The 3 C’s of Team Chemistry
May 27, 2026
2:00–4:00 PM PT / 3:00–5:00 PM MT / 4:00–6:00 PM CT / 5:00–7:00 PM ET
Guide athletes through connection, communication, and community.
The 3 C’s of Team Chemistry is a live, 2-hour, highly interactive online training designed to help coaches and sports educators build stronger, more resilient teams through intentional connection and communication. Grounded in social-emotional learning and equity-centered practice, this session provides a clear, practical framework – Connection, Communication, and Community to help athletes feel supported, engaged, and ready to lead alongside their teammates.
The 3 C’s of Team Chemistry was created for coaches, athletic directors, recreation and community-based sports staff, and middle and high school sports educators, especially those working with girls and gender-expansive youth in sports this training addresses real dynamics that shape team culture. Participants explore how gender norms and expectations can influence relationships on and off the field, including patterns like exclusion, gossip, cliques, or silent tension that often go unnamed but deeply impact performance and belonging.
This 2-hour online training is live, experiential, and highly interactive.
“All coaches, whether working with brand-new afterschool club teams, to guiding highly experienced players in highly competitive teams, will benefit from this training and be ready to use the activities and check-in tools right away.” –Dr. Jia Nettles, National Sports Program Director
What you’ll learn:
- Understanding how gender norms and expectations impact athletes’ relationships, such as exclusion, gossip, the silent treatment, or cliques.
- Building asset-based team cultures where athletes feel they belong, can communicate openly, and feel that they belong in community.
- Practicing communication strategies, such as processing losses without blame, or conflict as an opportunity for change.
Price:
This training is offered at NO COST thanks to our partnership with Pinterest. Registration required.
Because when athletes feel heard, valued, and connected, motivation deepens, trust strengthens, and performance follows.
Why is this especially important for girls?
Many girls and gender-expansive youth face real challenges in sports, from lack of access to the right gear to team cultures that value competition over connection. On top of that, even the most talented athletes falter under pressure and team chemistry issues can derail a season, or motivate a girl to drop out of her sport altogether. Coaches play a powerful role in shifting this—by creating environments where girls and gender-expansive youth maintain focus under stress, foster trust among players with big personalities, and build a resilient team culture that supports both winning and long-term growth. Effective communication and genuine connection are foundational to successful teams. When athletes feel heard, valued, and part of a supportive community, motivation, trust, and performance increase.
Facilitator
Dr. Jia Nettles
National Sports Program Director
Check Girls Leadership’s sports programming here.
On February 1, 2023, Girls Leadership and Warriors Basketball Academy powered by Rakuten co-hosted an event in celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day — a nationwide celebration to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sports and life. Check out the inspiring pictures here, and learn what basketball means to the girls and how they plan to support others in their basketball and leadership journey.
Girls Leadership also offers private online trainings and in-person trainings.
Ready to Bring Girls Leadership to Your Athletics Program?
Contact us at info@girlsleadership.org.
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