Overview
“Going for the Gold” is a fun exercise that helps players discover shared interests (goldmines) with teammates, building stronger connections. Players pair up and work together to find as many goldmines as possible in a short time. By learning how to ask questions and invest in these connections, players strengthen team bonds and create a family-like atmosphere.
"“The Going for the Gold gave me a plan and strategy to try and build deeper connections in conversation. I find myself ‘going for the gold’ when I talk to people now. It’s pretty fun.”"
A Lead ‘Em Up Training Camp Graduate, High School Senior
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Lesson Plan
Go For The Gold Lesson Plan
Language Guide
Goldmine
A valuable connection between two people
Investing
Putting time and attention towards a goldmine with the intent of growing it and making the relationships richer
Banker
An individual familiar with other people’s gold and works to connect their golds to one another
Additional Resources
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’s the difference between “We Cool” and “My Guy/Girl”?
- Reflection: Who are three people on the team that you “don’t know like that” but would like to have a better connection with?
- Action: Think of three gold-mining questions to ask the three people you thought of and be ready to share their responses at home.
Coach’s Reflection
Coach, take a moment to reflect on the lesson and how you can lead by example to your players.
Coach, how often do you ask Gold Mining questions? How stronger would your connection to coaches and athletes be if you knew a little more about them? Think about making this part of your normal interactions with coaches, athletes, and fellow peers on a daily basis. To take it a step further, spend some time thinking about how you can effectively serve in the role of a banker. Whose gold can you connect?