A good teammate has several contributing factors. Being a good teammate can lead to the success of a team but can also contribute to the growth of a person in life. One key factor to being a good teammate is supporting one another. Without the support and trust of your teammates, you are bound to fail. Another key factor is providing a positive attitude everyday no matter the circumstance. Your teammates are like your family, and they should be able to rely and trust you. In addition, having leadership qualities and being a leader on the court/field is something everyone should strive to be as a teammate. As I try to be a leader on every team I’ve been on, I have come to learn that not every leader needs to be the loudest person on the field. Leadership can be shown in several ways including your actions. Leading by example is something that will carry over from sports into life as I’ve learned throughout my career. Being a good teammate does not depend on your personal skill set, although, someone once said to “Play Hard and Don’t Suck”. During my sports career I’ve been on numerous teams, almost too many to count. But my most important team is God, my family, and my community. One of the members of my team was Matt Greene. When I received my offer to play softball at Marshall University, I drove straight to the Spring Valley football game where the first person I encountered and told was Matt. Although he was struggling with his health that evening, he hopped up out of his chair and gave me a big hug and told me how proud he was of me. That night Matt exemplified every characteristic of a good teammate, and that is why he was a part of my team. Without the help of my family and community I would not be where I am today in my athletic career. My success as an athlete is a direct reflection of my family and community being amazing teammates to me. Although, I don’t have anywhere near the level of faith and service that Matt Greene possessed, I’m striving towards it. God is the ultimate teammate in life, and I understand that no matter how well I perform or don’t perform, He is still on my side. Even when I have a bad game, He tells me that I don’t suck.