Summer install #3 - ‘taco thursday’
One of the most underrated things you can build during the summer…
is connection.
Not just between players.
Between:
players
coaches
parents
and the program itself.
This install is simple—but it can completely change the feel of your summer.
Install #3 — Taco Thursday + The 4-for-4 Club
Every Thursday after your workout:
Feed the team.
Maybe it’s soft tacos.
Maybe it’s biscuits.
Pancakes. Donuts. Chick-fil-A.
Let parents have the freedom to change it up and own it.
Just make sure of one thing:
There’s more than enough.
Because the truth is…
Some kids, sadly, never see “more than enough” very often.
And a full table after a hard workout can mean more than most coaches realize.
How it works
Have parents rotate bringing food each week.
Players who hit your weekly attendance standard:
get recognized
first in line
part of the “perfect attendance” group that week
Then raise the stakes even more.
At the end of each month:
Players who go 4-for-4 (perfect attendance for the entire month) earn:
paintball
bowling
team activity
off-campus event
Something different.
Something they’ll talk about.
Why it works
Gives players something weekly to look forward to
Creates consistency instead of random attendance
Gets parents involved in the culture
Builds momentum throughout the summer
And most importantly…
It gives players a reason to show up even on the days they don’t feel like it.
Important
Don’t just post a workout schedule and hope they come.
Give the summer:
identity
energy
rewards
traditions
That’s what players remember.
Additional thoughts
Create a “4-for-4 Club” board in the weight room
Track weekly perfect attendance publicly
Make Thursdays feel different from every other workout day
As always: take pictures, post them, and celebrate it publicly
Players love being part of something that feels alive.
Now players aren’t just surviving summer workouts.
They’re trying to be part of something.
