Watching hockey the past weeks, especially this past week, and also looking at the statistics for my home team, something important has struck me. This something isn’t anything new and it’s not something anyone doesn’t already know about… a team.
Teamwork.
I witnessed a moment where we had pulled our goalie to gain an extra man on the ice in an attempt to secure a goal. It was a moment where it was imperative to tie the game up in the third period to get us into overtime, in further hope of a win. We were already losing this game.
Our goal remained empty as the battle was on at the other end of the rink. We were fighting. We were trying to live up to the hype of that first period where we had taken a lead early on.
I wonder what the goaltender thought as he looked on from the bench. I wish I could be out there. No, look at this!
The worst fear in those moments was realized. A breakaway happened. The opposing team’s player took the puck and skated it back down to score a winning goal as the last minute of the game was ticking away. Our players, mainly just one, raced as fast as he could after the breakaway player to no avail. He attempted to be the goalie, lacking in padding and gear needed to be one.
The player that performs that duty was not there. He was needed but in that moment, it was more important to get an extra man on the ice for other purposes rather than keep goal tended.
Teamwork is a combined action of people working together to reach a common goal or purpose.
I have a team… well really I’m a part of three work related teams – accounting, Scentsy and bookstore. Outside of that, I’m on teams related to church, too – working with the kids (nursery or children’s departments), finance committee, and when we have some special events like Vacation Bible School, I try to help with that and be on the team.
In each of those, I serve some kind of purpose. In some of those, perhaps only I am able to contribute my way. No one else does what I do or what I can do. Some else might, but they’re not on the team to perform it. They’re on someone else’s team.
When someone’s not available, we fill in. Some jobs, like our poor mailman (bless his heart), when he’s gone, sometimes the route just doesn’t even get finished! It takes two people some days to do his route. It’s not the same when we have to fill in for a teammate.
We all have a purpose.
In my hockey example, all the players have different positions to play. That position is what they practice at day in and day out. The players know the game, they know what everyone does and they’re able to be their replacement if need be (I hope 👀).
In that instance, one player (not the goalie) had to defend or tend the goal when that player was off the ice. It didn’t work out this time, sometimes it does. Typically, that player would have been defending the goal with the goalie tending as well! That what you do! You work together to make sure that the other team doesn’t score – or better yet, that you do score. (Trying not to let my saltiness to spill…)
I’ve been thinking about teams and how filling roles may be something we lack. I’m not the best at everything, but I dabble in a little bit of everything (don’t get me starting on the cooking, I don’t do much unless it’s toaster oven or microwave ready). My interests sometimes feel limiting until something comes up that I can do and I volunteer. My interests sometimes limit me by thinking I’ll never be that good at it or I don’t think I could do that and this. Excuses here and there, plus sprinkles.
That one player jumped in when needed, even though he wasn’t in the gear or really well practiced in goaltending. He did it because it needed to be done for his team.
Unfortunately, it didn’t pay off but I’m not salty about it! *hurt*
If you’re on a team this week, I hope you jump in and help where needed, even if you think you’re not the best at it – but because it needs to be done.
Don’t mess anything up and also, don’t blame me if you do. LOL
I hope you have a great rest of your week. Thank you for stopping by.