The team (players and staff ) must know that they are all in search of a common goal. They must give all of themselves in a relentless pursuit of that goal. They must trust and firmly believe that all members of the team will do whatever it takes to reach that goal.

TRUSTS IN EACH OTHER

If there is doubt that a coach or player isn't committed to the goal, it tears down the strength of the team. We must have a trust and faith in our teammates and coaches.

PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE

We must have a passion for excellence. This passion needs to extend to every contact with the ball. This passion is at the heart of a strong work ethic in all areas. It should drive us to improve daily.

GOOD COMMUNICATION

A good team has good communication. There is constant talk about what has just happened what is likely to happen and what or how each individual will respond in certain situations. On a good team the setter and the hitter are sure to compliment the passer if a good pass was made. The hitter compliments the setter when a good set is made. If the setter makes a good set off a tight pass the passer compliments the setter and lets the setter know that the next pass will be kept off the net to make it easier. The hitters and setters need to give each other constant feedback. A tendency might be that the hitters only give feedback when they do not get a kill. Neither the setter nor hitters can assume that the other knows what was wrong - it must be communicated in a civil fashion. Screaming "higher" at the setter when the ball is set too low is a command - not communication.

Communication off the court is equally important. Whatever talk there is outside the gym needs to be constructive. If complaining takes place, it is the responsibility of whoever might be listening to not allow it to continue. Talking about a problem with someone with the goal of finding a solution is constructive.

PLAYS WITH EMOTION

A good team plays with emotion There is a celebration after winning a point or sideout regardless of how it was won. Teammates draw strength from one another.

FEEDS OFF EACH OTHER

A good team learns to "feed off each other." A team player will still give to the team, even if she isn't necessarily having a great day performing. If I have not executed a skill perfectly, but my teammates have somehow made a good play out of it, I need to rejoice in our good play, instead of sulking about my error. I can often "make up" for my skill error by the way I choose to act about it. I can always control my attitude. One of the great things about being on a team is the fact that I have teammates that can pick up the slack if I have a bad day. In an individual sport, if I'm not performing well, my only hope is that my opponent has a worse day. If I learn to feed off my teammates, I can often work through the trouble spots and turn my performances into a positive one.

LOVES WHAT IT'S DOING

On a good team, people take part because they love what they're doing. They take part because there is nothing that they would rather be doing.

EXTRA WORK

Players on a good team are eager to put in extra work. They want areas of weakness in their game to become areas of strength. They look forward to any extra time that they might have to work on these areas.

STRONG LEADERSHIP

Leadership is a must. The leader(s) are respected by the staff and other players. A leader helps form a communication bridge between players and coaches. She is able to head off problems before they become issues, and take issues from players to coaches (and vice versa) if necessary.

A leader sets a standard of excellence for others to follow. She is consistent in her attitude and actions, on and off the court.

"Success has always been easy to measure. It is the distance between the team's origins and the team's final achievement....Michael Korda"