Are you a team player or a prima donna on the netball court?
Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/whyohgee/
This week’s topic came to mind because my netball club had trials recently and there are some people that I’ve played with a lot over the last 10 years or so who really take the fun out of netball for me (and many others too).
Finally, I decided to bite the bullet and tell my club captain that I would rather play in a lower team than risk being in a team with certain individuals ever again. I can’t bear to be on court with prima donnas or stroppy madams or whatever you want to call them.
There’s usually one or two in every club. Players who think the team (and even the club) centres around them. They may or may not be fantastic players but either way, the prima donnas in the team make life difficult for everyone else unfortunately.
A team player will:
- always put the team first
- try to motivate others
- accept responsibility for her actions
- try to stay positive
A prima donna will:
- put her needs above everyone else’s
- rarely accept or apologise for her mistakes
- often criticise their team mates even players with more skill than they have
- usually ignore tactical advice from more experienced players or coaches
Be honest, do you have any prima donna tendencies? If more than one of the above applies to you then stop and think about the negative impact your behaviour is having on your team mates. Netball is supposed to be fun but not if there’s tension between players which will eventually effect the team’s performance.
When playing with someone who’s clearly not a team player, it’s tough to know whether to bite your tongue or tell them some home truths. Personally, I try to remain calm and not react to what I consider to be bad behaviour from a team mate but it’s not always easy. Sometimes, you just have to say something to give the offending player a reality check.
So, if you want to play sport AND be the centre of attention at all times, try tennis. Or golf.
Do you have any difficult players in your team and how do you deal with them?
