Building a successful team takes more than just assembling players, finding a coach, creating a brand, or building a fan base. It requires developing a team identity that will guide players to victory. As a member of the WNBA’s recent expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, VIS Mentor Monique Billings knows better than most how crucial building a strong and positive team identity is. She shares her insights on the matter and offers tips on how to navigate team identities. 

Playing Your Role

To create a successful team identity both on and off the court, Billings says that it’s important to adhere to the team’s mission. Every player has a role to play for the team to succeed, and “although some people might have a more prominent role on a team, everyone’s role is needed, all 1-12,” Billings says. Once players accept their role and align with what needs to be done for the team’s greater good, the team will have greater chances to succeed. 

This is notably what allowed the Golden State Valkyries to defy the odds and become the first WNBA expansion team to make the playoffs in their first year in the league. Not only did everyone on the team accept their role, but the team also established a culture based on respect and freedom, Billings notes. She specifies that “there were so many different personalities and cultures on the team, but we set a standard of respect and a priority on staying connected through highs and lows of the season,” which ultimately led the Valkyries to gain their identity as a united team that was capable of surprises on the court. 

“Although some people might have a more prominent role on a team, everyone’s role is needed, all 1-12.”

VIS Mentor Monique Billings

Self-Improvement Fuels the Team

Strong team identities are developed through players who help feed these identities. Billings reveals that she was able to positively influence the team’s culture and identity this past season by focusing on consistency, something she hadn’t done as much before. 

To help her team and teammates grow in the right direction, Billings also ensured to be “steady” and an uplifting figure for others: “I made sure to show up intentionally every day and go out of my way to uplift those around me, and bring contagious positive energy,” she says. Individual players taking actions to maintain a positive atmosphere and unite the team positively influence the team’s identity. A united group is a group that stays connected through difficult times and focused on its collective goals. 

Whether you’re a new basketball player or a veteran professional,  your influence on the team’s identity is as important as anybody else's.

Billings gave us two tips for team identity:

1. Find your niche or specialty. Everyone has something unique to contribute to a team environment to make it better. Find what sets you apart and bring it every day.

2. Find ways to be selfless and give of yourself. This can feel difficult or uncomfortable, but your ability to prioritize your team will reinforce strong team identity. 

Future Expansion Teams

Looking back on this past season with the Golden State Valkyries, Billings pinpoints some initial struggles, including team chemistry. “It didn’t take too long to develop [team chemistry] … but it took a while to adjust,” she says.

Between the players playing together for the first time, the many languages spoken within the team, and the different styles of play each player had experienced, there were multiple components to get used to as the Valkyries built their culture. But these are challenges that made the Valkyries stronger because other teams weren't sure what to expect from the new group on the block.

These challenges are likely to be experienced as well by the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire as they try to forge their team identities when they make their debut in the WNBA this upcoming season.

Billings mentions that something she thinks is beneficial for teams—and that could also help the Tempo and the Fire head in the right direction—is to meet as a team before the start of training camp. This opportunity allows the players to meet and “discuss the vision of the season and what we want our culture and identity to look like,” which not only forces the team to be accountable but also helps settle what the team’s culture and identity are before the team even starts playing basketball.

As we have seen with the Valkyries this past season, new teams can build strong identities. If every player understands their role, adheres to the team’s vision, and gives their best to uphold their team’s standards regarding identity, not only will each of them prosper within the team environment, but their teams will prosper too.