Teamwork and Learning My Role Amidst the Group

by Brittan Botzum

Journal Prompt:

Sunday’s activities introduced themes of teamwork - how to identify leadership, distribute roles, enact perseverance and flexibility, and employ encouragement in order to “win” no matter the circumstance. What did you learn about yourself from those exercises? Can you identify some roles that you are gifted in, when working on a team?

The interns have been given two different opportunities to play sports, the first sport was soccer and the second sport was volleyball. Before games, during games and after games, the interns are taught different lessons regarding teamwork and team dynamic.

Teamwork and Team Dynamic

I really enjoy the moments I get in team sports to learn about teamwork and the necessity for good team dynamics because, for me, growing up I did not get a lot of experience to play team sports. That being the case, I know I have a lot to learn in those settings and I appreciate people that can guide me because I really enjoy sports and the metaphors we can take on and off the field/court. 

One lesson that was pointed out to me was recognizing different roles and even the gifts that each person brings that contributes to the whole. When it comes to winning as a team, it doesn’t always look like actual winning. Winning can be when we work as a team, know our strengths and weaknesses, and play them accordingly. 

Brittan at the soccer game, working to find her place among the team while uplifting and encouraging others to do their best with the gifts they’ve been given.

For the interns, we had to learn to be one team. We are a big group of people and it is only through a foundation of God’s Spirit that we get to be a team that is successful. We learned the very important lesson of following instructions as well as knowing what voices to listen to while playing volleyball and knowing why we chose the leads we did when playing. For example, for our team, we chose Liz Widman to lead due to her experience and knowledge of the sport. 

As for my role on the team, what I really think I can bring would be some passion and commitment to what we are doing, uplifting the vibe of the team. I am still figuring out exactly what my role can and will be this Summer. 

Brittan at breakfast enjoying her time talking with fellow interns. Realizing her role to uplift and encourage and bring out people’s best.