Leadership is... Discipline

Each week, we visit a specific character trait common in leaders. Our Leadership Series is on-going, and it is something we like to make sure stays a part of the bigger picture. Football is about more than just Friday Night. It is about developing leaders in the community. That is one of the central ideas of our off-the-field program goals.

This week, we discuss Discipline:

The most important single ingredient to success in athletics or life is discipline. The disciplined athlete:

1. Does what has to be done. 
2. When it has to be done. 
3. As well as it can be done. 
4. And does it that way all the time. 

In the game of football, an average team with discipline can beat a more talented team that lacks discipline. Success on the football field is the end result of the discipline demanded by the coaching staff and followed by the athletes. The coaches need to require discipline in order to provide structure, order and direction. The athletes need to make discipline a part of everything they do in order to be able to stay focused on those things that are important to success.

Choose to be disciplined. (Discipline yourself and others won’t have to.)

Away From Practice/School:

• Eat right. 
• Get plenty of sleep. 
• Hang around with people that will make you better—not bring you down. 

In School:

• Aim for perfect attendance. 
• Pay attention to everything the teacher says. 
• Sit where you can hear and are not distracted by others. 
• Write all assignments down in your planner. 
• Do all of your homework and study for tests. 
• Let your behavior serve as a positive role-model to others. 

At Practice:

• Always be on time. 
• Leave all personal problems/negative thoughts in the locker room. 
• Do your best in every aspect of practice—even the things you don’t like doing. 
• Give coaches your complete attention. 
• Try to make those around you better. 

During The Games:

• Realize the importance of pre-game habits—meetings/visualization. 
• Stay completely focused on your assignments—eliminate distractions. 
• Handle adversity—bad calls, mistakes, etc. 
• Respond to coaching. 
• Be a team player. 

After The Game:

• Win with class. 

“There are two kinds of pain when it comes to our daily conduct. There’s the pain of self-discipline and the pain of regret. Many people avoid the pain of self-discipline because it’s the easy thing to do. The pain of self-discipline is momentary but the pay-off is long lasting.”

“Discipline means sometimes doing what you really don’t want to do so that you can do what you really want to do.”