This article was written by Alan Stein.
I would add a couple of things to what Alan has written. Great teams have lots of glue guys and girls–on those teams everyone is a glue player. I posted a couple of lists that are some thoughts in alignment with Alan’s Glue Player article.
The first is a list of what playing hard means to me. The second is a list of what togetherness looks like. Intensity and Togetherness Look Like
Glue Guy or Girl
by Alan Stein
Glue is an adhesive, and according to Webster’s Dictionary, the physics definition of adhesive is “a force that exists in the area of contact between unlike bodies and that acts to unite them.”
That’s a tad too scientific for me. Let’s just say that glue holds stuff together!
Who is the glue on your team? Who holds your team together? Who keeps your team focused? Who does all of the little things in practice and in games to make your team successful?
That person is a Glue Guy (or Glue Girl)!
How do you spot a Glue Guy? They are often seen:
• Taking charges
• Diving for loose balls
• Hitting crucial free throws
• Playing tough defense
• Setting solid screens
• Boxing out on every shot
• Cheering for their teammates
A Glue Guy doesn’t care about how many points they score or how many minutes they play. All they care about is the team winning and knowing they did everything within their role to contribute to the team’s success (regardless of how large or small that role is).
Every team needs a Glue Guy. Every team needs a player who will make all of the sacrifices necessary to hold the team together. Glue Guys are even more important during the playoffs.
If your Glue Guy is also your most talented player… I am willing to bet your team will maximize their potential.
If you want your team to make a serious run at a conference or league or state championship; I suggest you either say a sincere thank you to your team’s Glue Guy; or you become one yourself.
And for those of you who have already completed your season… Glue Guys are equally important in the off-season. After all, who else will hold your team together before the first practice of next season?
Play hard. Have fun. Enjoy the jouney.
Alan Stein
