The chemistry you build with your football teammates can make or break the success of your team. No matter if you’re playing football just for fun or you’re trying to reach the next level in your career, team success should be a priority for you. With it comes individual success AND a more “ideal” opportunity for the next season. Team success is built upon strong chemistry within the team, both on and off the field. This is what we will be covering in this article.
We understand that every team and player is different. Therefore, we are going to give away tips that can help any player build chemistry within their team. No matter if you are the captain of the team or a rookie, just keep reading.
How To Build Team Chemistry In Football?
There is a variety of ways you can start cultivating a better relationship with your teammates in football and build chemistry that will translate to more team success. Here are 10 of those.
- Be social and interactive in the dressing room
- Organize/Actively participate in teambuilding events and gatherings
- Be helpful and supportive
- Stay in touch with injured players and show empathy and care
- Don’t leave anyone out of the conversation (shy players, players with less game-time, younger players, etc.)
- Be open to constructive criticism
- Don’t judge and argue – help and constructively criticize in an appropriate manner
- Build values like respect, honesty, and trust within the team
- Joke around (when it is appropriate) without disrespecting your teammates
- Prioritize the team
The Dressing Room
The dressing room is the greatest place to build chemistry as a football player or team. The reason behind this is that it is a place where basically everyone has one thing in common; love and passion for the game of football.
No matter if you’re an experienced player that is part of the team for many years or a rookie, this is your opportunity to build strong relationships that will transfer to the football pitch.
If you’re a new player in the team try to break the ice with small conversations here and there and always shake your teammate’s hands or at least say hello. Start with the players that are sitting next to you and ask them different kinds of things about their playing career, the position they are playing, how old they are, or just general and simple things about how their day is going. In this way, you can start creating a basic connection to them that can, later on, build up a strong relationship.
On the other side, if you’ve been playing for the team for at least one year and you already have relationships within the team then you should try and get all those new players into the conversation to make them feel comfortable and welcome. Approach them and ask them different things about themselves. This will significantly speed up their adaptation process and ultimately benefit the team’s chemistry.
Teambuilding Activities
Team events are another great opportunity for you to connect with your teammates and build a deeper relationship with them. It is outside of the dressing room that you get to know your teammates better but also become friends with them.
If you’re an experienced player in the team try to organize team gatherings like BBQs or a coffee meeting where everyone gets to know each other better. Many football teams also have certain “initiation rituals” that break the ice and make everyone feel comfortable and welcome. Some teams welcome their new players with a team dinner and have everyone singing their favorite song. Other teams form a tunnel at the end of the training session and have their new signings passing through that tunnel and everyone slapping their back.
However, if you’re a new player in the team it would be quite uncomfortable to organize something “big” like a BBQ or a team lunch. Start small and ask one or two teammates to grab a coffee or lunch together after training. Invite them over to your house to play some video games or card games.
Break the ice, build a basic connection to them and gradually deepen your relationship through small gatherings and activities.
Help & Support
Don’t be the guy/girl in your team that barely talks to anyone and is characterized by arrogance and a big ego. A “healthy” team is built upon help and support. It is important to make this clear from day one. Always be willing to help your teammates, show support when they’re facing difficulties, and be the first one to raise them up. Help and support are two traits that characterize true leaders. Be there for your team. Be there for your teammates.
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Injured Players
Being injured is a situation no one wants to be in. Along with the physical stress you have to go through during the rehabilitation phase, you also have to deal with mental stress. Loneliness and the feeling of being left out are common amongst injured players.
It is your job to keep those players close to the team. Show empathy, care about them and ask them how their rehab is going. They will greatly appreciate this. The team doesn’t consist of 11 players.
If you are the one that is injured, we feel for you. Try your best to stay close to the team and show your support to your fellow teammates.
Everyone Is Part Of The Team
Another common thing inside the dressing room is players being left out of the conversation. Every team has players that are shy or players that don’t get much game time and feel like they are not part of the team.
It’s important to keep those players involved in the dressing room. Try to break the ice with them, crack a joke, and make them feel comfortable and welcome.
If you’re a shy player or the player that doesn’t get much game time, understand that this mentality and behavior won’t help you. Be confident and just start talking. Become an active part of the team and build strong relationships with your teammates. The chemistry you build will transfer on to the football pitch and translate into better performances. Value the details and take action.
Constructive Criticism
We say that it important to build chemistry in football. But why?
Well, one of the reasons behind this is because we want players to be honest and helpful with each other. This can help the team develop a variety of aspects within its game. Since the game of football is based on teamwork, your teammates and you must structure your gameplay most efficiently, utilizing every player’s strengths and covering up every player’s weaknesses.
This can only happen through constructive criticism and communication. Be open to receiving it and using it to improve your gameplay, but also be willing to help your teammates with well though-out ideas and suggestions that can help them improve their game.
Another key thing to do is sharing your strengths and weaknesses as well as how you like to structure your game. If your teammates are aware and understand your game they will do their best to adjust their gameplay accordingly to produce the best possible “end-product” as a team.
The same applies to you. Get to know the game of your teammates. Ask them questions. Find out what they like and what they don’t like. Analyze and find ways to couple your style of play with that of your teammates.
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Building Values
Every relationship is built upon values like trust, honesty, and respect. Without those key “ingredients” your relationship will fail somewhere along the season. That is the last thing a coach or player wants.
Of course, you cannot control everyone’s behavior and personality. What you can do, however, is build those values for your personality. If you’re a player that is trustworthy, honest, and respectful other players will follow, too.
Set the standard, be the role model for everyone, and build those values within the team so you can ensure great cooperation with everyone throughout the season. Control what you can control.
Crack A Joke
There’s no better ice-breaker than a joke done respectfully and playfully. Be careful though. Joke around only when the environment and timing are appropriate. Also, make sure you’re not offending and disrespecting anyone.
The goal here is to build chemistry within the football team. Not make someone feel uncomfortable.
Final Thoughts
No matter what player you are within the team (captain or rookie), you and the whole team can massively benefit from good chemistry. Being confident, communicative, and respectful are some of the key ingredients to dressing-room success that will transfer to the football pitch.
If the team is successful, you’ll be successful, too.
You may not like to become friends with everybody on the team. That is completely fine. However, you should strive for a good relationship with everyone. At the end of the day, they are your workmates. Your success is dependent on their success, too. If the team is successful, you’ll be successful, too.
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