Imagine your football team fighting for more than wins. What if they were battling each other—in a healthy way—for leadership, discipline, and accountability?
That’s exactly what Coach Jeremy Plaa from Thomas Downey High School in Modesto, California, has achieved with his PridePoint system. Designed to reward hard work and fuel competition, this simple yet powerful approach is transforming the team culture year-round.
“It allows us to create some accountability and also some competition. And we’re really big on trying to create competition.” (00:17)
Fostering Healthy Competition Beyond the Field
Most coaches know how easy it is to inspire competition during the season. But what about the long off-season months? Coach Plaa solved that with PridePoints, where athletes earn rewards not just for athletic performance but also for academics, character, and community involvement.
“Basically what it is, it’s a way that we track and measure everything that’s in our program that our kids do individually.” (00:44)
Players rack up points for participating in other sports, maintaining strong grades, and serving the community. These points are more than just numbers—they’re a visible measure of commitment.
Motivating Players with Meaningful Rewards
Rewards must matter to keep players engaged. Coach Plaa taps into what players value most: ownership and recognition.
Top performers earn the first picks on jersey numbers and equipment. That may seem small, but to players, it’s huge. The system aligns privilege with performance, encouraging every player to strive for more.
“We want to reward the kids that deserve to be rewarded. And we also want to encourage the kids that aren’t getting pride points to try to figure out how they can get more.”
This system motivates athletes year-round and keeps the culture competitive, focused, and growth-driven.
Shaping a Championship Culture One Point at a Time
What makes the PridePoint system truly special is its flexibility. Coaches can tailor the system to their team’s values and goals. Want to emphasize academics more? Adjust the point values. Want to boost multi-sport participation? Give more weight to wrestling or track.
More importantly, this system creates visibility for success. Players see their progress, teammates see their example, and coaches see who’s truly all in.
Rewarding hard work doesn’t need to be complicated. Sometimes, all it takes is a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a coach who knows what motivates his players.
Get Coach Plaa’s Pride Point System here
Our Partner – The Headset App
The “Your Call Series” is presented by the Headset App. An entire team headset system in an app. Every capability of traditional headset systems (and far beyond). Teams, staffs and players can now communicate in multiple open-voice channels. Use your own devices. No purchasing expensive equipment. No contracts.
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