No matter what role you have in your team it is always important to be a leader for your teammates. Many people believe that this has to be done by producing big stat lines, but at the end of the day a leader is more than that. Here are ways to carve out a crucial role on your team and be an effective leader no matter where you stand on the roster.

Be Inclusive

The best way to be a leader is to keep everyone involved. People are more inclined to put in their best effort if they feel like their opinions and ideas are being acknowledged. On top of this, when everyone is involved in decision making the chemistry amongst players will be more transparent on the playing field.

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Set Your Teammates Up For Success

Another important trait to have as a leader, especially in team sports, is to help your teammates improve. The best example of this to me is how NBA star Stephen Curry conducts himself with the Warriors. This season he was on a team that looked very different from all of the other championship teams he was on. He was playing with a ton of young stars who had not yet established themselves in the NBA and a Klay Thompson who had not fully recovered from his multiple injuries. Instead of trying to put the Warriors on his back, Curry looked to facilitate the development of players like Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins on his team. So don't try to do it all yourself–lean on your team and trust them to get the job done.

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Walk the Walk

Lastly, it is important to lead by example. This means continuously working hard to improve your craft. You should always try to spend extra time in the gym if your schedule allows it and as you continue to perfect your craft, the work you have put in will translate onto the field. 

Every successful sports team needs a few good leaders in order to be successful. Even if you do not play a team sport you can lead your team in ways that help to increase the success of other players on your team. Being a leader is not only about being the best player but being inclusive, helping others on your team be successful, and leading by example.

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* Originally published on September 15, 2022, by Royce Linder