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Problem Statement
How can the coach Preczewski improve the performance of Varsity Team either by intervening
or switching up the individual members between the two boats?
Reasons:
The Varsity Team was performing badly against JV team during practice and in some
races because the rowers were working as an individual and not as a group.
The players were recruited based on their physical performance and not on
psychological factors which is the one of the most important aspect of a successful team.
There was no clear leadership in the team as none of the rowers trusted their peers in
order to follow them.
There was a communication barrier between the rowers. They did not speak to each
other directly instead they chose to mail. Thus, there was a lack of cohesion among the
rowers.
The JV team had better team result rather than individual. The JV members wanted to
remain with their JV members rather than promoting them to varsity boat. This shows
that it was a truly cohesive team. The team had no disrupters.
Weakness:
Social loafing
Lack of cohesion, adaptability
Lack of a leadership and team spirit
amongst varsity team members.
Perception of personalities.
Opportunities:
Threats:
The varsity team can still develop
Lack of trust and team identity
team spirit and individual talents can
Shortage of time before the
be leveraged fruitfully to perform as
competitions
a team.
Unwillingness to swap teams
JV team can work on their individual
Ego and attitude problems for some
performances.
members
Coach P can have two good
Loss of confidence before the
physically and psychologically
competition for the varsity team
prepared teams to participate.
Areas of Concern:
1. The Varsity boat is suffering from internal and external attribution problems and
members face lack of trust and identity.
2. The JV team may be psychologically superior but that may not guarantee performance in
the competition where physical performance counts a lot.
3. Unwillingness of the JV team members to swap teams.
4. Internal conflict and negative attitude amongst varsity team members.
5. Loss of confidence in the varsity team and faith in performing.
6. Individual skills are not complemented by the team members.
7. Social loafing and lack of cohesion.
8. Lack of time before the competitions start.
9. No bottom leadership.
Evaluations:
Options available to Colonel Stas Preczewski, coach of the Army Crew team are:
1. Promote the whole Junior Varsity team to the Varsity boat for this race:
Coach P. is highly reluctant to take this extreme step since the data he had confirmed the
fact that the Varsity boat had the strongest rowers. During mid 1990s, this strategy was
followed and both the Varsity team and Varsity team won Eastern Championships that
year.
2. Switch a small number of individual members of the two boats:
The viability of this option was limited by the Junior Varsity members preferences to
remain in the JV boat. Some of them had even expressed serious concern regarding
switching places.
These factors help in judging each of the alternatives. Though the Junior Varsity team has higher
degree of coordination, the Varsity team consists of all the strong members.
Recommendations:
We recommend Coach P. to try and intervene to improve the performance of the Varsity
Team. To win the competition, the team requires strong rowers. So, Coach P. should trust the
data collected which clearly states that the Varsity Boat had the strongest rowers. He should help
each member to find his own personal motivation as this would help in the long run also. He
should also focus on improving trust among the team members through various team building
activities. And, finally before the competition begins, he should give a highly motivating speech
that will automatically compel each member to give his best.