Catawba College Volleyball Leadership Training – Spring 2009
Sacrifice and Commitment
A leader makes the commitment and sacrifice to her team even when it is not convenient. Commitment and sacrifice take many forms on a volleyball team. Some examples are: taking the back of the bus when you know someone else likes the front; going to rehab when a nap really would be better; doing my workout even when I’m on vacation; being a team player and supporting the 6 on the court even when I think I should be out there; letting an out –of-state player that never gets to go home go home with me; taking only one sandwich until everyone has one; helping a teammate study for Spanish; letting a teammate borrow a dress for the team picture; being pumped up for matches even when I feel depressed; knowing what motivates my teammates and coaches; helping a freshman make it through their first year and being a good student earning scholarship money to help my parents.
How to help lead the incoming freshmen with sacrifice and commitment:
1. Arriving Aug. 10th in the best shape possible.
2. Taking time to get to know them and answer their questions.
3. Possibly give up my number to make them feel more valuable on the team.
4. Making sure I don’t leave them alone to eat, walk back to the dorm or travel to a team or school function.
5. Make sure they have everything they need.
6. Be available (no matter what time it is) to listen or help if they are in trouble.
7. Remind them of the sacrifices and commitments that occurred to get them here.
8. Cheer them on and encourage their own sacrificial commitments to the team.
9. Show support and loyalty toward teammates, coaches, peers, teachers and parents.
10. Not violate team rules and taking care of your body by eating right, not drinking or smoking and getting proper rest.
11. Not putting others before team and team goals.
If you want your team to make sacrifices and commitments to you then you must make sacrifices and commitments to your team. And remember the following poem:
DO IT ANYWAY
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
------Mother Teresa
We will depend on our ability to lead to “out team” many of our opponents in ’09.