There is a huge difference in training as an individual and training as a team. The individual is most important in an individual sport. He or she is the person who stands to gain or lose the most depending on performance. Hence, the individual will either have the desire to make it big or will back out after discovering he or she does not have the ability to translate talent into success. The coach acts as a guide or mentor.
Since performance is completely dependent on a single individual, there is only so much that a coach can do from the outside. However, role of coach in training and practice becomes completely different when the person is a part of a team. For starters, the interpersonal dynamics have to be considered. People are very completely comfortable when working alone as there is no scope of discontentment or irritation.
However, when you are in a team with four or five other individuals, you will have to learn to work together. You can afford to be self centered in individual sports. However, being self centered in a team sport can backfire if your teammates end up on the losing side. History is filled with instances where self centered individuals have worked well in a team environment by ensuring that the team won.
However, nobody likes a selfish person who gets what he or she wants without caring about the team. This mentality must percolate down in the training process as well. If you focus on your fitness and ignore the requirements and needs of your team members, chances are high that you will get booted out without any delay.
Another important factor that one has to consider is the level of comfort between various team members. A team with zero personal comfort between members will not win when against a team that is not only good on the field but is also a very close knit unit.
