We think of sports teams being pretty cohesive, but this doesn’t happen overnight. While training and playing together can help to build bonds and develop connections between players, it’s often off the field that lifelong bonds are created.
If you’re managing a sports team, the challenge of bringing everyone together is one you don’t want to neglect or avoid. You might be a team in name, but if you want to unite your players, you need to plan regular team building exercises that will allow everyone to get to know each other on a deeper level.
Getting to know one another can help to improve communication, break down barriers and allow less outgoing members of the team to feel included. All it takes is a bit of creative planning to design an event that will allow everyone to bond and learn more about each other’s lives. Here are some of our favourite team building ideas for sports teams.
Problem solving games
Playing problem solving games together can boost communication skills and encourage everyone to think outside the box. Popular choices include blindfolded games, which help to improve communication. Split the group into teams of three. One member of the team is blindfolded, another member cannot speak, and one cannot touch anything. The team then has to complete challenges together, such as building the tallest structure or untangle a length of rope.
Quiz night
Test their general knowledge or specialist knowledge of their sport with a quiz night. Quiz nights are a great way to mix everyone up and give them a chance to get to know one another. They’ll learn about their teammates when they uncover hidden depths of knowledge. Everyone has a specialist subject that might be a surprise to others around them, and this can be a great way to get to know people.
Talent show
This one for the extroverts, but the introverts will often relax into the event if they feel comfortable around their teammates. You could have a theme for the talent show, or offer additional points for making their talent unique or unexpected. You can either have a time limit, so they don’t have much time to choose their talent, or you could give them time to prepare so they can get together ahead of the final event.
Escape room
There are few team building events as enduringly popular as an escape room. Organised escape rooms will challenge their ability to work together to solve problems. And since the whole thing is timed, they’ll need to be efficient about it. Your entire team is unlikely to be able to head into the same escape room, so you can make things even more interesting by encouraging them to compete against the other teams in different escape rooms. You can guarantee they will come out with some stories to tell and a better understanding of their teammates.
Scavenger hunt
Another popular choice for a team building event is a scavenger hunt. Send them around your town or city in search of items or challenges that will force them to work together. They might start their challenge as strangers on the same team, but you can guarantee they’ll return to the club house as friends for life.
A well-designed scavenger hunt will send each team in opposite directions so that they can’t copy each other. It should include a range of challenges, including finding items, completing challenges, or documenting their presence in a certain location. Offer bonus points for going above and beyond with the challenges.
Cycling challenge
As a sports team, you can almost guarantee they will be up for a fitness challenge. By entering into a long distance cycling challenge, you can encourage them to keep their fitness up outside of the playing season while also raising money for a good cause.
A long distance cycle challenge is also a great idea from a PR perspective, as you can shine a light on the team and encourage more press attention. This can help to increase uptake of the sport or encourage more sponsorship money.
They’ll have to train together on the run-up to the event, and this can be a great bonding exercise that will give them all plenty of time to get to know one another.
Final thoughts on team building for sports teams
If you’re looking for ways to make your team more cohesive, team building events are a great place to start. It can come as a welcome break from the usual training routine and can break up the off-season to ensure that everyone remains active and connected to their team. The outcome will all depend on how engaged the team is with the challenges, and if they are interested in developing strong friendships with their teammates.
Leave A Comment