Unlocking Team Culture: Innovative Ideas from the NFCA

Last week I wrote about insights I gained about overhand and underhand throwing at the annual NFCA conference. At the conference, coaches are really eager for practical knowledge – the strategies and drills that make a real impact. They crave the kind of guidance that can be put to use immediately. However, I like to add in what's neglected - team culture building.

As Christian Conrad, the Assistant Coach at the University of Arizona, wisely put it, "Instill in your team members a sense of great self-worth, that each can be the most important on the battlefield at any given moment."

These intangibles, such as team goals, teamwork, and sportsmanship, are just as crucial as on-field practice. They encompass everything beyond the field – fundraising, team meetings, evaluations, and the mental game.

Michelle Gascogne at Northwestern has a powerful message that she imparts to her team every year, and she continues to reinforce it consistently throughout the year, fostering self-belief. Perhaps you've encountered situations where a great concept, like "go for the gold!" is introduced at the first team meeting but is forgotten by the third practice. Michelle describes her approach as a continuous "drip, drip, drip" of this message to the team in a well-planned and organized manner. When your team, staff, and parents share a common goal, it unites everyone. Whenever we lose sight of that goal, people tend to focus on themselves, what they did or didn't get, and engage in gossip.

While what I'm going to share below might not fit for your team, like the Alabama fundraising dinner that raised a whopping $500k, but we can certainly extract elements that could benefit each and every one of us.

Intangible Day

Brandon Elliot, the Head Coach at Virginia Wesleyan, has a tradition known as "Intangible Day" for his team. They delve into Joan Ryan's book, "Intangibles" (you can find it here: Amazon link), and then come together for a team meeting.

Elliot also extends this inquiry to recruits, inviting them to reveal the intangible qualities they could bring to the program. He poses a thought-provoking question: "What unique intangible quality do you believe you can bring to the team that no one else is aware of?" His aim is to uncover the hidden depths of prospective players. He forces himself to pause while they think.

One particular player's response stood out from the rest. She confidently declared, "I will bring sunshine to every single person on this team, every single day." And true to her word, she did just that.

Alabanma Gratitude Day

As you know, we're all about fostering an attitude of gratitude at Practice Pro! It's great to hear that the University of Alabama shares this sentiment.

Near Thanksgiving break, Coach Murphy encouraged all of his players to take a moment and write a heartfelt note of thanks to someone in their lives whom they wished to express their gratitude to but hadn't done so yet.

But Coach Murphy didn't stop there; he took it one step further. He challenged his players to not only write these notes but also to stand up and read them aloud during their Thanksgiving dinner.

Then, in true Alabama fashion, Coach Murphy decided to take yet another step further. He called for one brave soul to make the call right then, putting it on speakerphone for the entire team to witness. A courageous player raised her hand and volunteered.

With the whole team gathered around, she made that call, and her dad's choked-up, heartfelt response filled the room with a profound silence. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. It goes without saying that this unforgettable moment left a profound impact on the entire team, showcasing the power of gratitude and connection.

Fundraising Ideas

While the topic of fundraising may not come up often at the NFCA, it's an essential aspect of collegiate softball. Every softball team, whether it's a powerhouse like Alabama or a Division II school, has to engage in fundraising efforts. These funds serve different purposes, from covering travel expenses to supporting assistant coaches who often make very little money.

For example, one Division II school raised an impressive $200,000 to take a large group to Italy for a tournament. Their approach included collaborating with two other sports at the school to organize a golf tournament.

Even a program like Alabama, with a softball endowment of $1 million, still relies on fundraising to sustain their extensive travel schedule. They host an annual gala event where tables cost $500, and each table is hosted by one of the players. Can you imagine spending a few hours with a star player like Montana Fouts? Additionally, they add some glamour to the event with a fashion show featuring their new uniforms and incorporate cash games at the tables throughout the night.

Duty Log Book

In the Hard Hat book that we used for our mental game this session, it emphasizes the importance of being a great teammate. The character George exemplifies this by "leaving it better than he found it." One example was that he cleaned up the locker room at the end of each practice.

Inspired by her father's role as a squadron leader in the Navy, Coach Kat Ihlenburg at Georgia Gwinnett, created a duty log book. One player per practice is appointed the "squadron leader," who is responsible for checking off the items to clean up and re-set for the next day. This sometimes includes approaching teammates, even upperclassmen, if they forget their responsibilities like putting away the fences. This practice not only instills discipline but also teaches players to navigate challenging social situations for the greater good of the team. It's a great way to foster leadership skills and a sense of responsibility among the players.

I came across a few other fantastic ideas for enhancing team culture that don't neatly fit into any specific category:

One coach at Virginia Wesleyan has a heartwarming practice of randomly texting players with messages like, "Hi, I want you to know that I am genuinely delighted to have you on my team, and I feel honored to know you."

Georgia Gwinnett has a fun tradition called "Wear Your Favorite T-Shirt to Practice Day."

Illinois Wesleyan holds weekly team meetings where players actively participate. They engage in activities such as mediating, sharing their high and low points of the week, giving shout-outs to fellow players for their accomplishments, and boosting team morale with affirmations. On occasion, players take charge of mental game sessions instead of the coaches.

Another creative idea is for the team to choose another school's team to be superfans of, attending their games and showing support.

Players can create "confidence cards" to motivate themselves. These cards can be laminated and hung up in their lockers.

Teams can bond by listening to podcasts together, including titles like "No Matter the Game," "Brian Cain," "Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy," "Nike Trained," and "NFCA's The Dirt." It's a great way to learn, grow, and bond as a team.