The biggest loss after sport isn’t the schedule.
It’s the people.
The brotherhood.
The sisterhood.
The daily faces that made hard days lighter.
We still have the contacts.
We just don’t have them consistently.
And former athletes are built to thrive on a team.
I felt it the first month after the jersey.
Same alarm.
Different silence.
No locker room banter.
No “see you at lift.”
What I missed wasn’t just friendship.
It was camaraderie pointed at a goal.
So I rebuilt the room.
Who belongs in your new room
1) Similar roots
Preferably athletes—or people who understand practice, standards, and showing up when it’s hard.
2) Similar vision
Not identical careers.
Aligned direction.
They’re building a future that rhymes with yours.
3) Similar pace
Daily movers.
They don’t wait for motivation.
They keep the clock.
How to build it (simple, real steps)
Form a pod of 4.
Small enough for trust, big enough for momentum.
Practice block, not coffee.
60 minutes working together—deep work, training, or both.
Work first. Talk after.
Shared scoreboard.
Pen-and-paper streaks for Body / Skills / Relationships.
Post your marks to the pod. Lies can’t live on paper.
Monthly open gym.
Invite two new people who might fit the room.
Great rooms recruit on standards, not vibes.
Weekly Operating System
Monday – Plan the week.
Everyone names one meaningful milestone.
Tuesday–Thursday – Practice blocks.
Same time, same place, same standard.
Phones away. Headphones on. Timer set.
Friday – Post Proof.
Win / Lesson / Next rep.
Proof beats promise.
Sunday – Film review.
What moved? What dragged?
Adjust the practice plan. Set Monday’s first rep.
Culture rules (so it lasts)
Be early. Respect the block.
Bring someone with you. Service rep weekly—intro, feedback, ride, edit.
Talk like teammates. Direct, kind, specific.
No highlight fishing. We celebrate reps, not polish.
Standards over moods. We show up anyway.
7-Day Kickoff (run this now)
Day 1: Text three former teammates: “Building a small practice pod. You in?”
Day 2: Pick the standing block (time/place) and commit for four weeks.
Day 3: Print the scoreboard. Boxes for Body / Skills / Relationships.
Day 4: First spotlight. Choose one hard problem. Get film-level feedback.
Day 5: DBN rep, then post Proof to the pod.
Day 6: Open gym—invite two prospects to observe the block.
Day 7: Film review. Keep what moved. Cut what dragged. Write Monday’s first rep.
We’ll always have the drive to grow.
We grow faster with a room that pulls us forward.
Don’t wait for the old team to come back.
Build the new one on purpose.
Master Your Next Season.