From the Founder, Brian Mazza 10/17
The Line
Parents, this one is for you. The importance of touching the line!
The line represents far more than an annoying drill the coach makes your child do at practice. The line represents how you are supposed to do things. When a coach asks players to sprint to the line and touch it, it is not about conditioning. It is about conviction. It is about integrity. It is about teaching the next generation that excellence is found in the details, not the outcome.
That white painted line on the field is not just a boundary. It is a belief system. Every time a child cuts the line by an inch, they are building a habit that says almost is good enough. Every time they run through it, they are training their mind to finish what they start and to go all in regardless of who is watching.
Here is the truth most people avoid. Many parents want their kids to touch the line, but they do not touch the line themselves. And kids see it. They always do. They see when you say one thing and do another. They see when you start something strong and fade when it gets uncomfortable. They see when you rush through responsibilities or skip the hard things. They see when you do not finish your own lines.
The line is not about running. It is about life. If your child does not touch the line in practice, it is no different than not preparing for a test. Both reflect a lack of belief, not in talent but in effort. Not in potential but in commitment. When a child believes in themselves, they respect the process. When they doubt themselves, they look for shortcuts. The same principle applies to us as parents. When you operate with belief, you touch the line. When you operate from comfort, you convince yourself that being close enough is good enough. But good enough is the quiet killer of greatness.
Take a look at your own life. Do you touch the line at home? Do you finish what you start even when no one is watching? Do you show your kids what it looks like to prepare, not just participate? Do you hold yourself to the same standard you want for them? Our children learn belief by watching our behavior. If we cut corners in our health, they will too. If we talk about goals but never follow through, they will too. If we talk about effort but model excuses, they will too.
Every home has its own line. The way you wake up, the way you talk to your partner, the way you show up at work, the way you handle adversity, those are all lines. Your kids are watching which ones you touch and which ones you do not. The line is a metaphor for everything we stand for as parents, coaches, and leaders. It is not a punishment. It is a privilege. Because the ability to touch the line, to honor the standard, to finish the task, to respect the process, is what separates belief from doubt, discipline from excuses, and winners from almosts.
So the next time you see your child hesitate before the line, pause before you correct them. Look inward first. Ask yourself if you have been touching your line lately. The greatest lesson your child will ever learn will not come from a coach’s whistle. It will come from watching you.
Touch the line. Run through the line. Live by the line.
