Re: Dealing with disgruntled team members...

Jason Mueller <*jcmpn7_at_mujason.yahoo.invalid*> · Wed, 29 Sep 2004 23:18:16 -0000

I'd recommend dividing based on ability and coverage of subject 
areas; e.g. have a lit person, a science person, a history person, 
etc.  I would rather have a first-place A team and a last-place B 
team than two middle-of-the-pack teams.  (Although with practice you 
probably won't have that sharp of a distinction between teams).  
Anyway, if you do go with balanced teams, you could name them after 
your school colors (red and black, IIRC) instead of A and B.  Display 
the evidence of teams predominantly dividing by ability and subject 
and put her in her place.

Jason Mueller

--- In quizbowl_at_yahoogroups.com, oilbaronsball <no_reply_at_y...> wrote:
> --- In quizbowl_at_yahoogroups.com, g_boss98 <no_reply_at_y...> wrote:
> > I'm trying to start a team at Youngstown State, and not three 
weeks 
> > into existence I have people grumbling about how I'm dividing the 
> > teams. I'm under the impression that nearly every one of the 
> schools 
> > I've read about on here has an A team, a B team, etc. based on 
> > results at practice--that the best four play on one team. One 
> person 
> > in this new group wants me to spread the wealth, as it were, and 
> > create two balanced teams. Do any of you do this, and if so, how 
do 
> > you determine "balance"? Or should I just tell her to go to hell 
> and 
> > if she doesn't like how I make teams, she doesn't have to be 
there? 
> > Or is there a happy medium that can be struck?
> 
> My impression is since you have just started the team at YSU, you 
> have yet to organize to the point where you hold elections, and 
your 
> group has not elected you president.  As such, you have little 
> executive power in this situation.  It is best to compromise in 
this 
> situation.  Unlike in high school where a coach, usually a teacher 
at 
> the school, is clearly in an authoritarian role, in college things 
> are more democratic, and there are fewer incentives to staying on 
the 
> boat.  If you yell at this woman, you will just drive her away, and 
> that is not good both for retaining membership and improving your 
> reputation should you have designs on the leadership once the 
formal 
> leadership structure is established.
> 
> The best thing to do is to take a vote and decide method of team 
> composition from there.  Basically, ask everyone if they want to 
play 
> on balanced teams or differentiate into A and B teams based on 
> ability.  Remember, even if you do balanced teams, they will still 
be 
> labeled A and B, and often at the college level people will want to 
> and have the opportunity to play with certain people on their team 
> more than others, considering quizbowl is a vaguely social 
activity.  
> Also make sure everyone things your method of differentiating 
people 
> by ability is fair.  If the majority wish to play on balanced teams 
> for this tournament, suggest your group try differentiating by 
> ability for the next tournament.  You have little to gain by being 
> authoritarian or unfriendly at this point, so do the neighborly 
thing 
> and be conciliatory and democratic.
> 
> Dan