I start this week by offering my deepest regrets to the Griffin family. On my right wrist is a purple bracelet that says, “Strength – JG.” I plan to wear this bracelet during the rest of my track meets and games in which I play.

The winter season is halfway over for some, and for others it’s almost done. Here is a quick recap of how teams are doing so far.

Girls’ basketball is still searching for the elusive first win, but having played against them, I’m confident it’s only a matter of time before they get it.

Boys’ hockey made some line changes and was able to recover after a 3-0 loss to Lincoln-Sudbury with a 7-2 victory against Dracut.

Girls’ hockey saw their seven-game win streak come to an end against Waltham on Saturday, losing 3-1.

The boys’ swim team fell to Westford Academy, but the girls were able to prevail and are 8-0 this season.

There is a reason I ended with the swimming teams; I’m using it for a transition to this week’s topic — team. I can honestly say that I had not been a part of a true team until this past fall while on soccer. It was a collaborative effort from the top down that made me love every teammate. It gave me extra incentive to perform; not only was I out there for myself, but I was representing and playing for my team.

You are not a team just because you’re all on the same roster, all wear the same uniform and all have the same coach. There are plenty of things that need to be put aside, like egos, disputes or whether or not you and your teammates are friends. If all that gets worked out, it can create an unbreakable bond and help performance.

The team factor is more profoundly seen in the more grueling sports. Defining a grueling sport will probably spark its own argument, but swimming is one example. Swimming has been called a cult because of how much time they spend at the pool and how much time they spend together out of the water. But all that time spent together has created a strong team bond.

It’s like the corny part in any sports movie when the team comes together, then the music starts playing and they win a bunch of games. I think the bond created does actually contribute to success, and one thing you cannot question about the swim team is their success. However, just because teams are or aren’t successful doesn’t mean that they do or don’t get along. There is more to sports than that, but in high school sports, I think really loving your teammates can win you some games.

I hope the players who read this will do their best to become better teammates and commit to creating a team atmosphere.

As always, check Warrior Scores for the latest.  And it actually feels like winter; now all we need is snow that sticks.