"To be a great team, you hold each other accountable, not to rules, but to a standard of excellence. You challenge each other to improve and make each other better. You set the standards and expect each other to rise up and meet them." The Power of a Positive Team
@JonGordon11
Sad day in Luteville, but happy our brother is in a better place & no longer in pain. Husband, father, coach, visionary, entrepreneur, storyteller, speaker, monarch, coug, bulldog, lancer, lute, leader, faithful follower, and so much more.
Rest In peace✌️love❤️and power✊ D! 👍
4 years! This pic is from spring practice 4 years ago! 4 years ago I officially started coaching at PLU! This place is special! Proud of what we’ve done, how we’ve done it, where we’re going, and most importantly, I love the people I get to do it with.
Go Lutes!
2 years ago, I sat in my office at PLU for the first time. Everyday, I work to lead student athletes with love; preparing them to live life as a team, take responsibility, persist in commitment, enjoy the journey, and never stop growing.
#TWPO
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈
#Purpose
@3DCoaches
Thank you to
@LinfieldFB
for thinking of our team during these challenging times.
The outpouring from the greater football community over the last week has been incredibly encouraging.
Derek would be 49 today!
His 48.5 years had ups and downs and he was an open book about it bc he knew his story could inspire.
So can yours.
His mantra was ‘GameTime’.
It can only be game time if you turn on the lights and let people in.
Thx for letting us in D. Love you!💛
Tues: our teammate died.
Wed: no fb to prioritize the grieving process.
@prmattb
suggested team activity to
@KordTuttle
to focus on releasing emotions outward healthily, not inward on themselves.
Thurs: after practice, we smash ceramic tiles & use the pieces to continue healing.
“Derek was a talented athlete turned dedicated coach who was passionate about leaving a positive mark on the world and had compassion for others by using his God given talents to inspire them to strive for greatness in their life.”
11/23/21
Rest In Peace Derek! 🙏
No matter how many people hold the title of head coach for
@PLUFootball
, this program will always feel the impact of this man. Thank you Frosty.
#GoLutes
Thanks to
@WhitworthFB
for allowing us to honor the loss of our teammate, Jordan Taff.
Nobody likes to lose, but nothing compares to the loss of a good person far too soon.
Please keep the Taff family in your thoughts and prayers.
#AlwaysALute
1st year complete. Looking back on the first year
@PLUFootball
with gratitude for the foundation we've set and the relationships we've established. Looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead for this program.
Build your TEAM and get to WORK.
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈
Each fall camp we face challenges, come together, and practice resilience. This year, we were down one of our
@PLUFootball
family members
@DerekSparks5
bc he is facing his own challenge with cancer.
Started this role
@PLUFootball
6 years ago today! Every day has been an amazing experience within a more amazing community that continues to get better and better. The future is bright in Luteville! 😎🏔️🌅🌇
Season 7 here we come!
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈
These guys had fun and got the job done. They pursued excellence on the practice field for 4 years. We fell short of our big goals, but our first full recruiting class
@PLUFootball
built on the classes that came prior to jump from 5th to 2nd in the NWC in 2022. Proud of you!⚔️🏈
Year one
@PLUFootball
in the books. Loved, laughed, cried, and learned a lot. So much to celebrate and always room to improve. Congrats seniors!
#GoLutes
#TWPO
⚔️
Every time I see Mount Rainier on my commute from
@PLUFootball
, I pause.
#Grateful
to love what I do, the people I do it with, and the place I get to do it.
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈🏔️
🚨Social media recruiting casualty🚨
Who you are online is a reflection of who you are in person. It's not everything, but it's a big snapshot. We eval a multitude of HS football players looking for the right fit. If you present yourself inappropriately, we're onto the next.
Another year in, it's obvious the impact I spoke of on this day last year reaches beyond just this program. "No matter how many people hold the title of head coach for
@PLUFootball
, this program will always feel the impact of this man. Thank you Frosty."
#GoLutes
This year more than ever we are grateful for the opportunity to compete in the game we love. I hope you’ll respond to our
@GoLutes
#PolarPlungeChallenge
and DONATE (link below) to Washington State Special Olympics and support those athletes getting to compete!
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈❄️🥶
Finished off our Bye Week
@PLUFootball
in the snow ❄️ with some words of encouragement and conviction from
@InspiredbyTA
.
Grateful to have him come speak to the team. Ready to get back at it next week!
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈
Reflecting on this year has me feeling like these photos.
Surrounded by great people. Focused on a common vision/goal. Fun, loving, supportive relationships.
Can’t wait to make 2022 the best year yet!
#TWPO
What a night of
@PLUFootball
practice last night and this week.
No guarantees, just preparing to capture opportunities. (
@TBrianKight
)
Not a bad backdrop for work.
🎨🖌️🖼️🌄🌇🌆
Photo credit:
@erikbainter3
Disappointing scoreboard results yesterday, but an absolute Win to share pregame and the coin flip with our Honorary
@PLUFootball
Captain Nick Olson through
@CoachToCureMD
!
#GoLutes
Super excited to have this little guy and his mama in this weekend! Can't wait to get them up here permanently after the school year! Notice the drawing of LanceLute on my desk!
@golutes
12 years! The journey is always better with an amazing partner! Happy Anniversary Alison!
“Loved you yesterday, love you still, always have, always will.” ~Unknown
🎨:
@TOON_UPz
Beautiful day for football!
⚫️🟡⚔️🏈
Missing our man
@DerekSparks5
, but keeping him front of mind this month with these 🎀🧦 as he battles cancer!
Keep fighting D!
#VsUp
! ✌️
#ClaimIt
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈
What a day at
@PLUFootball
! Past (all the way back to '99!) and present Lutes playing flag football while future Lutes look on and get an opportunity to fellowship with the legacy of PLU football.
#GoLutes
#WelcomeBackToLuteville
It’s Game Week!
Everyone around Luteville is doing their part to stay safe 😷 and protect the amazing opportunity to play football this Spring! Can’t wait to get out there!
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈
This year at
@PLUFootball
, we began using
@3DCoaches
strategy of a "Spotlight" at meetings and practices. 1 player stands up and the team takes turns highlighting their qualities that have nothing to do with their talent or skill as a football player.
#Morethanagame
#GoLutes
Circa 2012 I journaled about wanting to expand my family every chance I get. Just wrapped up my first
@PLUFootball
Breakaway and realize how powerful putting your thoughts on paper can be.
#GoLutes
Some hero’s don’t have capes! 🦸♂️
“The opportunity of a lifetime needs to be seized during the lifetime of the opportunity.” ~Leonard Ravenhill
These two captured the opportunity to register/donate and provided a life giving opportunity for a complete stranger!!
#LutesSaveLives
#ThrowbackThursday
Classy and thoughtful gift came in the mail last week from alum
@IMKennyByrne
throwing it back to win
#1
w this great group
@PLUFootball
. 🤝 Thx 2 my staff for the gameball and case! It takes a village from players 2 coaches 2 parents 2 admin 2 alumni!
#family
What did you say?!? Last week of
@PLUFootball
Spring Practices?
Wow! That flew by! Excited for our guys to finish the semester strong academically and athletically.
💻I’m still getting emails with lists of unsigned ‘20 seniors.
❓Most common thread with the names still on the list?
📚GPA!!!
⏰ Class of 2021 and beyond:
Training in the classroom opens up more opportunities to train and play the game that you love!!!
#STUDENTathletes
Today was Luann’s last day on campus. Got her a “Retired” hat that says “stop asking me to do stuff” on the back 😆 and gave her ~70 Lute Salutes from the
@PLUFootball
team that benefited from her behind the scenes work!
Enjoy retirement!
#AlwaysALute
My college coach said you'll always remember your first game and your last game. It must apply to senior classes as well bc I know I'll definitely always remember my first
@PLUFootball
senior class! Awesome group! We still have work to do!
#Family
#GoLutes
I’m convinced that the class of ‘20 is going to go on and do great things in our communities! These hijacked milestones amidst uncertainty is preparing them to be great in a way that we can’t grasp yet! Especially being surrounded by the supportive WA community!
#BeTheLightWA
Not sure what is more fun: cramming team building, personal responsibility, character development, relationship development and football into two weeks, OR cramming 34 players into the head coach's office! Both will surprise you at what you're capable of when you give it a shot!
Throwback to my best
@CoachTFord
impersonation. You don’t get that many chances to strike this pose on defense so you better believe I rumbled 26 yds to the End Zone!
@TUFootballTX
@golutes
🚨Throwback Challenge🚨
Football edition...
Comment or RT
HS players: throw it back to youth 🏈
College players: throw it back to HS 🏈
Coaches: throw it back to college 🏈
#ThrowbackThursday
Great evening speaking and learning at the Washington state coaches association!
@CoachBestEWU
brought the noise to close out the night and showed the coaches in the room how his team made it to the natty this year. Excited to follow
@EWUFootball
!
Took a page out of PLU alum, Steve Valach's program at
@libertypatsfb
and started "Senior Wills" tradition. Awesome to get our graduating seniors out to the excitement of
@PLUFootball
spring practices to reconnect, share their plans, and pass something down.
#Legacy
#GoLutes
D3FB summer is the separator. It's easy to train in spring near teammates, what about when it's just you? "starting/ending of pers discipline is exclusively controlled by U. It can be triggered. It can be encouraged. Environment can support it. But only U can start it."-B Kight
Great
#RE20LUTE
@PLUFootball
recruiting visit this weekend. Since our
@GoTeamIMPACT
teammate Jeremiah didn't get to go through a formal recruiting visit last year, he joined us on our first visit this year!
#GoLutes
What a message for our
@PLUFootball
guys before our last spring practice. It's easy to talk about life being 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it, but
@LoganSeelye
lives it! Go follow
@10and90
today! Thank you Logan!
The more I’ve digested this decision and communicated it to others, the more I am absolutely blown away and inspired by the thoughtfulness and innovation through uncharted circumstances for the sake of our students.
The options and time this plan provides is truly remarkable!🎓
Today we announced plans for a thoughtful, flexible return to campus as well as plans to offer a “PLUS Year” of free tuition to all currently enrolled undergraduate students and free continuing education opportunities for current graduate students.
Rest In Peace Nellie! 🙏 You shoulda seen the smiles 😍😁when Lute Alumni saw this memorial/sponsorship at the
@PLUFootball
golf tourney this year!
“You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.”
Zig Ziglar
Year 2 in the books. This guys make going to work fun. Couldn’t ask for a better boss and an even better friend. This man is doing so much for
@PLUFootball
&
@golutes
. Great things take time. If you ask him what’s this program built around...Relationship.
#PLUBrotherhood
This is a tradition started at PLU long before my time. In the past, they came on large posters, now they come on index cards. The goal is still the same: encouraging others, especially in times of need. 🖤💛🌈
Dear
@holderjm33
@golutes
@PLUFootball
@BrantMcAdams
!!!
I'm in tears because of your support and love! To open up your gift and find supportive letters of encouragement and love from the players on the PLU team is something I'll cherish forever and I'm reading every single one!
That's a wrap! Finished the
@PLUFootball
"Meet the Coach" tour in Mercer Island tonight at the home of some gracious PLU alumni. Looking forward to enhancing relationships in and around our program through our Alumni Engagement.
#GoLutes
#WhyPLU
“Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of mind.”
- Aristotle
#Resilience
#WORK
#TWPO
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈
Tough loss today. Guys fought hard. Team Work Pays Off each day that we get to play this game together. Eventually it will pay off on the scoreboard versus a top ranked opponent. Can't wait to get back out there this week!
#TWPO
#GoLutes
When character building is the foundation of our coaching philosophy we build not only successful players, but resilient, hardworking and optimistic people that will use those traits the rest of their life.
#3DCoaching
Read more at: via
@3DCoaches
So excited for the direction this recruiting class is going ↗️ as we collect more and more commitments from players that want to be a part of pushing this program to the top! Love where we're going!
#Re20Lute
#TWPO
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈
“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.” - Roy T. Bennet
Go make it a great day!
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈
Throwback to March 2018!!!
After almost two months of zoom meetings, I can’t wait for the day the staff is all sitting around the
@PLUFootball
conference table again!
#TEAM
#TWPO
#GoLutes
⚔️🏈
Still a lot to clean up...but so proud to be a part of
@BrantMcAdams
first win as a HC! Proud of you brother and what you are doing with this program.
#golutes