Hi Parents,
I am sending more information about the transition we are making in practices
and games to incorporate more leadership and character development themes and
situations into these opportunities. The theme we are using in these
conversations is based on a simple premise….
“In
the absence of leadership we have chaos, and in that moment of confusion we
have the opportunity to provide leadership and bring order.”
These youth shared some excellent thoughts
and insights into that concept and we will be building upon that as the season
progresses.
Each week during this season they will be
placed in different situations that invites chaos and for them to assert the
ability to lead and bring order to that moment. Often these moments may be
frustrating for them, but that’s what we want. We want them to have the
resilience and perseverance to push through those situations, and to discover the
“ah ha” moment which will unveil something deep inside that causes them to
realize their potential to impact a situation and lead through it.
Those moments are golden and are the nuggets
that always bring the rewards of why we parent, coach, mentor and support our
youth. It also reveals the important value of sport and its application to
everyday life. This is why I believe in these
principles and apply them to our practices and games. In applying this concept
of leadership for a team that is comprised largely of 10 year old boys, I will
need your support and a lot of it to make it work well.
In helping the boys relate to the premise I
mentioned above I have chosen a set of three words – Duty, Honor, Team.
We will be using – Duty, Honor, Team as our
team rallying cry, our theme to assemble and unite the team around three core
concepts that I believe will make a difference in their lives now and far into
the future. Of course, these words are
modeled after General MacArthur’s historic speech “Duty, honor, country” that
was given at West Point to the Corps of Cadets on May 12, 1962.
As he pointed out in that speech….these three
hallowed words reverently dictate what you
ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying
point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there
seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.
For me, these humble, but potent words can
become powerful catalysts for these youth to develop the character and
leadership necessary to be successful in every facet of life whether on or off
the field of play.
Each week I will be introducing concepts,
situations, and other key terms to build upon the premise and theme of duty,
honor, and team. An initial orientation to this is what we discussed with
the players and explored each term, what it means and how it can be applied. If
you’re willing, please use this opportunity as a moment to engage your son in a
conversation about these concepts and terms and what they may mean to him on
and off the field.
Duty is the essence of what you’re supposed to do, when you’re
supposed to do it. It is the foundation of supporting a moral and ethical obligation.
Duty compels us to do the right thing at the right time, regardless of adverse
consequences. Duty requires that we accept responsibility for our actions. Duty
also looks beyond just satisfying the needs of the individual to finding
opportunities to benefit the “team” to which we belong.
(Note: the term “team”
needs to be clarified as meaning to be inclusive of family, friends, groups,
community, etc…)
How is it applied? Duty reveals
itself through the accomplishment of all required tasks, done on time and to
the best of one’s ability. When
exhausted, it is our strong sense of duty that should keep us going. It is that
same sense of duty that keeps the solider and policeman vigilant while on
patrol in the middle of the night. It is duty that encourages us to honor
commitments that might later cause us inconvenience. Said another way, duty is
all about doing the right thing, in the right way, for the right reason, at the
right place, at the right time, for as long as ever we can. We should do our
duty simply because it is the right thing to do and for no other reason.
Honor is the virtue of choosing the harder right over the easier wrong. Honor is not so much
a thing in itself as much as it is recognition of other things; especially
recognition of lives lived in well and in accordance with the virtues, most
notably prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude, faith, hope, and charity. Duty
and Honor are inseparable companion-values that travel everywhere together. For
example, it is our duty to behave honorably. Honor requires of us that we habitually live
to the highest standards, at all times, in all situations. An honorable person
believes that there are universal moral principles that bind us all. The
principle that calls on us to think, believe, feel, and act honorably forms the
foundation of TEAM.
How is it applied? When we
say that a person has behaved honorably, we mean that that person has
demonstrated a keen sense of, and strict adherence to, what is considered morally
and ethically right. It many ways honor is manifested in the Cadet Honor Code –
we do not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do. And in
applying the code to our daily life to be “honorable” it has three rules…..
(1) Does this action attempt to deceive
anyone or allow anyone to be deceived?
(2) Does this action gain or allow the
gain of privilege or advantage to which I or someone else would not otherwise
be entitled? And
(3) Would I be dissatisfied by the
outcome if I were on the receiving end of this action?
Team is
the characteristic of being a part of something bigger than you – all teams
exist to fulfil a higher purpose together. It’s about being in a special and unique
relationship with others that requires interdependence and the need for
collaboration to achieve a common goal. We have all heard the old saying, “There is no “I” in team.” and
that phrase signifies the important value of living a life that intentionally
lives to serve others and important causes.
The characteristic of being a team requires something of its members. It
holds them accountable to interact and influence each other to be
mutually accountable for achieving success. The basic
building block of this relationship in a team is selfless service and
commitment of each team member to each other to go a little further, endure a
little longer, and look a little closer to see how he can add to the effort and
be successful on and off the field of play. Successful teams require effective
communication and unifying relationships so members can coordinate and share
common objectives.
How is it applied? Bear
true faith and allegiance to your fellow teammates and coaches. Bearing true
faith and allegiance is a matter of believing in and devoting yourself to
something or someone. A loyal teammate is one who supports the leadership and
stands up for fellow players. By wearing a uniform you are expressing your
loyalty. And by doing your share, you show your loyalty to your team. You put
the welfare of the team before your own. Selfless service is larger than just
one person. In serving and contributing to your team, you are doing your duty
loyally without thought of recognition or gain.
Each
week we will discuss the premise - In the absence of leadership we have chaos, and in that
moment of confusion we have the opportunity to provide leadership and bring
order. And also reinforce our responses with our
rallying cry – “Duty, Honor, Team”.
I invite you to work with me in conveying and
reinforcing these concepts and principles during our soccer season and beyond.
I’ll need your support in my application of these characteristics and look
forward to working with you in a way that complements the desire of these youth
to develop, excel and have fun while doing it.
Please let me know if you have any questions
or comments about the direction I am going with this phase of the program. I am
very excited to see how each player responds and grows from this opportunity.
Thank you,
Coach Rich
302-300-6120 cell