The scores of players in attendance at the Vermont Alercio OLine Clinic were taught the steps, visual targets, strike points, techniques, angles, and leverage associated with offensive line play. They were also taught words like rate of force development, and transfer of force. But the most important word shared with them was “Selflessness.” It is a topic of discussion at the conclusion of every Alercio OLine Clinic and one of the most important aspects of being a successful and productive member of any team.
My favorite definition of the word is as follows: having little or no concern for oneself, especially regarding fame, position, etc. No position in football or athletics for that matter better exemplifies selflessness like the offensive line. The sole purpose of their job is to make others successful and they are consumed with doing their job. Their only reward is the team’s success and the brotherhood developed by working together with the other members of their unit in anonymity.
We all aspire to belong to something bigger than ourselves. For most of us, it starts with family. Those of us who are fortunate, find parents or relatives we want to emulate. We search for and hopefully find our own way to contribute to the legacy of all that’s come before us. While we have no say in the families we are born into, many of us later choose to belong to a team. That conscious choice reflects a perception of the value we see in such an affiliation. We are, after all, social animals, and our teams in many ways reflect our choice of a tribe to which we belong. In doing so we also choose to put the team’s interests ahead of our own. Through interdependence, we grow to recognize how we’re all stronger together than any of us would ever be alone. I think Offensive Linemen in particular, adopt and flourish in such a framework, and it’s a philosophy I’ve been blessed to contribute to for nearly four decades.
Please join me in congratulating these selfless teammates who attended the most recent iteration of the Alercio OLine Clinic.
Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!
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