8/6/2019 Motivation - You Know When You Have a Special Football Team

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MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY

MOUNTAINEER FOOTBALL

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A SPECIAL FOOTBALL TEAM WHEN...

1. Everyone shows up to meetings and practices at least 5 minutes early

2. Players who are going to be late or will not be able to show up for any FB related activitycontact the coach in advance to inform and explain

3. Injured players are rehabbing, or with their position group during practice watching, learning,and encouraging as they "play through their teammates performances

4. No one "walks" on the playing field at any time during a practice session. Players are always onthe hop

5. You learn to work intently with high concentration while being playful at the same time

6. After every practice rep, individuals give encouraging feedback to a team mates

7. Players learn how to stay completely focused and intense for a 2 hour practice, as preparation forgame type intensity and concentration

8. Players who are frustrated with the play don't "show it" but simply go back to work

9. Players run off the field through, and not to, the sideline

10. Your team is more interested in going 41 yards than 39

11. Players are as excited about their teammates success as their own successes

12. Someone makes a special play and 10 guys or more acknowledge it with a meaningful word ofencouragement or touch

13. Players who realize that they are not in shape take it upon themselves to find creative ways to doextra conditioning, so that their play is not a liability to the team's best effort

14. Players are out before practice officially begins working on their skills. They are always takingadvantage of opportunities to improve

15. Players stay out after practice officially ends to do extra conditioning or work on any areas oftheir play that needs improving

16. Leaders on the team pick up the field, locker room, bus, hallways, and dining hall whether theymade the mess or not

17. Players treat coaches, team mates, and opponents with respect no matter what

18. Players greet each other with a kind word whether in class, at practice, or around town

19. The backside corner, backside linebacker, and all the defensive linemen chase the play down

20. All offensive linemen cover downfield on every pass attempt

8/6/2019 Motivation - You Know When You Have a Special Football Team

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21. Players behind the ball, be it 5 or 50 yards behind are still chasing full speed

22. During a game when the opponent is dropping back to pass the people on the sideline yell"PASS" and "BALL" every time

23. The QBs carry out their play fakes every time, every play and take charge in the huddle withencouragement and a positive attitude

24. The RBs and WRs love blocking as much as touching the ball

25. Players look the coach in the eye when he is giving them feedback and correction, and arehumble and teachable in response

26. Players are less concerned with being hip and more concerned with being excellent

27. Players realize that all these things are done not because you HAVE TO but because you WANTTO.

CONCLUSION

By themselves, the items above appear to be LITTLE THINGS and I'm not saying that if you do not dothese LITTLE THINGS that you will not succeed. I'm only saying that if you do not consider these

things, then there is a small chance the team will reach its fullest potential AND if you run up againstsomeone who DOES DO these things...you will be in trouble. Because when you do the LITTLE

THINGS, the BIG THINGS take care of themselves. If something is important enough to do, then it isimportant enough to do it right.

"It's supposed to be hard.

If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it.The hard... is what makes it great".