What To Do When You Don't Get Along With A Teammate

Your teammates are your support on the field and your relationship with them is important for the whole team. So what can you do if you don’t get on with a teammate?

Your teammates are your people. Or, at least, they should be. Together you can battle your way to victory, critique the team’s performance and celebrate when you win. You must work together to achieve success on the pitch, you’re far more likely to succeed when you work together like a well-oiled machine.

Unfortunately, life isn’t always that simple. In fact, sometimes it can be downright complicated. You might be on the same sports team as someone, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be friends for life. There may even be players you simply can’t get along with or who don’t seem able to get along with you. It’s not ideal, but it’s real life. As teammates, however, you’re going to have to find a way to get along for the good of the team. Here are some things to try when you can’t seem to get along with a teammate:

1. Be civil

If another player gets on your nerves, you need to learn to rise above it. Arguing isn’t going to help and it’s certainly not going to be good for the team. By creating a huge fallout, you may even end up isolating yourself from other players on the team. Instead, prove to everyone that you can be the bigger person. Be civil, try to get along and simply don’t cause a fuss. Instead focus on the team and how you can work together to win this season.

2. Talk to the coach

If another player is deliberately trying to provoke you and you feel unable to ignore it, it might be time to talk to coach. If the player’s behavior is out of line or if you simply feel unable to handle the situation yourself, speak to your coach about the issues. It may seem out of their jurisdiction, but handling team relationships is an important aspect of coach’s role. They may be able to offer advice or help you think of ways to handle the situation.

3. Be honest

If you feel able to, discuss the issues with the player involved. Explain why you think something is wrong, how you’re worried it could negatively impact the team and what you think can be done about it. If they are a team player, they’ll probably agree that the team should come before any personal issues the two of you might be having.

The most important thing is that all of this is handled off the field. Your personal issues shouldn’t impact the game so make sure you aren’t dealing with your frustrations on the pitch. Make sure you have this player’s back on the field, even if they don’t have yours when the match it over.

Have you had an issue with a teammate and, if so, how did you deal with it?