Applying Duke Basketball Principles to Team Fuqua

“Team Fuqua” is a fundamental part of the MMS experience. Teams are where we study, complete projects, and often find our closest friends. Teams are first assigned in late July when the program begins, and then teams are re-assigned in late October, at the beginning of Fall Term 2 — this way, you end up working in 2 different teams during your time as an MMS student.

The Team Changeover on Oct. 26 was a great and memorable way in which the MMS program seeks to inspire team spirit. Most of the day was spent at a basketball camp at the Emily Krzyzewski Center in Durham. Beyond providing us with a chance to have fun and spend time with one another, Team Changeover also teaches valuable lessons which I believe can be carried from the basketball court into the classroom, and eventually our careers.

Our coaches (some of whom are former Duke basketball players) spoke about the principles that guide the Duke Men’s Basketball Team, and how those principles translate to our lives and to our MMS teams. Through a variety of activities we learned about:

1. Trust: By making shots and catching rebounds, we learned what it meant to trust ourselves because we had to have confidence that we could make the shots, and then to convince our teammates to do the same.
2. Respect/Caring: As students, we care about our assignments, while on the court, the players care about the ball. The basketball team and our MMS teams are like a family, and you treat them with the utmost respect and care.
3. Communication: Teamwork is impossible without this, and on the court it meant letting each other know what to expect and what we planned to do – like shouting about throwing the ball to someone.
4. Collaboration: This defines the word “team” and underscores the importance of collective efforts as well as support for one another’s individual interests and accomplishments.
5. Pride: By taking pride in our accomplishments as well as those of the people with whom we work, we provide a constant sense of encouragement and support.

The opportunity to work through these exercises and discuss these values with my new team provided a nice transition into working with them. It enabled us to build our team spirit and get to know one another in a relaxed yet competitive setting, and I’m hopeful that this will contribute toward success in projects and assignments over the next three terms.

See some photos of basketball camp on the MMS Facebook page.