Maintaining the team

In 2001, CVI conducted research into why participants leave calisthenics. One of the major contributing factors was “the other girls”. Team cohesion and the feeling of comfort, friendship and team mate acceptance have proven in many sports to be more important to a child than learning the skill. If it is missing, the child will feel bad and most likely will want to avoid the situation and therefore leave the sport.

Coaches have been provided with a lot of information on maintaining team cohesion. There are a few things that administrators can also do within the team to increase team cohesion which will ultimately help you retain your pupils. The following are examples:

• Setting up a buddy system within the team for new members
• Setting up a buddy system between Seniors and Juniors, Inters and Subbies
• Organising fun activities for the whole team eg:
  • sleepovers
  • excursion to the pool or ice skating rink after class
  • sausage sizzle after class
  • serving hot cross buns in the week leading up to Easter
  • trip to Luna Park
  • Back Stage Tour of the State Theatre
• Mixing up cliques and groups as much as possible. Eg Prescripting who sleeps in what rooms at camps, mixing activity teams on camps or picnic days
• Putting children’s names in the newsletter when it is their birthday
• The team celebrating each team members birthday with a song and cake
• The whole team going to a comp to watch their “buddy” team
• Having snack food available for the team so as when they have a break, they all gather around the food compared with going back to their mother or sitting at their bag or in cliques
• Speaking to each girl each lesson, and calling her by her name
• Mothers speaking to pupils about the benefits of being nice to their team mates, and how that behaviour will be returned to them

Make them feel special and comfortable within the team. They will keep coming back.

Establish an "ex club"

When seniors and Inters retire, keep them included in your club. Create an “Ex-Club”. If girls feel part of your team even though they have left, they will be more inclined to return with their own children. It may also provide you with some administrative help that you may need.

Some ideas to achieve this are:

• Keep them on the distribution list for newsletter
• Ask them to be involved in some administrative matter or assistant coaching activity
• Invite them to social activities
• Create social activities for past girls
• Ask them to coordinate a function or fundraiser
• Give them a special invitation to comps

Please let us know of your successful team building ideas so as we can include it in this web site.