New member Diniz experiences the initial phase of joining Team Essent as both a time of adjustment and opportunity for growth.
Schaatsen.nl, Netherlands
While coach Orie primarily observes how the new sprinters move and train, the team members are starting to get to know each other more personally. For Diniz, the current week feels like the first day of school. He shares with a laugh that he was wondering where he needed to go to this morning, as he was faced with different faces and a new hotel environment. Although most skaters have known each other for years through competitions and training, Diniz is adjusting to this new setting.
Orie notes that the existing team members interact very easily with one another, likely due to their familiarity with each other. However, he stresses that team bonding does not come from just socializing. According to him, true connections form during the toughest moments, such as enduring intense training sessions. These situations reveal how each person responds under fatigue and what their needs are, which helps the team grow closer over time.
Orie considers this dynamic a key strength of an effective team. He explains that within a team one must both take and give back – simply taking is not sustainable, but completely sacrificing oneself is not the answer either, because ultimately each athlete must perform individually in competition. With a balanced approach, new training challenges, and increased competition at practice, Diniz aims to continue making progress within Team Essent and move closer to his major objective: completing the 500 meter sprint within 33 seconds.
