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Maybe I should start a blog. This pretty much sums up my thoughts, I used it with my high school baseball team a few years ago, even gave them MAN cards; many still carry them.

R.E.A.L. M.A.N.

Responsible-A real man is dependable and takes responsibility for his own actions. He doesn’t make alibis or excuses. He doesn’t blame coaches, umpires, or other players for his own lack of success, but rather examines himself to recognize what skills He needs to improve on. He doesn’t listen to those who want to make excuses on his behalf, but instead works harder to become better.

Encourager-A real man encourages those around them to become better. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” In a game defined by failure players who are able to encourage themselves and their teammates are invaluable. Real men hold their teammates and themselves accountable for their actions and inspire each other to become their best.

Action-A real man is a doer, he does not sit back in the comfortable softness of inaction but instead is willing to put himself on the line for a chance at greatness. Where others see an obstacle that leads to failure, he sees an opportunity for success made greater by the challenge.

Leader-A real man leads not by words but by his actions. He does not wait for someone else to step up and get the job done; he wants to be the one. Anyone can be a leader in good times; a real man is the type of leader who knows the greatest victories come after difficult struggles and therefore keeps faith in himself and his teammates during hard times.

Mentor-A real man is willing to use their experience to help a younger or less experienced player become better. Instead of being threatened by the younger player’s talent, they realize that they can improve the team and be part of that player’s success. Be the kind of player that a coach could tell an underclassman to model themselves after.

Athlete-A real man honors his commitment to himself and the team by training himself as an athlete. He gets the proper amount of sleep, eats the right foods, and abstains from consuming products or engaging in activities that hinder his athletic performance.

Necessary-Every championship team I have been around has had at its core a group of players that embrace these principles. When two good teams play this is often the edge the winner has. This is how the underdog who the only people who think they can win are members of that team, defeats the popular favorite who has listened to the crowd and thinks the game is already won and that they only have to show up.

Boys don’t win Championships, REAL MEN do.

These principles will serve you well long after your playing days are over. The world needs real men; it is what employers want their employees to be, it is what wives want their husbands to be, it is what children want their fathers to be, and I hope it is what you want to be.

You will become a man, time and nature will see to that, but to be a REAL MAN is a choice, a choice that must be made everyday.

Most of this was pretty good, but:

> When the worst player on your son’s 8U lacrosse team, a player who couldn’t catch a ball if you threw it to him 600 times, is experiencing the pleasure of running up and down the field with his teammates while your son is spending some time on the bench, why is that a problem? This may be the last sports team that this boy ever plays on and it may be a positive memory that he can take with him of the rest of his life.

kind of lost me. I don’t want youth sports to be fiercely win-at-all-costs, but at the same time, those with athletic ability should be rewarded with more playing time then the low-skill (for whatever reason) ones.