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Yahso...
Movies, shows, and music have always been huge parts of my pump up routine.
I've gone through loads of "phases" of watching certain movies or shows the night before a game or tournament - every single one absolutely glorious and sets my soul on FIRE 🔥
Oh, and of course there's some sort of connection to rugby lying in all of them.
None of them have ever lost their edge or anything...there's just only so many hours in a day that I can dedicate to watching pump up material 🤣
SO ANYWAYS, I'm going to relive and rehash the glory of all of 'em...starting with my current go-to: Shoresy.
I was already a Letterkenny fan, so I figured this show was going to be good...but I didn't know it was going to be THAT good.
Killer soundtrack? ✅
Great cast of characters? ✅
Hilarious jokes? ✅
Inspirational sports motivation? ✅✅✅
Of course the photo montages and slowmos of babes in bikinis still makes me go "🙄" but the group of badass women in this show makes up for it, including Canadian hockey player and Olympic gold medalist Tessa Bonhomme. Of course ideally we'd have some female athletes in action on the ice, but featuring a women's hockey player as an expert on a panel [which also starts off the entire show] is still pretty frickin' awesome. I could write an entire post simply dedicated to all the amazing female characters in this show, and maybe I'll revisit that in the future because it sure does deserve it's own entire post.
Here are 10 of my favorite Shoresy quotes:
"They don't love to win. They don't hate to lose."
Losing should be taken personally [lol]. HOW DARE THEY WIN?! How dare they come out against my hard working team with a win?! No ma'am, no way. They're not allowed to disrespect me and my teammates like that!
2. "Veteran Presence."
Especially in club rugby, we draw in all types of athletes - people who have played sports all their lives to people who have never come anywhere near a sports arena period. I have seen both types, and people across that entire range of experience, find success in rugby. A big part of that success comes from how the veterans on the team make people feel welcome while also reinforcing the values of the culture. A big form of reinforcement - purely leading by example.
3. "SET THE FUCKIN' TONE."
This phrase has spilled into my own rugby play a lot because of how relevant it is. When you set the tone, you're setting it for your team and your opponent's. First impressions are alive and well in rugby games just like they are in normal life. Expose a weak area, or show you're soft in a certain spot, and teams will exploit that to no end. The reverse is also true - hit 'em fast and hard, and you'll make them think twice when going into contact or making a pass.
4. "It's tough love. We're teammates. We're brothers. I'd go to the wall for you. Would you go to the wall for me? Then you're allowed to call me a fucking useless cunt on your way there."
Trust, even in its ugliest forms, is utterly critical in rugby. Sometimes that involves telling the hard and ugly truths to your teammates, and ideally if you're supporting each other through the battle of the rugby field then you should believe that your teammate has your best interest in mind [even if there's a bunch of f-bombs littered between messages].
5. "We can't just lose...let's give 'em the fucking lumber...make their lives hell."
It's not easy coming to a reality that you're either outmatched or running out of time to make a comeback in a match. Doesn't mean that you have to roll over and make it easy for them.
6. "Hit 'em enough, and they'll stop going where they gets hit."
Similar to setting the tone, when you squash a team's options then you can squash their spirit. Hesitation can be absolute kryptonite in rugby, or the feeling of being rushed into making a bad decision.
7. "What are you gonna do differently?"
Accountability in a nutshell. It can be easy to fall into the blame game, but it's important for teams to have everyone reflect internally on what they can personally do differently to contribute to the success of the team.
8. "No use for scorers who don't score."
Especially in rugby, you need to be responsible for DOING-YOUR-JOB. Each position is unique and vital, and while there's similarities between everyone's jobs [tackling, rucking, etc.], the team is still counting on you to do specific things in your role.
9. "Always find a way to contribute."
If you're not busy on the rugby field, you're doing something wrong. There is always a way to support the team on the field - whether you're directly involved in a play or preparing to set up another one.
10. "You've got two options: sit around crying about how you lost or find that 'fuck you' attitude and beat 'em the next time."
Attitude is a choice. The way you handle failures or mistakes is completely in your control. Even if you're the cause of the most heartbreaking loss on Earth, wallowing in self pity is not a productive way to handle it. Sure, there's room for emotions, but eventually turn it into hate fire 🔥
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