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When one
is building a team, it is quite interesting how people
mix and match. There is a certain psychology in knowing
which person is better suited for another or which
person would turn out to be unfit for a certain group of
individuals.
People
with the same interests tend to gravitate toward one
another. That’s very basic, but it is also true that
these people with the same interests are also different.
It is what makes us all unique despite all the
similarities.
We might
all love basketball and enjoy playing with one another.
But there are differences on how each of us would
approach the game.
Some
might think that the only way to do something productive
on the court is to have the ball all time, while there
are others who think that even getting the ball
sparingly is unimportant as long as one knows what to do
with it.
Some
people, particularly older players, might be too fixated
on how many touches they actually get, putting this fact
relative to how many points they score in a game.
So it’s
quite a challenge for a coach to find out how each
player fits into the equation called team. Or how can
each person contribute to the cause of winning.
But
having several individuals with an assortment of skills
and who do not know each other personally is interesting
and a case of psychology.
Is
having too many scorers or shooters (at least they think
they are) going to build a well-rounded team? Does the
coach have to step in and make sure enough passes are
made and there is an effort to find the open man, even
if the one open is not as talented as the rest?
Will a
hyperactive player blend well with a stoic one? Will a
flamboyant player irritate a serious but effective
player?
Will a
lazy, no-defense type of player affect four others who
play hard defense?
These
were the things this writer had in mind usually during
the Coach E tournament, particularly when individuals
with no teams come in and join the leveling, trusting in
the organizers’ judgment to put them on a team that will
bring forth their talent.
More
often than not, best matches are made, starting with the
apparent like height or certain skills needed
(rebounding, passing and dribbling).
But once
each player is put on a team and the team, without the
benefit of the jelling process, is set into action, this
is where the coach works hard to fill in the gaps.
While
players will have to learn to play together and learn to
appreciate each other’s skills, a coach needs to
maximize each player’s talent as he sees fit.
With
players getting fundamentally sound nowadays, a coach
will only have to worry about which combination will
click better than others at any given situation. |
