In sport, a huddle is an action of a team gathering together, usually in a tight circle, to strategise, motivate or celebrate. It is a popular strategy for keeping opponents insulated from sensitive information, and acts as a form of insulation when the level of noise in the venue is such that normal on-field communication is difficult. Commonly the leader of the huddle is the team captain and it is the captain who will try and inspire his fellow team members to achieve success. Similarly after an event a huddle may take place to congratulate one another for the teams success, or to commiserate a defeat. The term "huddle" can be used as a verb as in "huddling up".
The huddle is commonly used in American football and Canadian football to strategise before each play; the offensive team's huddle is almost always led by the quarterback, and the defensive huddle is typically led by one of the linebackers. It is also popular in basketball, football and cricket.
The huddle became more widely used in cricket after the India national team used it to great success during the 2003 Cricket World Cup. The England team has imitated this technique with some success, notably in the 2005 Ashes series.
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Famous quotes containing the word huddle:
““Are you cold too, poor Pleiads,
This frosty night?”
“Yes, and so are the Hyads:
See us cuddle and hug,” says the Pleiads,
“All six in a ring: it keeps us warm:
We huddle together like birds in a storm:”
—Robert Graves (1895–1985)