50+ Reasons for Hope
I’m not going to lie…I’ve had a hard time the last 48 hours finding a topic to use this space for.
I’ve been as busy as ever, in terms of in-person TeamsOfMen presentations, meetings, Zooms, etc, but the usual part of my day that is easiest for me (finding a current event in sports/pop culture to blog about here) has been difficult.
I don’t think it’s due to a sudden moral climb in the world (there’s plenty of awful still in all the feeds and inboxes I use to find topics).
Maybe it’s from the very human need for a refill of capacity and/or HOPE.
I got a jolt of that from my in-person parent night with moms and dads of male athletes at Catlin Gabel HS. 50+ parents filled a forum where I we worked through various topics and pain points that could be taking up space (physically, mentally, and emotionally) in their boys’ lives.
We talked for 90 minutes about:
The Cornell 7×57
AI Deepfakes
Gambling
Laughter as Currency
“As a Man, I Gotta”
Grifters
And we didn't just TALK. We tried to rep scenarios where we might be able to make an impact in a young man’s decision-making process.
A powerful night that of course I can’t guarantee will move the needle with every single person there (or the boys they hold dearly).
I was impressed by the MEN in attendance, as past parent nights have been overwhelmingly “boy moms.” Last night we were much closer to a 60/40 split than the usual 90/10 and I think there is hope in that.
More dads showing up to have these conversations is something worth celebrating.
I don’t have grand takeaways for you in that space (I already posted on our socials some of the powerful feedback and positive scores/reviews), but I do remain hopeful for more of those types of events.
Because for all the time I spend in this space asking men to do better, it sure feels good to be in a room full of people who showed up because they WANT to.
And maybe that's the refueling I needed.
Coach Prompts
When was the last time you intentionally recognized men who were showing up to do the work, ratherthan only focusing on those who weren't?
Are you creating opportunities for the fathers and male caregivers in your program to practice the same human skills you expect from their sons?
What have you seen recently that gives you actual evidence of HOPE in the young men you're coaching?
Player Prompts
Who is a man in your life who has shown you what it looks like to keep learning, even as an adult?
When was the last time you voluntarily entered a conversation you knew might challenge something you believed?
What's something you've seen another guy do recently that made you hopeful about the kind of men your generation can become?
