Creating a community

To the guys above, I am in total agreement. I believe "total abandonment of self and collective passion for the whole" is a recipe for success. We have had weekly eats (position specific), bon-fires, give kids rides home, walk the extra mile for them, let them know they are more than an X or an O, a kid won't necessarily remember what you teach them years from now, but they will always remember how you made them feel, when they know how much you care for them...it's like lighter fluid to a fire.

If the relationship (respect) is made, your arrows of correction will be fealt, but won't kill the soul.

great topic! "No greater love, then he lay his life down for his friends."

One thing we do is we do not introduce our starters. Remember the Patriots vs the Rams in the Super Bowl? That is where I took the idea from. Since that time I have always told the PA announcers home and away to just introduce us as "THE MUSTANGS" and we will come running from the endzone to the sideline. Most of them still look at me like I'm goofy, but it is a big deal to us.

Another thing we do to foster a sense of community is everyone is responsible for getting out and putting away the equipment, balls etc. For years it was the freshmen's job (like it is at many schools). I came in and changed it and was met with seriously stiff resistance by each senior class until last year. Either this group just accepted that this is the way it was going to be or they realized what I am trying to do. What we do is each grade does equipment for a week. Then it cycles through as long as the season goes on. And we start with the seniors...b/c they are the leaders and need to show the younger kids how it is supposed to be done.

We have our team meal on Thursday after practice like I'm sure a lot of teams do, everyone must attend. We constantly talk about how the team in like car. Each part of the car serves a purpose and without the car does not run efficiently. Yes certain players play bigger roles than others. But the engine would be useless without the wheels, which would be useless without the lug nuts. So which part is "really" more important? The big motor which everyone sees and checks out or the small "insignificant" lug nuts which hold the wheels on? The analogy can go on and on. The bottom line for our kids is each of them has an important role to play on the team. Without you we are incomplete and will not function as well.

I like the idea of having the OL have special things, those guys are where the game is won and lost.