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I received a pair of emails over the weekend that I thought were worth sharing. They both dealt with the same subject, and with the impending end to the winter sports, they seemed appropriate to mention in this week’s blog.

The first email was from a basketball coach who wanted to buy copies of my children’s book Be a Good Teammate to use as gifts for her team’s seniors on their upcoming Senior Night. She wanted to know if we could ship the books in time for her event. I assured her we could.

The second email was from a parent who was the president of his son’s high school booster club. He wanted to place a bulk order of Be a Good Teammate to give to every athlete at their school’s sports banquet. He wanted to know if we could help him out with a discounted bulk rate. I assured him we could.

I certainly didn’t intend, nor even envision, the book to be used in this manner. It was written for children. But seeing it used as a gift for older students has become a fairly regular occurrence, and I am glad that it has.

The reality is there isn’t a Hallmark card for the occasion. And frankly, even if there was, a card wouldn’t be as impactful. For about the same price, the book sends a more meaningful, lasting message than a Hallmark card, or most other traditional end-of-season gifts for that matter.

When I graduated high school, my friend’s mother gave me a copy of the Dr. Seuss book Oh, the Places You’ll Go. She wrote a short message inside the cover, encouraging me to explore the world and enjoy all of the experiences life had in store for me.

Like most people, I got a lot of cards when I graduated high school. I am sure they all had something nice printed inside them and most of them probably even contained money. But several decades have now passed, and I can’t remember any of those cards or what I spent the money on.

However, I have never forgotten Oh, the Places You’ll Go.

I often tell people I grew up in a very small town, but that’s actually a misleading summation, since I lived quite a few miles away from the closest thing resembling a “town.” At any rate, that Dr. Seuss book inspired me to seek new adventures and the confidence to experience the world. Its message was never far from my heart every time I chose a life-altering direction.

Be a Good Teammate was initially written as a bit of advice for my own daughters. I hoped that if and when they reached a time in their life when I was not there to guide them, the book’s advice would do so.

Its message is simple: You don’t have to play sports to be a good teammate in life.

As recent headlines somehow seem to remind us, it is important to have good teammates in the world, and it is even more important for us to teach young people to think and act like good teammates.

If you’re a coach or a booster club parent, can you think of more meaningful life advice to share with your departing athletes than “Be a good teammate?”

I can’t.

Years from now, they’ll likely recall that advice and be grateful to you for sharing it, just as I am grateful to the person who shared Oh, the Places You’ll Go with me.

As always, remember: Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.

(*By the way, if you are interested in ordering copies of Be a Good Teammate for your athletes, send an email to info@coachloya.com and we will go out of our way to help you.)

 

Lance Loya is the world’s preeminent authority on the good teammate mindset. He is a college basketball coach turned author, advocate, and professional speaker, who inspires TEAMBUSTERS to become TEAMMATES. You can follow him on Twitter, Facebook, or through his weekly Good Teammate blog.

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