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+---- Thread: *Do it for the Culture: (/showthread.php?tid=20204)
*Do it for the Culture: - Blasoon - 03-17-2020
Do it for the Culture:
The Locker Room Effect
In sports, we often focus on negativity; feeling disappointment at those who showed promise and failed to deliver, teams that seemed to have all the pieces and yet were never able to put all the pieces together and become complete. We look at these failures and allow our resentment, our anger and our disappointment come out. Whether we ourselves are in an isolating situation and are suffering from a culture drain, or we see a team that does not communicate and do not gel well together. I believe everyone who takes the time out of their day to read this piece will agree that they have endured moments of isolation and loneliness in the place of expected friendship and comradery.
So, I would like to take this moment to reflect on the incredible satisfaction I have gotten from being in the locker room of the Norfolk Seawolves.
A sports culture can be defined as a franchise’s ‘values, attitudes and beliefs towards sports and competition’ (Dr. Jim Taylor, Huffington Post, 2013) Moreover, the culture of a team looks at its attitudes to its own, the value it places on winning and success, and conversely, the behaviours it takes on when faced with adversity and the attitudes it takes towards those who, internally, are not performing up to scratch. Ultimately, I would argue that without a functioning culture that supports and reinforces its players, a franchise is doomed to fall to the dregs of their division. Moreover, I would see fit to wax poetic about my belief that a team with highly touted players, but no cohesion will eventually fall to a middling team that is filled with support and reinforcement in its locker room. This applies to the National Simulation Football League, but primarily in the Developmental Simulation Football League, a good locker room culture is the most important aspect of a successful franchise.
I was rather taken aback when I discovered that last season’s Seawolves suffered greatly from a big drop off in locker room communication. Juniped has created some incredible work based on the Seawolves last season. From an article of his, these were the messaging stats in the Norfolk locker room last season:
Week 1: 23,860 Messages
Week 2: 3,075 Messages
Week 3: 2,257 Messages
Week 4: 1,125 Messages
Week 5: 715 Messages
And thus, I was not surprised to see that out of the eighteen draft picks Norfolk selected in the draft, ten of them were inactive before the season was over, with two of the top five draft picks being included in that metric. As others, like Juniped have commented on before, the season record of 6-8 arguably owed a large part of its existence to the lack of locker room presence at the Seawolves base.
Now, I’ve gotten my negativity out of the way. Strap in ladies, gentleman, and everyone on that wonderful technicolour rainbow in between. I’m going to gush. Hard.
The Norfolk locker room has been nothing short of amazing in the short amount of time that I have been in there. I will be the first to admit that I was not particularly active in their guest chat, pre-draft. However, since the draft, I don’t know quite how to explain it. I feel as if the locker room has almost immediately drawn in everyone on the roster and I know I can expect good conversations to be happening at all hours of the day. Whilst that may not be the best for me as a Brit, who is five hours ahead of everyone else, it remains a great companion through my insomnia. There have been many conversations, and I know that I have felt welcomed by everyone there, and in turn, I feel as if I can do my best to welcome less active team mates into the fold and hopefully help contribute to a bustling Norfolk team.
Ultimately, to tie this little piece off, and because I know almost everyone would rather read a different, more juicier take on the National Simulation Football League’s locker rooms right now, I would like to take a moment to conclude my thoughts with one last passing phrase.
Great locker rooms make great teams. Not the other way around.
Thank you all. Have a great day.
719 Words.
*Do it for the Culture: - bex - 03-17-2020
I say Norfolk Best Folk a lot, but I absolutely mean it. We've worked hard to build something special, and it means so much to hear people celebrating our little locker room. I'm so glad you're a part of it, Blasoon!
*Do it for the Culture: - br0_0ker - 03-17-2020
*Do it for the Culture: - ScorpXCracker - 03-17-2020
NORFOLK BEST FOLK
*Do it for the Culture: - Frostbite - 03-17-2020
Glad to see you guys back with an active locker room! Good luck, except vs MB ????
*Do it for the Culture: - RotticusScott - 03-17-2020
Hiring Juni was a huge move. Knew it would make Norfolk more competitive.