Stop Searching for the Work. You’re Already Doing It.

I found myself frantically scrolling through my various platforms today looking for inspiration for this blog (and as you know, it’s rare that I can’t find an example of something online that speaks to the need for the TeamsOfMen framework in team rooms of male athletes).

But then it hit me:

“Kip, you fool — the time you spent with your guys around that circular table yesterday was the work in action.”

Let me explain (without naming names or quoting directly — the trust my guys give me deserves protection).

Yesterday, a few of my older players helped me work a booth at a school-wide event. In between conversations with students and staff who came by, the downtime turned into something deeper. We started sharing some of the very questions and prompts I post here — and then, I just listened.

They bounced ideas off one another, challenged each other, shared their own experiences. Real talk. Real growth.

That’s the essence of TeamsOfMen. We can spend all day talking about frameworks, shirts, or session plans, but the work itself? It’s when we create intentional space for our players to wrestle with things that matter — right now and in the future.

So, while there’s no viral clip or sports controversy for today’s blog, there’s something better: proof.
Proof that when we create space for the work, the work shows up.

Coach Prompts

• When’s the last time you just listened to your players talk about real life—not the game?

• How do you intentionally create space for your players to talk about things that don’t show up in a stat sheet?

• What’s one moment from this week where the “work” (your character, trust, or connection goals) actually showed up—and did you stop to notice it?

• How could you make those moments more consistent, not accidental?

Player Prompts

• What’s one thing you said or heard in our team conversations lately that stuck with you? Why?

• What’s a topic you think guys our age need to talk about more—but usually don’t?

• When conversations in this room get real, how do you usually react—lean in or pull back? Why?