I have been watching the college baseball world series this past week. One thing that I have noticed is how often the players and coaches being interviewed on T.V. use the word “love.”

“I love this team.”

“I love my coach.”

“We just love each other.”

The type of love they express is built on endurance and a willingness to make challenging sacrifices for the team. They love each other because they have endured demanding workouts and tough losses – just to name a few trials.

The endurance of sticking together when times got tough, and the willingness to consistently make personal sacrifices for the team, in and out of season, has developed into a powerful bond and trust – a love.

To put it simply; they love each other because they can count on each other to give all they have for each other. Each player is focused on the team’s success, not their individual success. It’s a beautiful thing.

Any doubt of that not being the case has been erased from their mind. They become like the 3 Musketeers: All for one, one for all. That type of commitment does not come easy. I had shirts printed for my team one year that read,

“A4O – O4A” It did not take them long to figure out what that meant.

Life is no different.

When you are surrounded by family and friends that have your back, you become stronger, you aim higher, and you take better care of yourself for them.

“I’ll take care of me for you, if you promise to care of you for me.”

-Jim Rohn

That sounds to me like an early glimpse of what heaven will be like.

When I was coaching baseball in college, I tried to demonstrate this type of mentality with our “Shoeshine.” Before the season, I would gather my team together to shine each other’s baseball game shoes.

I got the idea from the parable in the Bible of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. A display of servanthood. A bit of a stretch, but it worked!

The goal was not to get everybody’s shoes looking good, but an attempt to act out humility and sacrifice to each other.

I wanted the message to be sent that we are in this together and no individual is more important than the team.

I would allow my seniors to say a few words about the season, and then have a player read “Why the Shoeshine?” to the team.

WHY THE SHOESHINE?

We come together tonight with the total agreement that we need each other to become the best team we can possibly become. Without each other we are weak and fragile, but together we can and will accomplish unimaginable things. Therefore, in a sincere effort to demonstrate humility and acceptance of the fact that no individual is above us all, we shine the shoes of a teammate. There is no room for selfish desires if we intend to be called a TEAM. We must seek out and destroy anything that will hinder us from achieving unity. So, find a teammate, shine his shoes. And be sure you let him know that you will not let him down and that you have his back, no matter what comes our way. Team first!

I never personally attended a “shoeshine.” I always let my players have that time. It served to be a good team building activity and the players always looked forward to it.

What I liked was when they walked onto the field the next day, they all had shiny shoes. A reminder of the commitment they had made to themselves and each other.

It was never about the shoes; it was about the act of service.

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Todd Howey is a columnist for BrownwoodNews.com whose articles appear on Fridays. Email comments to [email protected].