If you ask me, North Carolina is home to the best college basketball in the world. I grew up on the folklore of Tobacco Road, and for those unfamiliar with North Carolina, Tobacco Road is not so much a geographical location as it is a basketball asylum — the one place in the South where the hardwood sport, basketball, reigns supreme. It is the home of historic programs at Duke, North Carolina, N.C. State, and Wake Forest; of legendary coaches such as Dean Smith, Jim Valvano, and Mike Krzyzewski; of unforgettable players from David Thompson to Christian Laettner to Tim Duncan to Michael Jordan. Basketball is more than just a game in this state. It’s a metaphor for life — how to lead, how to succeed, and how to be a part of a team.

Team Changeover

No one personifies the culture of Tobacco Road better than Duke basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski. That is why every year, MMS: FOB students are given an opportunity to participate in a Duke basketball mini-camp as part of the MMS Team Changeover. Students are assigned to teams at the beginning of the MMS program and then are reassigned to new teams at the beginning of Fall Term 2. This “Team Changeover” is bittersweet. Over the course of the first two terms, your teammates become your extended family and it is difficult to say goodbye. At the same time, you gain a new team and section, offering an opportunity to work with 4 – 5 different classmates. Teams are created to complete assignments, study, network, and socialize. It’s a critical component of Team Fuqua.

The Team Changeover not only allows new team members to bond on the court and experience the tradition of Duke basketball, but also teaches valuable principles that can be carried from the basketball court into the classroom and out into the real world. As I left the camp, I reflected little on perfecting my jump shot, but instead on Coach K’s analogy of the “fist” and his 5 principles of teamwork.

The “Fist”

Coach K uses the analogy of a “fist” to explain effective teamwork. Each finger represents a member of the team. To make the greatest impact, each member of the team must come together like a fist, unified in mind and body. If goals are not aligned, teamwork fails and so does the ability to achieve your objective. It’s analogous to extending a single finger as you strike a brick wall. The result is a broken finger and a shot to your ego.

Coach Krzyzewski emphasizes 5 words for his teams: communication, trust, collective responsibility, care, and pride. The emphasis is on the power of these words and combining them in a manner that creates unity, which in turn creates victory.

• Communication: Effective leaders are effective communicators. On the court, we communicated with our teammates when we released a pass to alert our teammate to catch the incoming pass.
• Trust: Trust is a critical component of an effective team. Without trust, teams can fall into the trap of one person micromanaging the entire operation, thus reducing the overall synergy of the group. During basketball shooting drills, we had to trust our teammates and ourselves to make enough shots to meet our goal. Fortunately, my team met the goal and we didn’t have to do pushups.
• Care: In the classroom, caring means giving your best effort on every assignment to optimize the likelihood of receiving a top mark. On the court, it means taking care of the basketball and minimizing turnovers.
• Collective Responsibility: Every member of a team is accountable for the desired outcome. Therefore, it is imperative that each member is encouraged and supported to put forth his or her best effort. Just as collective gains should be praised, effective teams support each member’s individual interests and accomplishments. On the court, Coach K emphasizes team defense. During our defensive drills, each team was encouraged to smack the floor and shout “I love defense!” before each set.
• Pride: Take pride in your team’s successes. Own your MMS: FOB experience. Celebrate both the big and little wins. Always provide an environment of encouragement and support for your teammates.