I hope this letter finds you healthy and happy. I first want to express my feelings about your final couple of weeks in high school. Over the rest of your tenure at your school it is imperative that you take advantage of every moment you have. Enjoy your friends and family from home because in a matter of a couple of months you are going to find yourself embarking on an entirely new lifestyle.

Your summer is your time to have fun and relax but as an incoming freshman and an integral member of the team you have responsibilities to fulfill and uphold. You committed the next four years of your life to this institution because you bought into the way our community represents each other and ourselves. I am very confident that you already understand the hard work and dedication that you must put forth in your upcoming days. However, I cannot over emphasize the importance of you being ready and capable to work upon your arrival.

Coach Taylor has put together a program for you to follow over the summer. These bound pages are your guidelines to success. Do not disregard them or take them lightly. Just to give you an insight of the type of work your teammates are doing over the summer, I will explain to you how I am preparing for our upcoming year. Three days a week I will be working on my foot speed, agility, and power. Two days will be strictly devoted to speed training and form running. I will also be lifting as directed in our summer program. On top of strength training and conditioning I will have my stick in my hands as much as possible, fine tuning the skills that are necessary for competition at the Division I Level.

We are a tight knit family and everything you do or do not do effects each athlete in our locker room. Please be prepared to give your best effort day in and day out. What you will experience during your first few weeks here will be like nothing else you have ever done. Playing a sport at this level is a job and a privilege but it will most likely be the most rewarding activity that you participate in over the next four years.

I welcome you to our family and I am very excited to see your new face in our locker room. Best wishes to you and your family.

Your teammate


Throughout my career motivated individuals have surrounded me. This inspiration at times was tough to feel during the daily grind, and other times the real life energy was obvious. When our paths cross, I am proud to see that the athletes come up to me for a handshake or high five and the stories they remind me about put an instant smile on my face.

This new segment will showcase the letters that many have written, myself or the athletes and coaches that I have worked with; to share their inspiration with those we call “teammates.” As you read through the messages that are shared, please remember that what is inside you can separate you from the rest. Look around and you may be surprised how many others are in need of just a little enthusiasm to push them closer to their goals: professionally, physically, mentally, etc.

I will begin with a letter that I sent to a team that I am still very proud of to this day. No names needed. Just a sincere message that I hope can impact others to pay it forward by giving energy to those around them.

Please leave your feedback in the comments section at the bottom. How are you preparing your team, coaches, administrators, staff, co-workers, sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers to have a positive mindset in both good and challenging times?