Best Practices from Prosper ISD: What we measure, we improve.
Coach! Here. We. Go.
The new year is in full swing and there are 1,001 things coming at you left and right. Thank you for all the extra, hard work you will be doing in the weeks to come to launch the new school year. The work is hard, but it is worth it!
As we start Year 2 of The Texas Way, it’s worth looking at what some school districts have done to make the most of the program. This week, let’s take a look at the methods of one Texas Way District of Distinction: Prosper ISD.
Specifically, we’ll dive into how they’re tracking engagement and handling ejections.
But first, a few reminders:
ACTION ITEMS
- LOG IN TO YOUR ACCOUNT. Every coach that is registered for The Texas Way (and since you are getting this email, you are!) needs to log into their account before Sept 1, 2025 or your account will be deleted and you will need to re-register.
- USE THE RESOURCE PAGE. We have updated the more resources page with new graphics, parent videos and letters, best practices and more. Be sure and take advantage of the resources there.
One new resource we want to make sure you know about is the “Post Ejection Protocol.” This is a comprehensive tool designed to help turn an ejection of a student, coach, or fan into a teaching and learning moment.
Tracking Engagement
The things we track are the things that we improve. If you want improved engagement from coaches and athletes, then you need to track their usage of The Texas Way resources.
The pillars of The Texas Way are great ideas, but great ideas can only have a great impact if we put them into action. That means engaging with the videos, discussing the ideas they put forth, and practicing the pillars in daily life.
“How do I keep up with all of this tracking?”
District of Distinction award winner, Prosper ISD, uses Google Forms.
You can find a sample copy of the Google Form that Prosper ISD is using to track their teams’ usage of resources for Year 2 here: Sample Form
The Year 2 tracking form includes:
- Basic identifying information (e.g. Coach name, Campus, Sport)
- Required and suggested The Texas Way videos to be watched, such as the three Pillar Videos, Recommitment Video, and Monthly Drops
- Date(s) the videos were watched
- Description of the team’s Service Project and date to be completed
- Explanation of Bench Protocol, including expectations and duties for coaches and athletes
- Scheduled date for Official Appreciation Night
- Description of the Character Curriculum currently in use by the team
Some of these categories may not apply to your district, school, or team, and there may be other questions or information that you’ll want to include for tracking.
Tracking like this helps to keep everyone focused on the goal of playing The Texas Way. It also allows ADs to see who needs more guidance to reach the standard and who’s knocking it out of the park.
Handling Ejections
As we work toward the goals of improving sportsmanship and decreasing ejections, there will still be those who slip up and need to be ejected from the game. How we handle those ejections after the fact can make a huge difference in whether or not the player, coach, or fan makes the same mistake in the future.
The Texas Way Assets and Resources page includes three Post-Ejection Workbooks under Training Resources on The Texas Way Assets page. These workbooks are designed to help avoid repeat ejections.
Prosper ISD also shared their district’s strategy for handling the post-ejection process:
- Student-Athletes
- Write an apology letter
- Quick “interview” to understand the root of the issue (Why did they act this way?)
- Case-by-case consequences, such as extra workout pieces or sitting out part of a game or full games
- Parents
- Complete Positive Parenting within Schools: a free course from the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS). Certificate of course completion required.
- Meeting with campus coordinator
Final Thoughts
There are many resources available for you through The Texas Way website, from graphics for posters and t-shirts to the tracking forms and post-ejection workbooks mentioned here. Take a look, and if there’s something we’re missing that you think could help, please let us know.
Thank you for being a part of this. Thank you for your work. If I can help you or your district in any way, or you want to tell your story, email me at Mackey@2words.tv.