MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEER FOOTBALL

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

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Everyone shows up to meetings and practices at least 5 minutes early Players who are going to be late or will not be able to show up for any FB related activity contact the coach in advance to inform and explain Injured players are rehabbing, or with their position group during practice watching, learning, and encouraging as they "play through their teammates performances No one "walks" on the playing field at any time during a practice session. Players are always on the hop You learn to work intently with high concentration while being playful at the same time After every practice rep, individuals give encouraging feedback to a team mates Players learn how to stay completely focused and intense for a 2 hour practice, as preparation for game type intensity and concentration Players who are frustrated with the play don't "show it" but simply go back to work 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 of encouragement or touch 13. Players who realize that they are not in shape take it upon themselves to find creative ways to do extra 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 taking advantage of opportunities to improve 15. Players stay out after practice officially ends to do extra conditioning or work on any areas of their play that needs improving 16. Leaders on the team pick up the field, locker room, bus, hallways, and dining hall whether they made 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

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 with encouragement 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 are humble 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 WANT TO. CONCLUSION By themselves, the items above appear to be LITTLE THINGS and I'm not saying that if you do not do these 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 against someone 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 is important 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".