WHETHER it is on the field or in the locker room, great organizations understand the strategies to turn a group of individuals into a cohesive and successful team.
Not all groups of individuals are teams.
Successful teams have distinct characteristics such as shared leadership, fluid responsibility, accountability to the group, and shared goals.
To understand this sense of shared vision and teamwork, one need not look to the sky, but the Lautoka football team.
The top down, from president Abdul Kadir to the equipment manager, made sacrifices have earned them a status, that other organizations envy the Blues of the last three years.
The back to back (2017-2018) IDC and the back to back, Premier League title wins, the 2016 BOG, 2017 CVC, reaching the O League final and the Pacific Cup qualification are the epitome of teamwork.
The three-year run is Lautoka’s modern day record, not that the district hasn’t won a back to back IDC, which they have, 1941-1942, 1949-1950, 1964-1965 and the 1984-1985, a first treble, 1957-1958-1959, but the 2016-2018 feat is something for the fans and organization to marvel as coach Kamal Swamy has matched legendary Lautoka coach, Mike Thoman’s emphatic 5 major championship hauls.
Thoman’s record stands, 1984-1985, IDC, 1985 BOG and 1984 and 1988 Premier League titles.
The difference, Swamy did it in the three years he has been with the district and Thoman achieved the same in 5 year’s ending in 1988.
Thoman could’ve leapfrogged had it not been for that infamous Johnny Bakridi, referring gaffe during the 1986 IDC match against Ba, as the Blues were destined for a three peat that didn’t come about.
Bakridi’s sleep at the watch gave Ba an added 10 minutes for Ivor Evans match winner and precluded a semifinal fixture against Suva and what could’ve earned a grand finale match against Nadroga.
But Swamy’s two-legged 2017 CVC win for the year end playoff has the incumbent neck out, but the home and home series doesn’t compare close to the four major Fiji tournaments.
It goes without saying that Swamy’s passion for the sport and coaching had him come out weeks after coming out of the heart surgery in India and guide the team from the bleachers to win the 2016 BOG.
His tactical and technical lace is what set-in motion the stellar years that followed.
The astute, so deserves the plaudits in the leaps and bounds as he certainly has what it takes to mold individuals into a championship winning team.
That is with selflessness, vision and shared goals, the district is destined for greater heights in the years ahead.
