There is a first time for everything. Being at the first practice of the Minnesota Lynx training camp was the newest time for me. Lack of familiarity requires two elements to fully absorb the experience – watch and listen. Being privy to only the last half hour of practice doesn’t seem like much time to do either. In reality, however, it is more than enough.
There is a wealth of energy to experience because, behind the camaraderie, the high fives, the mutual support, and the enthusiasm, there is only one goal – putting a team together.
The feeling, for some, is not unlike an audition for a play. For those whose job is secure, the energy ranges from wanting everyone to succeed to the underlying assessment of who will best fit the system, physically, experientially, and perhaps most importantly, who brings the right chemistry. Those in camp who are fighting for a job are going to bring their A game for every minute of camp.
With the first pre-season game only five days away, a coach has to juggle between assessing who can do what as well as wanting to win the game. It is a trial by fire for the players and the coach, who not only is under pressure to evaluate but also prepare for the coming game.
day one complete. pic.twitter.com/4mNdaQbwdY
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) April 29, 2024
Is everyone going to make every shot? No. Will someone make a bad pass or not always have situational awareness? Of course. Much like an audition, it isn’t a question of whether or not you stumble, but how you deal with it and how you recover. In the videos that one finds on social media, you’re only going to see made baskets and a lot of smiles and laughs. But that is only a small part of it.
Understanding the Pressures for the Minnesota Lynx
Of course, videos are designed to bolster the enthusiasm of the viewers. If one judges the teams solely by videos, then everyone is going to win a championship. The pressure to perform is palpable knowing that the axe can fall at any moment. It’s in the air. The harsh reality though is that, other than the players under contract, most will not succeed. Much like the audition, it isn’t a question of talent. They wouldn’t be there otherwise. No coach or GM can afford to be that generous.
There’s a reason that what I did for 43 years wasn’t called “show fun.” It’s called show business, and this is not sports fun, it’s sports business. Of course, if there isn’t a large dose of fun in business then what is the point of it all?
starting off strong. 💪 pic.twitter.com/D2b8YOy5a0
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) April 29, 2024
At the end of the half-hour, the team gathered in a circle, encouraging each other, creating a foundation, and developing the focus for the task at hand. Athletes, like actors, are their own harshest critics. It is an unavoidable by-product of each discipline. Under such pressure, it isn’t easy to step back and find some objectivity, but it is necessary. Watching these athletes work, I came away from this first day with a great sense of encouragement.
Final Thoughts
Desire to succeed can be as profound as innate talent, particularly when that desire becomes a communal sensation, and not just a “look at me” energy. Much like a play, where every actor has their part of the story to tell, so does the athlete have the same responsibility. Now, it becomes a question of which part of the story these potential Minnesota Lynx teammates will be asked to tell.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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