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Hot Pot: It’s All About Attitude

There are a thousand different sayings and colloquial expressions that relate to hard work, teams, and winning, and many offer important lessons in sport, and in life. However nothing matters as much as attitude, and this is true for coaches, players, fans, and yes, even referees.

The hard thing about attitude, is that while there are a lot of right answers, there are also a lot of wrong ones, and the right answer is not always the same in every single case.

Generally speaking, a good attitude helps other people, as much as it helps you. A good attitude is open, hard-working, and honest, and a good attitude listens, and pays attention. It is much more than just following orders, and being a good soldier. A good attitude is about going the extra mile, simply because you can.

Here are some examples of a good attitude. How do these fit in to your game?

Throw the ball over a teammates head during warm ups? Go get the ball yourself, even though your teammate is closer to it. That’s a teammate with a good attitude. Get knocked over during a game, and pop right back up, looking for the ball? That’s a player with a good attitude.

Frustrated with your players because they are dropping passes in line drills? Change up the drill, refocus your guys, and take some of the pressure off. Let the players perform and improve. That’s a coach with a good attitude. Feel like a game is getting called against your team? Focus on what YOU can control. That’s also a coach with a good attitude.

Get yelled at during a game, but you kept in mind that both teams just want to win? Then you warn the coaches or players who get too passionate before a situation erupts? Knowing it’s not personal? Being the bigger person? Explaining penalties to confused looking players? That’s a ref with a good attitude.

Losing the game by a big score, and cheering your team on whenever they win a small battle like a ground ball or a face off? That’s a fan with a good attitude. Crushing the other team but cheering when they score a goal? That’s also a fan with a good attitude.

The situations go on and on, and attitude plays a major part in every single one of them. At the end of the day, all you really need to do is ask yourself one question: Am I working to make this game/event/practice BETTER, or WORSE, for EVERYONE? If your answer is better, you probably have a good attitude already.