Jeffrey Marx’s Season of Life goes far beyond the typical sports story. While it follows the Gilman School football program, the book isn’t about wins and losses on the field. Instead, it’s about the way coaches Joe Ehrmann and Biff Poggi use football as a vehicle to teach their players what it truly means to be a man. Their program becomes less about championships and more about character, empathy, and responsibility to others.
At the heart of the Gilman philosophy is the idea that being a man isn’t about strength, status, or material success. Ehrmann and Poggi reject the narrow definition of masculinity often found in sports culture. Instead, they challenge their players to focus on relationships and compassion. Each practice and team meeting emphasizes that life is ultimately measured not by what you achieve for yourself, but by the impact you make on others.
Empathy is a central lesson the coaches drive home. Players are reminded that real strength comes from understanding and caring about those around you. This is unusual in the world of high school athletics, where toughness and competitiveness are often prized above all else. At Gilman, however, vulnerability is not seen as weakness—it is embraced as an essential part of human connection. The team is encouraged to talk openly about their lives, their fears, and their hopes.
Another major theme is the importance of relationships. Ehrmann teaches that success in life is determined by how well you love and how well you are loved. The bonds among teammates extend beyond the field, with players supporting one another through both victories and struggles. The message is clear: the ability to build meaningful relationships is a truer measure of manhood than any scoreboard could provide.
Ultimately, Season of Life shows that football can be a powerful tool for shaping character. Ehrmann and Poggi use sports to instill values that extend far beyond high school. Their players learn that real manhood is about empathy, nurturing relationships, and helping others. In a society that often sends young men conflicting messages about masculinity, the Gilman program stands as a model of how sports can guide boys toward becoming men who make the world better.
The challenge for all of us is to turn our subjects, activities, or teams into a tool that helps shape the character of the people we work with.
