Preface xi

Prologue The Lifetime Achievement Award xv

1 Eyes on the Prize 1

2 You’re Better Than That 11

3 The Locker Room Is Broken 19

4 Growth Takes Place Outside of Comfort Zones 25

5 I Believe in You 33

6 Canceling the Cancel Culture 39

7 A Culture of Character 47

8 All In 53

9 The Six Pillars 59

10 In the Zone 67

11 Vulnerability Is a Strength 73

12 Team Meeting 79

13 Humility and Grace 85

14 I Want the Ball 93

Epilogue: A Legacy of Impact: The Lifetime Achievement Award Acceptance Speech 101

PRAISE FOR THE LOCKER ROOM

“The Locker Room is a riveting read that intersects fiction with reality. Thanks to Damon and Stephen, this country can learn harmony and compassion for our fellow man through the prism of an all-inclusive locker room.”
—JIM NANTZ, lead CBS NFL sportscaster

“The Locker Room is an insightful portrayal of what many of us in coaching have experienced throughout our careers. I want to congratulate Damon and Stephen on this impactful narrative, and I hope many, both in and out of sports, use it to continue this critical conversation. I often say, if the world could be like a locker room, it would be a much better place.”
—MACK BROWN, Head Football Coach, University of North Carolina

“When respectful conversations occur, more growth can occur. The Locker Room will impact more than athletes. Anyone and everyone needs this book.”
—CAT OSTERMAN, 3x U.S. Olympian

“As a diverse executive in Corporate America, I am thrilled there is finally a book that successfully navigates the polarizing topics of racism and the cancel culture. The principles in this book are a blueprint for discussing any difficult topic, building a stronger team, and creating a better culture.”
—CEDRIC CLARK, East Business Unit President, Walmart

“Damon and Stephen help us all see how listening to each other, learning from one another, loving those around us, and leading with integrity are not just strategies to overcome adversity and hurt, but the foundation of unity in sports and in life.”
—JOE MARTIN, Executive Director, Texas High School Coaches Association

“Coaches everywhere, this should be your next team read. With humility and grace, Damon and Stephen navigate the ever-more challenging human dynamic facing not only America’s locker rooms but also its leaders. A rim-rattling slam dunk!”
—GEORGE RAVELING, Member: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame

Integrity. Vision. Respect. For the most successful and unified teams, organizations, and families, core values like these are more than words—they are a way of living. But what happens when unforeseen conflict causes you to abandon the ideals you hold most tightly to? How do you find your way again? What does it take to restore trust, faith, and productivity?

In The Locker Room: How Great Teams Heal Hurt, Overcome Adversity, and Build Unity, Damon West and Stephen Mackey deliver an insightful and practical exploration of this kind of situation. The book tells the story of four characters—two coaches and two players—two of whom are Black and two of whom are white, who must deal with the fallout of an offensive comment made by one of the white student athletes.

After the comment destroys the unity of their previously productive locker room, the young athletes and their coaches must navigate the difficult realities of prejudice and privilege that affect the lives of people today. As they move forward in an attempt to heal the damage, the players and coaches discover strategies for gracefully communicating about—and dealing with—these difficult issues in ways that acknowledge the equal personhood of everyone in the conversation.

The Locker Room seeks to provide athletes, employees, managers, coaches, and leaders from all backgrounds the tools and techniques they need to give everyone an equal voice and an equal chance at success. It is an indispensable resource for those who seek to have the difficult conversations that lie at the heart of modern life.