Social approaches
Below are approaches used to develop social factors.
- team building games
- role models
- defining roles
Team building games
This approach is used to develop multiple social factors including:
- communication
- leadership
- relationships
There are many different variants of team building games.
One variant is the blindfold obstacle course. This is when you have to guide a blindfolded partner from one side of the room to the other.
You rely on your communication skills to direct them, mainly by stating directions. In the space between is a range of obstacles on the floor. Your blindfolded partner is not allowed to touch any of the obstacles or they return to the start. Once they reach the other side, you switch roles and complete the course again.
You can progress this approach by making it competitive with other members of your team; first pair to reach the other side wins.
Below are some of the benefits and limitations of team building games.
| Benefits | Limitations |
| Requires you to communicate with one another so is relevant for social factor. | Some variants of team building games require a lot of equipment to set up which takes time away from training. |
| Develops leadership skills so can help the coach pick a suitable captain. | |
| Fun and engaging, which motivates you to try your hardest. |
| Benefits | Requires you to communicate with one another so is relevant for social factor. |
|---|---|
| Limitations | Some variants of team building games require a lot of equipment to set up which takes time away from training. |
| Benefits | Develops leadership skills so can help the coach pick a suitable captain. |
|---|---|
| Limitations |
| Benefits | Fun and engaging, which motivates you to try your hardest. |
|---|---|
| Limitations |
Let's now deconstruct team building games and break it down into smaller parts.
In doing this, we are:
- first identifying an important part in the process
- then showing why this part is important in making the process work
- Add a competitive element to the approach as it motivates you and your teammates to take it seriously. This will ensure no one messes around and stimulates everyone to communicate and work together.
- Ensure that any variant you select of team building games has a problem that needs to be solved. This will encourage you to communicate and collaborate with your teammates, which will aid development in the social factor.
- Work with a variety of different partners in your team so you get to know all your teammates. This will ensure you build relationships with everyone on your team, which will help the whole team work together more effectively on the court or pitch.