Get Off the Sidelines
My son has played flag football for the last two years.
And I’ve noticed a pattern:
The organizers of the flag football league stand in front of a group of parents and make the same plea: “Dads, we need coaches. Please step up and help.”
And every season, the room gets quiet.
Not many volunteer. Most dads attend practices and games though, with their folding lawn chairs, phones in hand, content to watch from the sideline.
It’s not that they can’t help. It’s that they don’t want to.
I Get It
I’ll be honest—sometimes I don’t want to either. I’d rather sit back, enjoy the evening, and let someone else carry the load.
But here’s the truth: what’s required of us as men goes far beyond our own comfort.
A well-functioning community needs men who will step up and lead. NOT only in their own homes, but in the spaces where boys are watching, learning, and forming their view of what a man should be.
The Bar Is Too Low
Today, the bar for men is embarrassingly low. Simply being present with your family feels like a win. But that’s not leadership. That’s the baseline.
Our kids need more than our presence. They need our engagement. Our example. Our willingness to give of ourselves for something bigger.
And our communities? They need men who will coach, mentor, guide, and serve. Men who will roll up their sleeves…not just sit on the sidelines.
You Don’t Have to Do It All
Here’s the good news: stepping up doesn’t mean saying yes to everything.
You don’t have to coach every team, mentor every week, or lead every group. But once in a while, get off the sidelines. Say yes when it matters.
Because when men step up, kids see it. Families feel it. Communities change.
The Invitation
We weren’t made to live on the sidelines. And deep down, every one of us knows it.
So here’s my challenge: The next time you’re tempted to sit back—don’t. Step in. Offer your hand. Lead where you can.
Because the men who step up leave something behind that lawn chairs never will: a legacy.
Why We Built Guys Trip
This is why we built Guys Trip. It’s for high-character men who refuse to stay on the sidelines. Men who invest in themselves so they can lead, serve, and leave a mark that matters.
Because when you step off the sideline, you don’t just change your own life. You change the world around you.
