ABSTRACT
The contribution of the individual athlete is central to the success of any team. Each athlete must have a thorough understanding of his/her responsibilities on the team and the behavior needed to fulfill those responsibilities. A team member who misunderstands his/her team roles likely is a hindrance to team effectiveness and to the accomplishment of team objectives. For the role clarity process to work effectively, it is necessary to identify and list the individual athlete roles that are needed for the team to be successful. These roles are then used to develop an instrument that is referred to as the “Roles Grid.” The coach will then meet one-on-one with each team member to discuss his/her role responsibilities. During the individual sessions, athletes are encouraged to ask questions and to identify any role that was not clearly understood. Some athletes do not get as much playing time as they would like and, consequently, are less satisfied with their role assignments.
