As an athlete, it is important to understand your role on the team. Having a clear understanding of your role can help the team to achieve greater success. It is also important to ensure that everyone on the team is aware of their responsibilities, and that each player is able to contribute to the team in the best way possible. In this article, we will look at how role clarity can help athletes to perform better and how it can lead to greater team success.

An athlete that doesn't get the playing time they think they should be getting, may have the same lack of confidence as a player getting more time on the field, court or ice, but isn't producing the way they believe they should be.

In both instances, the confidence of the athlete is falling and overall team success is in question. But the self-doubt, anxiety, and skill in question for both athletes could be alleviated by clear communication between coach and players.

Let's look at Athlete A: the hockey player on the team that doesn't get power play time and overall skates for fewer minutes each game because of it. This player may be questioning their role on the team along with feeling they don't have the skill they should, simply because they are perceiving a lower level, or less important, role on their team.

Meanwhile, Athlete B is getting top line minutes and is training hard three times a week after practice to play at their highest level. But the points they are putting up aren't matching the effort they feel they are giving at each game.

Here's what hasn't been communicated to either of these players: their role clarity.

What the coach hasn't told Athlete A is that her defensive minded style of play and ability to play under pressure is of more importance for team success if she plays more on the penalty kill, or in close games. She is well trusted by her coaches and teammates when the team finds themselves clinging to a lead, or needs an energy spark when the physical play of the game is favoring their opponent.

Having this extensive knowledge of what is expected of her on the ice would allow her to refocus from where she isn't needed and instead would allow her to embrace her natural talent as an energy player with calm nerves that her teammates rely on to help them win close games at the highest level of competition.

The same goes for Athlete B.

While she may be putting pressure on herself to score more points, her coach sees her role differently because of the team dynamics. She doesn't need to score goals each time she's on the ice. She's the playmaker that creates space for her teammates, and knows how to use her physical conditioning to make sure she always back checks when the play goes back the other way.

The benefits of role clarity for athletes:

One of the often overlooked aspects of understanding your role on any team, is that it may differ from team to team. I've coached enough players to know that what they do on their club teams is what they expect to do on their middle school or high school teams. But that's not always the case, and it's why coaches communicating role clarity can be so crucial for athletic development and training.

1. It lowers pressure and builds confidence: Even if the pressure the athlete is feeling is self-created, feeling like they are letting their coaches, teammates (and often parents) down can negatively impact their confidence. Having clarity and understanding the pressure they put on themselves can be lifted will allow them to play more of their game instead of the game they thought they had to play.

2. Training sessions have more purpose: While athletes should never stop improving on a weakness, it is important for them to embrace their strengths for personal and team success. Knowing what role you have will give more direction and purpose during practices.

3. It means there is communication: The importance of communication can not be understated from high school sports, all the way through to professional teams. When an athlete has role clarity, it means feedback as been exchanged from coach to player and every team can benefit from clear communication.

Team success starts with clear roles.

In conclusion, the significance of understanding one's role on a team cannot be overstated for athletes striving for success. A clear comprehension of individual roles not only enhances the performance of each player but also contributes to the overall triumph of the team. The examples of Athlete A and Athlete B illustrate how misconceptions about one's role can lead to a decline in confidence and hinder team success. The remedy lies in effective communication between coaches and players, providing role clarity that empowers athletes to excel in their strengths and contribute meaningfully to the team's objectives. As athletes embrace their defined roles, pressure diminishes, confidence flourishes, and team success becomes an attainable goal. Coaches, take the lead in fostering role clarity within your team, paving the way for a season of heightened performance and shared victories.

Kristin Tullo is a certified strength and conditioning and sports psychology coach that has been working with athletes for ten years. Using her background in Social Work and former athletic career, she now helps athletes maximize their athletic potential through mental and physical strength.
Share your athletic stories about role clarity with Coach Kristin!