the boundaries for what behaviours will or will not be tolerated by the team.
Players holding one another accountable for their actions can have a powerful effect.
In most cases, players themselves should be encouraged to set many of the team's ground rules. This will yield desirable results and have a long term positive effect as these players will be better prepared to accept this responsibility in Bantam and Midget. As coaches, we still play an important role in guiding our players through this process. As well we must identify ground rule areas that remain the responsibility of the coach. While there may be a number of other components which could enhance the success of a team, these seven components can be viewed as key elements that guide coaching behaviours.