What makes a Team, a TEAM.

It’s so much fun playing in a team. You build friendships, share experiences and create memories.

However, starting up or being part of a great team is easier said than done. - I’m really passionate about this stuff, so I've put together some pointers to help out 😄

Synergy

2 + 2 = 5… That 1 extra point comes from Synergy. No matter how good you are, having a strong team around you can pull out your true potential.

The ability to read your teammates and play off one another will create opportunities and raise your skill cap. Five good players who synergise can develop into five great players. Learning how to work together and capitalise on these opportunities can be the difference between winning or losing.

Ambition

Some people play to go pro, others just want to have fun. Whether you want to climb the ladder or just pass the time you should make sure you’re playing for the same reasons.

Surrounding yourself with similar people who are headed in the same direction will increase your chances of getting where you want to go. It can be in the form of giving advice or some healthy competition between friends. Either way, it’s motivation.

Leadership (Captains / IGLs / Coaches)

A great leader can provide guidance, call the shots in-game and sometimes do all those lame jobs you hate doing like scheduling matches or searching for tournaments etc.

So, finding someone who has in-depth knowledge and good decision making can go a long way - it allows you and your other teammates to focus on your in-game roles and spend more time playing.

That's why we appreciate them <3

Chemistry

Some of my best friendships have formed from past teams. You should have teammates who you look forward to playing with, it shouldn’t feel like a chore.

It’s great having teammates who challenge you, push you to your limits and keep you on track. That said, there's a difference between challenging and toxicity. We’ve all experienced an off game or a bad day. 🧂  Whatever the reason, you should be supportive by picking up the slack and boosting each others confidence.

Some people give advice in a kind manner, others are blunt and straight to the point. You need to find what best suits your personality and at the end of the day, you need to have fun.

Trust Your Teammates

Everyone has their roles to play; you have entries, support, AWPers etc. Trusting others to fulfill their roles and focusing on your own game play will improve your team’s overall performance.

If a strat calls for your teammate to throw a specific smoke or flash - trust that it’ll land and play off of it.

Going huge in a match fills your team with confidence, but it’s much harder to pull off. In fact, you may make things worse. You’ll often find yourself in a tricky situation where instead of playing hero, you should rely on your teammates to win the round.

Sometimes the right move is not peeking and playing for time to give your teammates a chance to rotate, or baiting for them so they can make a play.

Solve Problems Together

You’ll come across plenty of problems. Maybe there’s a scheduling or communication conflict. Maybe there's a problem you can’t personally solve in-game. Brainstorming with your teammates will help come up with the best possible solutions.

You can apply what you’ve learned in other aspects of life. It’s how you develop your character and grow as a person. More importantly… You’ll start popping more heads ☠

Keep in mind, you don’t know all the answers. Being open minded and knowing when you’re wrong is pivotal for growth:

XSET Petra: “If you can accept and give feedback to each other, to reach your goal - you’re a team”

Communication

Communication is the most important skill. In-game and out-of-game - everyone needs to be on the same page.

To keep up great communication… You should focus on:

• Tone of voice - How you say something. (Don’t be toxic 😡)
• Quality over quantity - Avoid backseat gaming. Be clear and succinct when you need to be.
• Being heard - Do you have a voice in the team?
• Being transparent - Be honest and genuine.
• Staying open minded (I can’t stress this enough)

Communication Is key 🔑. There’s so much more to say so we’ve decided to dig into each of these points next week.

The End Result

Finally, when the magic happens and all that hard work pays off!

I’d love to hear your side of things, do you agree or disagree? Or have I missed something? Please pop into our Discord and let me know what you think ^^