Coaching Patterns vs. Coaching Manhood: Which One Are You Modeling?

Today's blog will be less about me writing reax (although I thought last night's Jalen Carter spitting on Dak Prescott incident ESPN link was PERFECT timing with our blog post Thursday TeamsOfMen link) and more a showcase of how to slightly twist professional development that coaches are already comfortable with into TeamsOfMen growth they usually aren’t.

The image above is from a post on X by Kevin DeShazo, who describes himself as a “Speaker and author [who] helps leaders and teams close the gap between their performance and potential. Co-Founder of @bebetterleaders.” This is LESS any sort of criticism of him and more a snapshot of coaches in general.

His post had 47k likes. That’s a solid-sized audience of people who agreed enough to smash the like button. But now ask yourself—what if I posted the reframing below? Would it hit the same way with coaches of male athletes, or would there be more hesitation…maybe even some pushback or disagreement?

Coach Prompt

What daily behaviors of mine are coaching “patterns,” and what daily behaviors are coaching “manhood”? Am I willing to blur that line in front of my guys?

Player Prompt

When you watch your coaches (or older players), what traits do you notice yourself copying—even if they’ve never told you to? Which ones are worth keeping, and which ones are worth unlearning?