Communication can carry a team to victory. Miscommunication can destroy a team. The first skill taught in most all sports is talking to teammates. Communication is even emphasized at the professional level as it can save the team from injuries or even a huge mistake that could cost the game.  

Miscommunication has the ability to ruin a game, and goalkeeper freshman Keira Schroter has seen this firsthand. 

“[The] majority of the time [that] my team has miscommunicated, it has led to a goal being scored, whether it is [due to] someone [failing] to track their man or a player [being] left wide open that my coach and I have told my players to mark,” Keira Schroter said.  

Communication may be more important depending on which position a person plays. The players may have to communicate more to avoid major injuries which is exactly why baseball player junior Jack Sanders makes communication number one on his list of priorities. 

“[Communication] is important because people can get hurt running into each other going after the same ball,” Sanders said. “I have heard stories of guys getting paralyzed because of it.” 

There is also a direct positive effect of communicating for teams. Strong communication skills can help a team work together better than they already do. Senior DJ King has seen this impact of communication while playing on many different sports teams.   

“I feel like communication keeps the team running as a unit,” King said. “If there is no communication, everyone is out there in their own world.”     

Freshman Carsyn Campbell is the other goalkeeper for the varsity soccer team. She has witnessed the effects of lack of communication in soccer games. 

“We normally lose our focus and often ends up in a goal against us,” Campbell said.  

Soccer coach Steve Schroter has seen how poor communication results in poor plays. 

“It is hard to pass, it is hard to do anything, really,” Steve Schroter said. “[The] team looks lost and discombobulated. It’s just not a pretty thing.”    

Certain positions may not have to communicate solely for avoiding injuries. Interacting with one’s teammates improves overall performance. 

“Being a goalkeeper, you are the last line of defense,” Keira Schroter said. “A keeper is able to see everything on the field, some things the coach cannot even see. So, it is very important to communicate as a keeper to tell your players if they should mark someone.” 

This idea of communicating based on position also transfers into other sports such as baseball, as seen by junior Brice Sapp. 

“It is important to communicate in outfield so that we can read balls and so that there is not any confusion when trying to make a play,” Sapp said. “The way we communicate is [that] the centerfielder has priority but whoever wants to get the ball shouts ‘ball.’” 

Communication can also be from the coach on certain things they see before there teams see it. 

“For me, it is like another set of eyes as well,” Steve Schroter said. “I can see a lot of the field, so I try to communicate with them try to make some adjustments during game time so that we have a better chance of winning.” 

Communication has a learning curve to it as athletes will progressively get better at it as they continue to do it  

“Of course we have [messed up],” King said. “That all comes with growth and learning from your mistakes.”