Stories that you use.

I don't tell a lot of stories because i don't think i am good at it, but we used to beg my high school coach to tell us stories everyday. We would be on the edge till the last word. I was him last year at a track meet and hadn't talked to him in a while and i asked him about a story he used to tell about a former player. I love that man.

One thing personal i do tell them is "i believe your team is your family. I had six guys in my wedding. Three relatives and three team mates. And my best man i blocked for four years."

Also i drop quite a bit of quotes:

Some kids will talk About potential and i will chime in "you know what Bear Bryant said...potential gets you fired"

Or they will say they hate reading and i will chime in "you know what mark twain said...the man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over guy who can't read them."

I also say a lot force equals mass times acceleration so play fast!

I definitely talk too much!

We had a kid on our freshmen team at another school I was at that was a real good kid but just didn't have a place starting on the field. We had 30+ freshmen so it was easy to get lost. We had a really good team and the kid spot played some defensively. He wasn't bad, just not as good as those in front of him. We had a stud at RB, but a kid who had been that way his whole life and he was one of those kids you just had this bad feeling might not make it at the varsity level. Sure enough, the next year, this RB was falling out of favor because he didn't work hard, hadn't improved, etc. This freshman who barely played busted his tail all off season and ended up being a varsity RB as a sophomore.

I tell this story to my young kids to motivate them for the off season. It's an unlikely chance, but it happens.

Heck at the place I'm at now we had a kid that didn't play as a freshman on the JV team last year because he wasn't very good and this year he's our best JV player because he busted it all off season long. So it can happen.

Great thread idea. Wally Pip is a mainstay.  Like fantom, I tell it my way.

One that I use regularly at some point in every season is the "Burn the Ships" story. www.lukeshavak.com/inspirational/burn-your-ships/

I use that story when we have couple of road games back to back. or a tough journey ahead.  The idea is that not only will be not turn back, but we CAN'T turn back even if we wanted to.  We must conquer everything in front of us or perish trying.  My kids love that one.

I even use the story of David and Goliath.  I refer to David preparing for the battle by searching for "Five Smooth Stones."  Then I talk about the preparation he made by activating his faith (I tie in faith by explaining that we have to have faith in each other-or faith in something bigger than us).  I also explain that Goliath had on hundreds of pounds of armor.  And then I pose the question: if he was so dominant, why did he need so much protection? 

So, I try to plant the idea, when we are going up against a bigger opponent, that they have an insecurity/weakness, we just have to find it.  After David slayed Goliath, he had four stones remaining.  Why?  Because Goliath had four brothers.

Preparation, confidence (one shot one kill), and faith.  When, I'm done they're ready to tear the doors down.

Another one I use is from a newspaper ad (circa 1914) from Antarctic explorer Earnest Shackleton: "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success."

First of all, "Men wanted."  Not boys.  I don't coach boys (no offense to youth coaches-in fact hats off to you).  At least that is a message I try to get across to high school young men.  And then everything else is just about how the ad was not calling for the common man.  It was calling for the man who was willing to take a chance for greatness and honor.  It was calling for the guy who knew it would be tough, but he joined anyway.  That's football.

I have others, but these are just a few that I use.

I like to tell them the story of the 3 midgets who were waiting in the line at the Guinness book of world records office vying for the record of "world's smallest male organ"

so the 3rd guy goes in, and comes out sad to hear that he has the 3rd smallest one in the world

the 2nd goes in and comes out sad to hear that he has the 2nd smallest in the world

the 3rd goes in cocky, feeling that he has the title wrapped up, but comes out angry as a hornet. The other guys ask what happened, and the midget shakes his head and says "who the hell is (insert name of starting quarterback)"

As a history guy, I use that a lot. Our program is young and has had little success, so when the opportunity is right, I bring up Washington, Lincoln, Gettysburg, D-Day, important dates and events. Things that men came together for a common goal and are never forgot for.

I use D-Day for overcoming obstacles in the face of great adversity.

This quote is said often "Ever been bitten by an elephant? Ever been bitten by a mosquito? It's the little things in life that bite."

If I ever take charge of a program, our core tenents will be based on the 5 smooth stones. 

I use the, 'The world doesn't need another common/average man; be a great man' all the time. I wish I could find that poem. 

A guy I coach with uses the Newhall shootout as a tool to emphasize that how you practice will determine how you perform under pressure. 

Newhall Shootout

I realize that this story isn't technically true, but the "don't pick up the shell casings" is a memorable line and sticks with the kids.


I am a big fan of talking about how your brain works and how people learn, but I am a big nerd.

Myelination of nerve impulses

Its just a different way of saying "Practice makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect"