If I can help my teammate or teammates play at a level they've never played at before, then it doesn't even matter so much how I play.
Interpretation
True success in sports comes from elevating others rather than simply focusing on personal performance.
This quote emphasizes the importance of teamwork and selflessness in achieving success. Karch Kiraly expresses that his priority lies in helping his teammates reach new heights in their performance, suggesting that the collective achievement of the team is more significant than individual accolades.
In practice
In a sports team meeting to inspire cooperation and collaboration.
Not everything you're going to do in volleyball - or in life, for that matter - is exciting or fully functional, but if you have the willpower to make each minute count, you'll benefit in some way. And it will make you a better player and a better person in the long run.
Al was already a legend when I got to campus. You wanted to play for the best? You went to UCLA to play for Al Scates.
And I really felt like I would regret never accomplishing my goals on the beach, or missing special moments with my kids, more than I would miss winning a third gold medal.
No volleyball play can begin without a serve, and the serve is the only technique that is totally under your control. In other endeavors, you cannot succeed without believing in yourself, and that belief is completely under your control.
I knew at a young age, whether I was playing baseball or hockey or lacrosse, that my teammates were counting on me, whether it be to strike the last batter out in a baseball game or score a big goal in a hockey game.
People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.
Teamwork is really a form of trust. It's what happens when you surrender the mistaken idea that you can go it alone and realize that you won't achieve your individual goals without the support of your colleagues.
I'm a part of a team, and I'm no better or any worse than any single player on this team. That's the approach I've always had and will continue to have. It's not about me. It has never been all about me. If it had, this would have been a really lonely journey.
The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime.
To me, teamwork is the beauty of our sport, where you have five acting as one. You become selfless.
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