Locker rooms build bonds.

Coach's note: before practice starts, I like to say something I believe: Locker rooms build bonds. When you step into that noisy, sweaty space — backpacks and cleats, water bottles and wet towels — you’re walking into more than a place to change; you’re stepping into a small team community where kids your age learn how to be together. As a coach I watch small things add up: the kid who offers a spare towel, the teammate who says “nice try” after a missed shot, the quiet high-five after a tough drill. Those moments are simple, and they matter. They teach you how to care for others, how to ask for help, and how to be brave enough to show that you don’t always have it all figured out. In a locker room you try on roles — leader, listener, fixer, comforter — and you discover strengths you didn’t know you had.

I want you to carry a few simple phrases with you that help build those bonds and make hard times easier. Saying “I’ve got your back” shows someone they’re not alone. Saying “I messed up, what did you see?” turns a mistake into a way to learn together. Saying “Breathe” or “One step at a time” can calm your nerves before a big game or a hard conversation. These short lines aren’t magic, but they are tools: they open doors to trust. Use them to check in with a teammate who seems down, to celebrate a teammate who tried even if they didn’t win, or to remind yourself that everyone in the room is practicing being better, not perfect.

Locker rooms are also places where laughter and silliness break the tension. A goofy chant, a funny hat, a shared snack — these are ways teams remember they’re people first, players second. When kids share jokes and stories, they learn to read faces and tone, to understand when someone needs space or a hug or a quiet word. That builds emotional muscles the same way sprints build your legs: practice matters. Coaches and older teammates can model kindness by saying “You matter” and showing up when someone needs a friend. Parents can listen when kids talk about locker-room moments, amplifying the idea that belonging is earned through small acts of respect and care.

So next time you zip your bag and step into the locker room, remember you’re entering a place where friendships are practiced like a playbook. Try saying a short, honest phrase to a teammate, listen more than you speak, and remember that every small act — sharing a towel, offering a smile, apologizing — adds up. Those tiny choices create a team where everyone feels safe to try, to fail, and to grow. Locker rooms build bonds, and those bonds help you become not just a better player, but a kinder person.