The Good Teammate Challenge
Every coach wants one. Every great team is built on them.
Hey Wraparound team,
This week I am throwing out a challenge, The Good Teammate Challenge.
One of the best compliments a coach or a scout can ever give a player is that they are a good teammate. But what does that actually mean? Does it mean you are the best player on the ice? The funniest in the locker room? The loudest voice getting the most laughs?
I have been around this game a long time, from mites to the NHL. I have coached professionally in Europe. I have mentored thousands of players. And over the years I have seen a clear pattern. The players who get noticed and respected, the ones coaches love to have in the room, share these five traits.
1. A good teammate lifts others up.
Maybe you are one of the popular players who everyone likes. Maybe you are quieter and tend to hang back on the edges. It does not matter where you fit in. What matters is that you choose to lift others up.
Notice when a teammate is struggling. Go talk to the player you do not usually talk to. Include someone who feels left out. Even if it is uncomfortable or someone you do not naturally click with, make the effort. That kind of character does not go unnoticed. It builds trust, unity, and respect. Coaches love players who make the team stronger by lifting others up.
2. Be vocal on and off the ice.
Talk out there. Always.
If you see a hit coming, yell “Heads up.” If your teammate has time, let them know. Communicate constantly, it makes the game easier for everyone.
Do the same on the bench. Let players know what they cannot see from the ice. Help your teammates make better plays. Coaches notice players who are vocal leaders and communicators.
3. Be the player who always puts in the extra work.
Before practice, do a full warmup. After practice, stay out for extra reps. Run the stairs, bang out burpees, or do a few sets of pushups with your teammates. Those small moments of extra effort add up over time.
Invite others to join you. That is how team culture grows, through shared work and shared commitment. The extra work you do when nobody is watching turns into the strength everyone sees later.
4. Never complain.
As a player and a coach, this was one of my biggest pet peeves. Complaining is contagious. It spreads negativity like wildfire and drains energy from the room.
Train yourself to recognize it. The next time you catch yourself complaining, stop and switch it. Speak positive words. Encourage your teammates. Positivity is power, and coaches always notice the players who lift the culture instead of dragging it down.
5. Watch your body language.
When you miss a pass or blow a chance, do not slump your shoulders, bang your stick, or pout your way back to the bench. That body language tells everyone around you that you have already quit.
No matter what happens, keep your posture strong and confident. Even if you are having a tough game, hold yourself like a warrior. Eventually you will become a confident hockey player because you will not be phased by a mistake or a bad play. Coaches and scouts notice this when they are watching you, so you might as well start today.
Those are the five traits that make a player a good teammate. Of course there are others.
Your assignment for today is to grab a piece of paper and write down these five traits. Then brainstorm ways you can implement them into your game. After that, come up with five more from your own experience. Ask yourself, what are five ways I can become a better teammate?
Because that is the best thing a coach can ever say about you when a scout or team calls and asks about you:
“They are a great teammate.”
That is gold. Now chase it down and make it happen today.
See you at the rink,
Bobby Robins
Coach, Mentor, and Former NHL Hockey Player
Writer for Wraparound Hockey — Savage Shift Series
OVERTIME: Being a good teammate starts with what you do when practice ends. That is where leadership is built and respect is earned.
If you are ready to take the Good Teammate Challenge to the next level, grab the Perfect Pair Training Pack: the Puckaround and Green Biscuit.
Use them after practice to work on your hands, your touch, and your confidence with the puck. Invite a teammate or two to go the extra mile with you. Push each other. Compete. Encourage each other.
That is how good teammates become great players.