Step 1: Don’t act out violently

t’s all about team spirit this week – and the meaning of. But what about the rest of us who want specific, step by step instructions on how to be a great teammate (because it’s not common knowledge right?) Right. 

For those of you out there, looking for a set of guidelines or principles if you will, of values teammates need in order to forge a lasting partnership, as always, we’re here to lend a helping hand. 

Here is a list of principles that you can use to improve your team/partner cred. 

1.Gratitude

You know the saying ‘It is not happy people who are thankful. It is thankful people who are happy’ – well that pretty much sums up the first point of being a great teammate. You need to have an attitude of gratitude. So how do I apply this to my partnership you ask? It’s rather simple really, be super grateful for everything your teammate does. It’s not enough to high five or hug when your partner scores a point, no, you need to run around the Red Bull Beach Arena, jumping up and down whilst exclaiming (loudly) how thankful you are for your teammate and you always knew that they could do it. Don’t stop there, use every opportunity to profess your gratitude. Remember there’s no bad time to say thank you.

That’s the spirit, Casey. Photocredit: Samo Vidic

2. Compromise

All strong relationships are based on compromise so obvs this applies to beach volleyball teams as well. Compromise is very important if you want to stay happy in your beach volleyballship (coined that term – start spreading it #beachvolleyballship).

You could take this to the next level and basically do everything your teammate wants – and if you guys are having a squabble about something, that at first you had your reservations about, think twice, ask yourself ‘What would a good teammate do?’ – and give in. Happy wife, happy life – happy aspartame, happy/winning game (couldn’t find a word that means teammate and rhymes with game). 

See how Andre is happy letting Evandro hold the trophy. Photocredit: Bernhard Horst

3. Forgiveness

When your teammate is not living up to their teammate potential and breaks the cardinal teammate rule – fraternizes with a mutual enemy (it doesn’t have to be that specific thing), but you catch my drift – they’ve done something to peeve you off. 

Remember that Anger Avenue is a lonely road – its best that you get off it as soon as possible. But, there’s no easy route back to Jovial Town – you have to first travel through Acceptance Town and then make your way through Forgiveness Town. Your partnership is more important than petty deceits and big betrayals. No matter what your teammate does, and how bad it is, it can always be forgiven.

High fives for forgiveness. Photocredit: Martin Steinthaler

4. Mutual Respect

Mutual respect is an important aspect of any relationship, employee/employer, spouses, friends and of course teammates. Even if you are the more skilled player who basically carries the team, and it’s only because of you that you guys get anywhere – it’s best to keep those thoughts and feelings to yourself.  R-E-S-P-E-C-T (Aretha Franklin voice). 

When your teammate achieves something or reaches their own little milestone, you should celebrate it as you would your own. And when tempers flare, as they do when you spend so much time in close quarters, never react violently and always hold on to your decorum. Diffuse any situation with humor. Teams that respect together, stay together.

Best teammates ever!! Photocredit: Samo Vidic

5. Love

Last, but certainly not least, we come to the glue that holds all great partnerships together: love. As that amazing old guy once said:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, 

But bears it out even to the edge of doom. 

If this be error and upon me prov'd, 

I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd.

You can have gratitude, mutual respect until its coming out of your ears, forgiveness for days and compromise as much as possible but still, without love, there will be no lasting partnership. So get on loving. Love thy teammate. 

Love just makes you want to giggle doesn’t it? Photocredit: Martin Steinthaler

Our final words: In a world full of Nancy’s be a Barb #theupsidedown