Getting Involved with Office Sports Teams

In 2007, my law firm was in the midst of a major expansion project. In a matter of months, both our office roster and square footage had doubled. The result was a spread out staff that scarcely interacted with one another, and was too buried in a deluge of work to care. At an office meeting, my administrator sought out ideas. After repeated requests for happy hours and parties, I suggested the creation of a softball team. As the subsequent silence began to grow awkward, it was quickly broken by uproarious laughter. No one thought it was possible.

Despite the initial trepidation from my co-workers, I continued to push the idea until we finally had enough interest to form a team. The startup process wasn't easy, but now a few years into our program, I can't imagine where the office would be without it.

Building an office team takes work. First you need a core group of players who you can rely on to be at every game. From there, the next step is recruiting talent. Once you have enough to play, hand-pick a few athletic members of your office who you think can become good players. Finally, stay positive and be patient. In many ways, starting an office team is like starting a kindergarten team. Players need encouragement, and unlike five year-olds, have the power to walk away from the game if they don't feel appreciated. Stay patient and positive. You are not going to build a juggernaut overnight.

As your office team begins to play games, bonds will form. Members of the team will not only be co-workers, but they will also be teammates. In the office, tales will be told of game heroics and embarrassing moments, and word will begin to spread. The excitement of the team will spread to other members of the office, leading to more interest and potentially more players.

Perhaps the greatest asset that an office athletic team brings is camaraderie. As a member of my firm's softball team, I grew closer to each one of my teammates in just one season, than I did with co-workers who I knew for several years at work. This relationship with my teammates carried over into the off-season, and made work more enjoyable than before.

Before starting an office team, consider your group of people. Although softball teams are common, maybe your office would be better at indoor soccer, kickball or bowling. In the end, it is not the sport that matters, but rather the spirit of teamwork that the game inspires.