Former University of Iowa Women’s Basketball Coach Lisa Bluder was asked how she created team chemistry with superstar Caitlin Clark dominating the media. Bluder was quick to give credit to Clark herself for being a team player and not acting like a diva, but she also had some important lessons that apply in all kinds of settings.
“Chemistry is created every single day,” said Bluder. “It’s a daily effort, not a seminar. It is something that we worked on for years, long before Caitlin came to Iowa.”
For example, one of the team’s values was respect. This involves respecting the other players, the officials, etc. — but also respecting yourself. “The voice you hear the very most is the one in your own head,” Bluder explained. “You need to find a way to flick the negativity out when it creeps in.”
Bluder believes a key factor in creating chemistry is holding others accountable if they do something that doesn’t mesh with the values. She said she continually tells the team: “If someone holds you accountable, you need to listen to them, or they won’t hold you accountable again — and that makes you worse and the team worse.”
Chemistry is something that every group needs, even if your team doesn’t go anywhere near a ball. Allow yourself to be coached by one of the game’s greats and enhance your chemistry by holding others — and yourself — accountable to your values.
Source: Lisa Bluder: Leveling the Playing Field with Sally Jenkins, Washington Post Life, June 10, 2024
