Most people engage with their chosen sport in a pretty casual way. They may just play in the park with a couple of friends, or perhaps they rent a field and organize the occasional game. 

But there’s also the option to play as part of a sports team. And this doesn’t just mean joining an existing team. It can mean starting your very own team and competing in a league or tournament. While it might sound like a big task, this is actually a lot easier than you might expect. Below, we’ll run through some handy tips that’ll get you off to a great start.

Find a League

Your first task is to find a league. It’s best to do this first, because if there’s not a league for you to join, then your dream will have to die before it’s even got off the ground. However, if you live in a well-populated place where sport is popular, then this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. You’ll need to find a league that’s beginner-friendly because even if you’re good at your sport, it’s unlikely that a newly put-together team will hit the ground running. If you have to wait for the season to begin, then look if there are any upcoming tournaments. They’ll be good practice. 

Recruiting Players

There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’. To compete, you’ll need to recruit some other players to play with you. If you’ve been playing with friends for a long time, then this may be pretty straightforward. If you haven’t, then you’ll have to ask around and see who wants to play. Remember that while you might want to attract the best players, you’ll probably need to settle for whoever you can get (within reason). But hey, even if they’re not currently superstar players, they might become top-level players after a few training sessions!

Get the Look

Now for the fun bit: putting together a kit! All teams need to have a cohesive look, and while you probably technically just wear bibs, it’s much better to have your own kits. There are websites that function as a football, cricket, or rugby kit builder, which allow you to get a style of kit that you’re proud to wear. Having your own kit helps to develop a team spirit, too, which can make all the difference when you’re going to battle against other teams. 

Training

Training isn’t the most fun part of having your own sports team, but it is important. You’ll find it much easier to play well when you’ve spent a bit of time on the training field getting game-ready. Try to get together at least once a week and run through training drills and tactics. Even if you don’t start the season on fire, you’ll find that with training you’ll get better as the season goes on. 

Use ABA to help develop your team.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) can be a valuable tool to improve your sports team’s performance in a few ways:

  • Enhance individual and team performance: By observing and analyzing behaviors, coaches can identify areas for improvement and implement strategies to reinforce desired actions, such as specific drills or plays.
  • Promote positive team culture: ABA techniques can help build a team environment that fosters communication, cooperation, and motivation.

Overall, ABA can help your sports team reach its full potential by focusing on improving individual skills and fostering a positive team environment.

And there we have it! Win or lose, you’ll find that having your own team is a lot of fun. And who knows, you might walk away with a trophy or two. 

Photo by Noelle Otto