One of the biggest challenges I faced when I moved from high school to college sports
was discovering what my role would be. Growing up I was the leader of my team. Whether it
was my 6th grade AAU basketball team or my high school lacrosse team, I always strived to be
the player that led through my actions, hard work, and determination. I developed into a player
that my teammates looked at, listened to, and relied on in pressure situations, which gave me the
confidence to perform. Their reliance made me feel like they trusted that I would get the job
done. I felt supported, I felt strong, I felt able, and I felt confident. I knew my role and I loved it.
Then college hit and the confident vocal leader I was, turned into a voiceless freshman. I
walked into a program that graduated 9 starters and was coming off of winning a national
championship. I was a little fish in a big pond, and I had no idea what my role was. This
ambiguity left me tense on the field and somewhat in my head off of it. Was I going to play? Was
I going to start? What position was I going to play? Can I tell my older teammates where to go
on the field? Can I shoot the ball instead of passing it? All these questions were a result of not
knowing my role on the team.
Determining what your role is can be difficult, especially when you are in an entirely new
situation. Becoming a member of a new team, having fellow players graduate, gaining more
experience, teammates getting injured, being injured yourself, and other factors can lead to
ambiguity in your team role. As human beings, if our role feels undetermined or unclear, we
become uncomfortable and insecure. In athletes, insecurity and uncertainty can lead to more
timid play and negative performance on the field. Overall, role ambiguity doesn’t just affect us
as people and players, but it affects our entire team. Why? Every person on a roster is crucial to
the overall team identity and performance, so when one person is unsure it has a domino effect.
Unfortunately, I struggled with determining my role on my team for the first few years of
college, a lot of my teammates did, and it showed on the field. It was not until my junior year
that I truly found my role and embraced it. Once I determined and celebrated my role, everything
else clicked. I was confident again, even though my role was different than it had been in high
school! I felt secure, and because of that, I played better than I ever had before. Me fulfilling my
role allowed my teammates to focus on their roles which made us collectively 1,000 times better
then before.
So, what exactly happened in my junior year that helped me determine, and thrive, in my
role? I took charge of the “controllables”, the things that I had influence over. Want to know
what those “controllables” were? Read more below.
The “controllables” that can help you reach Role Identification and Thrive:
1. Identify your strengths on and off the field (What am I extremely good at?)
First, think about personality traits that stand out to you (Are you energetic, caring,
extroverted, encouraging, etc.). Second, think about social skills that you excel in. (Maybe you
are super calm in high-pressure situations, or you can make people laugh when they seem upset).
Third, you can think about sport-specific strengths. (Are you fast? Have good ball-handling
skills? Have good vision and field awareness?)
2. How can I implement these strengths into my play?
After determining your strengths, you can brainstorm how you can employ them on your
new team. A good way to implement your strengths is through setting specific goals for practice
that involve your skills. Ex.) “Today at practice I will use my words of encouragement to lift a
teammate that feels down” or “today I will drive hard to goal to force a double team and open up
my teammates”.
3. How do these strengths fit into my team?
The next step is reflection. Think about how the implementation of these strengths would
fit into your current team. Is there someone that is already established in the role you want to
play? Is there room for the two of you? How can you adapt or position yourself to support your
teammates? These are important questions to ask because as I mentioned earlier, what makes a
team great is when everyone’s roles complement one another and create a complete team
identity.
4. Why is my role important to my team?
Once you have established your strengths, created an implementation plan, and thought
about how you would fit into your team, it is time to determine your “Why”. Take a second to
think about WHY your role is important. Does it help your team score goals? Do you challenge
your teammates and make them better and more prepared, are you the comedic relief when times
are tough? This can sometimes feel like you are complimenting yourself and that is because you
are! You deserve it, you are awesome, and you deserve to know the impact you have on others.
Finding your "why" is key to helping your team find success!
Overall, finding your role on a team can be hard and stressful and may require you to talk
to someone to find clarity. If you struggle with this mental barrier do not be afraid to reach out to
a friend or professional to help you get past this mental block. Check out the “Meet the Team”
page for specifics on how to contact a mental skills clinician today, and know you always have
an entire group of athletes in your corner supporting you.
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