Set the Table
Social Media plays a critical role in the lives of young people. It serves at the epicenter of conversation (did you see what so & so posted on social?), as a tool to establish ones identity and for how others often will view them. When we discuss social media with those around us, we almost always center the conversation around what they should avoid posting, things that are inappropriate to post or things that could be viewed as a “red flag”
We think what could serve to be more beneficial is if we took time and turned our focus on the things they should be posting, the things that’ll add value to themselves and others, essentially the “green flags” to allow our social platforms to thrive.
In this exercise we’ll allow the green flags to guide and lead our social media activity to help us use the powerful platforms to serve as an extension of our leadership.
"“I’ve always been told what not to post on social media but prior to green flags I had never really been told what I SHOULD post. This helped change my entire mindset in relation to social media.”"
Senior – Student Athlete – New York High School
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Lesson Plan
Player Growth Areas
Exercise Length
Language Guide
Green Flag
A social post that moves you closer to being special and winning often causes others to smile, feel inspired, or be encouraged
Gray Flag
A neutral social post that doesn’t add value nor creates concerns
Reg Flag
A social post that hurts your value; causing others to be concerned as a result of unattractive behavior
Quiz Questions
Use these questions below to engage after you have taught the exercise.
- What’s the difference between a Green Flag and a Red Flag?
- What are the five core areas that represent F-L-A-G-S?
- Our social platforms are essentially today’s ______?
At Home
Coaches, use the below question, reflection, and action to engage parents, guardians, and other family members in the lessons learned in this exercise.
Suggestions on how to use: Email to parents the day you have taught this lesson, add it to the materials you send home, or text it to text message threads with your players.
- Question: What does a Green Flag post look like?
- Reflection: If someone were to audit your social media posts, what flag would they say represent your posts?
- Action: Share post ideas that could represent F.L.A.G.S. on your social media platforms.
Coach’s Reflection
Coach, take a moment to reflect on the lesson and how you can lead by example to your players.
Coach, what do you primarily use social media for? Brainstorm some ideas on how you can better use your social media platforms which leaves others smiling more, feeling inspired, and more encouraged.