The Importance of Team Building For Sports Teams
At Team Works, we are steeped in the ins and outs of high performance in team sports. All of our coaches play at high levels with Na Fianna GAA Club. They have competed in championship finals, All-Ireland Finals and at Inter-County level. All of our coaches have coached at a high level, some currently coaching at inter county level. And our partner business Experience Gaelic Games has worked with high performing teams since its creation in 2009. Some of these teams include the Fiji Rugby Team, Penn State, Boston College, Georgia Tech College Football Teams and a host of others. So, when it comes to creating events to benefit team performance, we are coming from a very stable base.
When it comes to sports teams and high performance, there are a number of factors which determine whether the team is successful or not. These factors are based off the studies on high performance in team settings.
Team Building Research
Let’s look at the research. The Association for Talent Development found that team building can improve team performance by up to 30%. Forbes said that communication is a crucial element in team settings. In this article, they said that team building activities can help communication by up to 50%. CareerAddict found that team building activities can boost team morale and motivation levels by up to 40%. Gallup found that team building activities can improve collaboration and cooperation which directly benefits team performance.
From the research, it is clear that there are a number of factors which determine the success of teams. Whether it being communication, morale, delegation, leadership, cooperation or motivation – all of these elements count towards the success of a team.
What is Success?
When it comes to success in a team setting, this differs dramatically depending on the team. What does success look like to you? If an under 12 camogie team, is success bringing all of the girls to the point where they’re still playing at the age of 18, despite the massive drop-out rate in female sport? Statistics show that half of girls drop out of sport by the age of 14. If we factor in the recent success of the Irish Football team heading to the World Cup and inspirational characters such as Katie Taylor and Kellie Harrington and Rhasidat Adeleke – these show that there is a path for females to succeed in sport. However, the ultimate reason why they don’t drop-out is a feeling of belonging and enjoyment. Team building activities definitely contribute to these two key elements.
Or does success look like lifting a trophy at the end of the year? Walking up the steps of Parnell Park, Semple Stadium, Croke Park or the Aviva Stadium. To do this, are you looking for that extra 1-2% to help your team succeed? We have you covered by going above and beyond to give your groups the opportunity to trust each other, work together and embrace the different skills each person has in the group.
Why not get in touch today to find out more about what we do and how we can help your team be successful, whatever that success looks like to you!
