Lulu Lockjaw

Friday, November 13, 2009

Teamwork off the track?


If you can’t work as a team off the track, how are you supposed to work as a team on the track?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. If we can’t get along as league mates, how can we possibly work as teammates? I research other teams, read interviews, look at pictures, watch them at after parties and there is one HUGE difference between our team and other teams, they actually like each other. I know that sounds bad, but I think it’s true.

I watch other teams, they travel together and they want to sit next to each other on the plane, they all want to rent houses together, or at least stay in the same hotel room. I feel like our team can’t even spend an hour on the road together without an eye roll, heavy sighing, complaining, or people just blatantly being separatist! Now, before I paint this picture, I must say, I am just as guilty as anyone of the previous aforementioned offenses. I love my team, I have my moments where I want to kill certain people, but for the most part, I love my team, on and off the track. I don’t think that they all feel that way. Some of them, show up, skate, and leave. Other than the physical act of derby, I don’t think they want to hang out with the team.

At one after party, I watched the other team dance with each other, hang out, take pictures, they looked so happy. And I wanted to cry, it made me long for that with our team. I want us all to bond; I want us to love each other. I am so tired of the fighting, the negativity, the individualism, and again, I have been guilty of that too, but I am done. Next season, gosh darn it, I refuse to let the team go there. Come hell or high water, we will be a TEAM that likes each other. I think we need to bond more as a team. We need to let go of our opinions, our individualism, our negativity, and stop fighting each other.

Our league went through a lot this year, and it should have brought us closer, but I think it tore us apart. And instead of focusing on the team, we had to focus on bullshit, a ton of bullshit that I don’t even want to talk about for so many reasons, the main one is because it’s my league’s personal shit. This year has been the biggest emotional derby ride, and I almost skated away from it. I didn’t though; I didn’t want to let down my league, my team, or myself. I have put blood, sweat and tears into making SCDG the best damn league ever. I have sacrificed friendships, for what I feel is the best interest of SCDG. It’s been rough, but its so worth it.

Picture by Adrian Valenzuela

5 comments:

  1. I'm so happy you wrote this, Lulu. I think you've hit the nail on the head in so many ways, and that gives me hope for the success of SCDG.
    Thank you.

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  2. You want them to get rid of their individuality? That just strikes me as wrong! While I can see wanting everyone to get along as a group, it's completely different problem when everyone erases their own real feelings and ideas in order to fit in.

    Group Think is a very dangerous thing.

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  3. I miss that. Slumber parties and dance offs.

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  4. Vee, not lose their indivisuality, but learn how to incorporate it into part of the team. Use it with the team instead of against it. Trust me, I am me, and I am not changing that part, but how can I bring my indiviual strenths to the team and make it better.

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  5. That was a brave and honest post, Lulu...

    btw...

    YOU ROCKED RED RED!!!

    :)
    -Sweet Alyce

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