What does it mean to be a good teammate? Does it mean that you stay after the game to help clean up? Do you encourage those on your team when they don't perform well?
The answer isn't as obvious as it seems. Everyone has a different idea of what it means to be there for your peers.
With the help of players on the Rochester University men’s basketball team, here are some of the best traits of good teammates.
Commitment
Andrew Kline, a senior accounting major and guard on the basketball team, names Brendan Fleming, an interdisciplinary studies major and fellow guard, as an example of a good teammate.
"Brendan puts the team before everything,” Kline said. “The second he gets out of class he heads straight to practice. Every day he works to improve every single person's skill set as well as his own."
Family
“To be a good teammate means to care about the team on a personal level,” Fleming said. “When you treat each and every person on the team not just as other people on your team, but as family, all the stuff that matters on the court will naturally fall into place, which is the ultimate goal of every team."
Unselfishness
Another important trait of a good teammate is to value the success of others. “Teammates should always be working to bring the best out of each other and doing whatever it takes to see each other succeed,” Fleming said. “When teammates care about each other’s success more than they’re own, only good can come from it."
Encouragers
Noah Holly, a junior sports management major and guard on the basketball team, said good teammates are also good encouragers who “instill confidence” in their teammates.
"Whenever I’m frustrated by a missed shot or a bad pass, I can get down on myself a little bit. However, I can always count on my teammates to be there for me. That’s one of the best things about being a part of this team," he said.
Humility
Quin Rice, an assistant coach of the RU team, lists humility as an important trait. “The most important thing a teammate can do is not view themselves as better or worse than anyone else on the team.” He said good teammates learn to care about the overall well-being of other players and to put the team above self.