Own Your Role on the Team

This Legacy post is by Jackie Douglas (Williams), my super awesome Sister-In-Law! I think her story will resonate with a lot of athletes today, enjoy!

*Legacy posts are from girls who have been there, played hard, and learned an awful lot along the way!

As a Division I athlete at Illinois State University (the real ISU!), my coach, Melinda Fischer, always emphasized the meaning of TEAM. During pre-season and pre-game talks, aka “Family Meetings”, Coach would stress we are ONE and without each of us playing our designated roles we would not be able to achieve greatness.

When doing a simple Google search of the word team, many definitions were given;

• “A group of people with a full set of complementary skills required to complete a task”

• “A number of persons associated together in work or activity”,

• “A group of people who compete in a sport, game, etc.., against another group.”

I believe it is essential to look at the word TEAM not as a noun but as a verb—there is an innate responsibility behind being a good team.

Illinois State University Softball Team, 2007

I reached out to my “forever teams” (ISU Softball class of 2007) and asked them what it means to be a part of a team;

• “A team challenges you, pushes you and always supports you no matter what. A team is built on trust, respect and selflessness. Your team is your family; you have a strong bond that’s often tested, but never broken.” -Stacy Tomlinson (Birk), starting pitcher.

• “We all work hard to do what we do, but it is the people who go through those experiences with you that make everything memorable.” -Shannon Guthrie (Nicholson), pitcher.

For an individual athlete, who is a member of a team, to be able to perform at her best it takes a total TEAM effort. Without the support and guidance of her teammates, true success is not possible. The key to any TEAM is each and every person knows, understands, and owns their role on the team. Not everyone is going to be the pitcher or the leading scorer but without the catcher or the point guard the game would not be the same.

I personally know this to be true. As a freshman at Illinois State University, my position was “left bench”. One of my many responsibilities was to take stats and relay them to my coaches when asked. Like any competitive Division I athlete, initially I was disappointed-I wanted to get in the game. It was not until during one of our first spring games at Arizona State University, my coach asked, “Where did she hit the ball and on what pitch?” I responded in an instant, “Ground out to second on an outside drop.” My coach then informed the pitching coach, who signed in to the catcher, who then signed the pitcher, who pitched the ball, for the strike out. I knew, understood, and owned my role as a stat keeper—allowing our team to be truly successful.

By my senior year at ISU, I not only earned a full scholarship, I was a captain, and the starting center fielder. One of my most memorable experiences as a Redbird happened at Eichelberger Field, on the campus of the University of Illinois, where one of my teammates, Casey, told me before my first at bat, “Have a day kid!” That day I hit not one, but two home runs. Surrounded by family, friends, and my TEAM! Without the support and guidance from my teammates at State, I would have not been able to reach my potential.

By knowing, understanding, and owning your role on each and every team, you will be able to experience the fulfillment of being a part of something greater than yourself.

know it, understand it, and own it!

Jackie Douglas