In a training camp for football players, the focus is primarily on improving the physical fitness and technique of the players as well as developing new moves. But here you can find out why it is definitely worthwhile to carry out team-building measures in the training camp.
In football, there are 11 players on the pitch who are all pursuing a common goal: winning! To achieve this goal, each player cannot fight individually, but must work together and combine their strengths to achieve their goal. Consequently, it is not about which team has the player with the best technique, but above all about how well a team plays together and can use the strengths of each individual. To ensure that this cooperation works well, team building measures are important, as they influence communication, motivation and the players' sense of belonging to the team. The latter in turn has an influence on the players' willingness to perform.
Team-building activities often fall by the wayside during a season because they are difficult to integrate into the short training times. As some team-building activities also take place off the pitch, it is also not always easy to find dates alongside training that can be integrated with the players' private lives.
At training camps, however, team-building activities can be easily integrated into the players' fitness and training sessions. In addition, the breaks between sessions or the time after training offer the opportunity to organise joint activities. As the team is together on site for several days, there is the perfect opportunity to use the evenings for team activities and cohesion. These activities can also be combined with regenerative measures.
This makes the training camp not only effective from a sporting perspective, but also a valuable time to strengthen team spirit.
During training:
Other team sports, such as volleyball, handball or football tennis, for example, are very well suited as alternative warm-up exercises in training camps, as they train the fitness of the players and also increase team spirit. In these sports, the players feel less pressure, as all members start as beginners here and it is not about their technique. The focus here is on the players' team skills and communication; which are trained during the exercise. These have a positive effect on the team's cooperation.
Outside of training:
Climbing excursion:
A climbing excursion is also very suitable as a team-building activity at a training camp. During this exercise, the players learn to trust each other. In addition, the players' fitness and coordination are also trained here.
Excursion to a football stadium
A trip to a football stadium is always a good idea for a team-building activity in the football sector. The players are always happy when they have the opportunity to watch a professional match live. They share this joy with each other, which creates a feeling of togetherness. In addition, the joyful event creates a harmonious atmosphere, which can dissolve possible tensions within the team.
Team-building measures are also carried out in the professional sector to improve team performance. For example, FC Bayern went on an electric karting trip last year, while 1.FSV Mainz 05 undertook a snowshoe hike in the Swiss mountains with an overnight stay in a tent at 2700m to promote team cohesion.
Team-building measures have a positive effect on the players' motivation, ability to cooperate and willingness to perform. This is reflected in better cooperation on the pitch, which can also have a positive effect on a team's results. The training camp is particularly suitable for these measures, as they can be combined with fitness training or warm-up training. In addition, the shared accommodation for the entire team creates valuable time for joint (leisure) activities alongside the training sessions.
Sources
Baldauf, M., & Bröker, T. (2019). Team development and team building. In H. K. Gehring & D. Struve (eds.), Sportpsychologie kompakt: Psychologische Kompetenz für Trainer und Sportler (pp. 229-239). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-56802-6_21
Müller, P. (2016, January 20). sense and nonsense of team building. the sports psychologists. https://www.die-sportpsychologen.de/2016/01/philippe-mueller-sinn-und-unsinn-des-teambuildings/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
FC Bayern Munich. (2024, March 7). Team building: FC Bayern at electric karting. FC Bayern Munich. https://fcbayern.com/de/news/2024/03/teambuilding-fc-bayern-beim-elektro-kartfahren
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