The first team sport I ever played was basketball in sixth grade at Cornerstone Academy in Helena, Montana. I didn’t exactly join the team by choice—my father declared it was time I picked a sport, and, apparently, puppetry and magic tricks didn’t qualify. Spoiler alert: I was terrible.
I vividly remember one game where I confidently passed the ball straight to a player—on the other team. Another time, I launched a perfect shot… right into the opposing basket. My teammates were understandably unamused. Still, after two years, I clawed my way from “least valuable player” status to something resembling “average.” Progress!
That do-it-yourself streak was strong in me, even from a young age. So naturally, when I joined the Army National Guard, I suggested during a tent-building exercise that we each set up a tent solo. Logical, right? My sergeant disagreed. Loudly. He made me run laps, barking, “We fall or fly together, Oelrich—ALWAYS.” As it turns out, military tents are definitely not a one-person job.
My DIY instincts didn’t serve me any better in dating. Early in one relationship, I asked a guy to the movies and suggested we each see different films, then meet up afterwards to discuss. Efficient! He blinked at me and said, “You know that’s not how dates work, right?” On another occasion, I booked a solo vacation without telling my then-partner. I still can’t believe he stuck around as long as he did.
Luckily, I eventually met someone who didn’t just teach me the value of teamwork, he became my team. He’s now my husband, and together we’ve proven time and again that we’re stronger side-by-side. I dream big and paint fast; he reads the fine print, chooses the perfect color, and makes sure the trim is actually level. He turned my solo missions into true collaborations.
Together we’ve organized community events, launched fundraisers, started organizations, and survived home renovations. It’s not always easy, but it's always better when we tackle it together.
The teamwork lessons I’ve learned from my husband have served me well in my professional life too. I’ve had the honor of leading a stellar team of community leaders at Priority Spokane who together have succeeded in improving our community in ways that no single individual alone could have. Together this team raised high school graduation rates, housed hundreds of homeless children and their families, expanded mental health services, and more. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Right now, that lesson feels more important than ever. As the LGBTQ+ community and many others face increasing challenges and attacks, we need our teams more than ever. It’s tempting, when things get hard, to retreat into ourselves—pull back into our shells. But what we really need right now isn’t more turtles. We need wolves. We need to run as a pack, to protect each other, to fight side by side.
So, find your team. Join your pack. Build your tent together. And whatever you do, don’t watch a movie alone on date night.
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