Mike, you are being assigned the letter “A.” Now you know why you received the letter “A” last season! The “A” stands for ATTITUDE. I  very much admire your attitude not only as a player, but also as a person. Last summer you exhibited the type of work ethic that I want all of our players to have. You put the time in the weight room  and, on the field, you were very easy  to coach because you are unselfish. As such, I am making you the leader of the Star Chamber. I am assigning you this important role because I know I can trust you to always do what is right.

Your responsibility will be to make sure that your teammates always exhibit a good attitude. Not all your teammates will have ideal attitudes, but there is no excuse for showing negative behavior that has a detrimental affect on the team. If you see this type of behavior, I expect you to give your teammate a friendly reminder that he is hurting the team. Remember, I don’t want you to be confrontational. If you see that someone’s attitude is such that you are having no success in getting him to modify his behavior, I want you to let me know so that I can address the problem. Your teammate will never know that you came to me.

Note that a bad attitude can take many forms. It might be a starter complaining about not getting enough carries, passes or recognition. It could be a second string player who is complaining about not playing enough. Don’t hesitate to approach me and discuss anyone’s attitude…even your coaches’ attitude and this includes me. Remember that no one is perfect.