Ages 8-18 · Book 5, Empathy · 4,299 places
Owning the Error
A player who admits a mistake in front of the group changes a team faster than any team talk, and is never taught how.
Built on Ellis Abel and the Helping Hand — “What matters more than earning a Gold Star?” A character series, not a curriculum with a worldview attached.
The five sessions
- Session 1
Read the story and stop at the moment Maya's work is ruined
- Session 2
Ask what Ellis Abel stood to lose by helping
- Session 3
Name the harder thing: telling the truth about a mistake
- Session 4
Each child names one person they will notice this week
- Session 5
Follow up by name and ask what they noticed
Questions leaders ask
Is owning the error in your area a religious program?
No. Ellis Abel is a character series. Each volume carries one named core value — this one is empathy — and the story does the teaching. There is no doctrine in it, nothing to opt out of, and it is used in public schools, libraries and secular programs as readily as anywhere else.
What ages does this work for?
Ages 8-18. The story is read aloud, so a child who cannot read yet is fully in it, and the discussion prompts are written in two bands so one adult can hold a mixed-age room.
When in a your area season does this fit?
Preseason for the first three sessions, then one mid-season and one at the end. Ten minutes before practice, sitting on the floor, is the whole footprint.
Our coaches are volunteers with no time. Is that a problem?
No. The script is one page per session and assumes the coach read it in the car park. The point is the athletes talking, not the coach presenting.
The rules that make it work
Helping has to cost something
Kindness that is free teaches nothing, and children over about eight already know it. The cost is named out loud in every session.
Notice first — it is an attention skill
Empathy gets taught as a feeling children are supposed to summon. It starts as noticing one specific person, which is trainable and testable.
Owning a mistake is the harder lesson
Helping a friend is easier than admitting you were the one who caused the problem. The book teaches both, and this is the one adults skip.
Do not announce it
The moment helping becomes a thing you are seen doing, it becomes a performance. The follow-up asks what changed for the other person, never how the helper felt.
Success is bigger than the award
The gold star is in the title for a reason. A room that only celebrates outcomes has already taught the lesson this book is arguing with.
Adults go first, with a real mistake
An adult naming something they got wrong, at a cost, changes a room faster than any activity in it.
Owning the Error by metro area
Northeast
- Owning the Error — New York, NY
- Owning the Error — Philadelphia, PA
- Owning the Error — Boston, MA
- Owning the Error — Pittsburgh, PA
- Owning the Error — Providence, RI
- Owning the Error — Hartford, CT
- Owning the Error — Buffalo, NY
- Owning the Error — Rochester, NY
- Owning the Error — Bridgeport, CT
- Owning the Error — Albany, NY
- Owning the Error — Worcester, MA
- Owning the Error — Allentown, PA
- Owning the Error — Poughkeepsie metro area, NY
- Owning the Error — Syracuse, NY
- Owning the Error — Harrisburg, PA
- Owning the Error — New Haven, CT
- Owning the Error — Portland, ME
- Owning the Error — Scranton, PA
- Owning the Error — Lancaster, PA
- Owning the Error — York, PA
- Owning the Error — Springfield, MA
- Owning the Error — Waterbury, CT
- Owning the Error — Reading, PA
- Owning the Error — Manchester, NH
- Owning the Error — Trenton, NJ
- Owning the Error — Atlantic City, NJ
- Owning the Error — Utica, NY
- Owning the Error — Norwich, CT
- Owning the Error — Erie, PA
- Owning the Error — Binghamton, NY
- Owning the Error — Barnstable, MA
- Owning the Error — Burlington, VT
- Owning the Error — Kingston, NY
- Owning the Error — Amherst, MA
- Owning the Error — Chambersburg, PA
- Owning the Error — Bangor, ME
- Owning the Error — State College, PA
- Owning the Error — Vineland, NJ
- Owning the Error — Lebanon, PA
- Owning the Error — Johnstown, PA
- Owning the Error — Pittsfield, MA
- Owning the Error — Glens Falls, NY
- Owning the Error — Altoona, PA
- Owning the Error — Lewiston, ME
- Owning the Error — Williamsport, PA
- Owning the Error — Watertown, NY
- Owning the Error — Gettysburg, PA
- Owning the Error — Ithaca, NY
- Owning the Error — Elmira, NY
Midwest
- Owning the Error — Chicago, IL
- Owning the Error — Detroit, MI
- Owning the Error — Minneapolis, MN
- Owning the Error — St. Louis, MO
- Owning the Error — Cincinnati, OH
- Owning the Error — Kansas City, MO
- Owning the Error — Columbus, OH
- Owning the Error — Indianapolis, IN
- Owning the Error — Cleveland, OH
- Owning the Error — Milwaukee, WI
- Owning the Error — Grand Rapids, MI
- Owning the Error — Omaha, NE
- Owning the Error — Dayton, OH
- Owning the Error — Des Moines, IA
- Owning the Error — Madison, WI
- Owning the Error — Akron, OH
- Owning the Error — Wichita, KS
- Owning the Error — Toledo, OH
- Owning the Error — Springfield, MO
- Owning the Error — Lansing, MI
- Owning the Error — Fort Wayne, IN
- Owning the Error — Youngstown, OH
- Owning the Error — Flint, MI
- Owning the Error — Canton, OH
- Owning the Error — Davenport, IA
- Owning the Error — Ann Arbor, MI
- Owning the Error — Peoria, IL
- Owning the Error — Lincoln, NE
- Owning the Error — Rockford, IL
- Owning the Error — Green Bay, WI
- Owning the Error — South Bend, IN
- Owning the Error — Sioux Falls, SD
- Owning the Error — Duluth, MN
- Owning the Error — Cedar Rapids, IA
- Owning the Error — Evansville, IN
- Owning the Error — Fargo, ND
- Owning the Error — Kalamazoo, MI
- Owning the Error — Appleton, WI
- Owning the Error — Champaign, IL
- Owning the Error — Topeka, KS
- Owning the Error — Rochester, MN
- Owning the Error — Lafayette, IN
- Owning the Error — Columbia, MO
- Owning the Error — Joplin, MO
- Owning the Error — Elkhart, IN
- Owning the Error — Springfield, IL
- Owning the Error — St. Cloud, MN
- Owning the Error — Racine, WI
- Owning the Error — Saginaw, MI
- Owning the Error — Iowa City, IA
- Owning the Error — Muskegon, MI
- Owning the Error — Eau Claire, WI
- Owning the Error — Oshkosh, WI
- Owning the Error — Bloomington, IL
- Owning the Error — La Crosse, WI
- Owning the Error — Terre Haute, IN
- Owning the Error — Waterloo, IA
- Owning the Error — Kenosha, WI
- Owning the Error — Janesville, WI
- Owning the Error — Bloomington, IN
- Owning the Error — Jackson, MI
- Owning the Error — Traverse City, MI
- Owning the Error — Rapid City, SD
- Owning the Error — Monroe, MI
- Owning the Error — Jefferson City, MO
- Owning the Error — Niles, MI
- Owning the Error — Sioux City, IA
- Owning the Error — Bismarck, ND
- Owning the Error — Wausau, WI
- Owning the Error — Manhattan, KS
- Owning the Error — Springfield, OH
- Owning the Error — Battle Creek, MI
- Owning the Error — Ames, IA
- Owning the Error — Mansfield, OH
- Owning the Error — Lawrence, KS
- Owning the Error — St. Joseph, MO
- Owning the Error — Sheboygan, WI
- Owning the Error — Muncie, IN
- Owning the Error — Sandusky, OH
- Owning the Error — Michigan City, IN
- Owning the Error — Kankakee, IL
- Owning the Error — Grand Forks, ND
- Owning the Error — Mankato, MN
- Owning the Error — Fond du Lac, WI
- Owning the Error — Bay City, MI
- Owning the Error — Lima, OH
- Owning the Error — Dubuque, IA
- Owning the Error — Decatur, IL
- Owning the Error — Cape Girardeau, MO
- Owning the Error — Columbus, IN
- Owning the Error — Kokomo, IN
- Owning the Error — Midland, MI
- Owning the Error — Grand Island, NE
- Owning the Error — Minot, ND
South
- Owning the Error — Dallas, TX
- Owning the Error — Houston, TX
- Owning the Error — Atlanta, GA
- Owning the Error — Washington, DC
- Owning the Error — Miami, FL
- Owning the Error — Tampa, FL
- Owning the Error — Orlando, FL
- Owning the Error — Charlotte, NC
- Owning the Error — Baltimore, MD
- Owning the Error — San Antonio, TX
- Owning the Error — Austin, TX
- Owning the Error — Nashville, TN
- Owning the Error — Virginia Beach, VA
- Owning the Error — Jacksonville, FL
- Owning the Error — Raleigh, NC
- Owning the Error — Oklahoma City, OK
- Owning the Error — Louisville, KY
- Owning the Error — Richmond, VA
- Owning the Error — Memphis, TN
- Owning the Error — Birmingham, AL
- Owning the Error — Tulsa, OK
- Owning the Error — Greenville, SC
- Owning the Error — New Orleans, LA
- Owning the Error — Knoxville, TN
- Owning the Error — Sarasota metro area, FL
- Owning the Error — McAllen, TX
- Owning the Error — Charleston, SC
- Owning the Error — Baton Rouge, LA
- Owning the Error — El Paso, TX
- Owning the Error — Columbia, SC
- Owning the Error — Cape Coral, FL
- Owning the Error — Lakeland, FL
- Owning the Error — Greensboro, NC
- Owning the Error — Little Rock, AR
- Owning the Error — Deltona, FL
- Owning the Error — Winston-Salem, NC
- Owning the Error — Palm Bay, FL
- Owning the Error — Augusta, GA
- Owning the Error — Durham, NC
- Owning the Error — Fayetteville, AR
- Owning the Error — Jackson, MS
- Owning the Error — Chattanooga, TN
- Owning the Error — Port St. Lucie, FL
- Owning the Error — Huntsville, AL
- Owning the Error — Pensacola, FL
- Owning the Error — Lexington, KY
- Owning the Error — Killeen, TX
- Owning the Error — Wilmington, NC
- Owning the Error — Corpus Christi, TX
- Owning the Error — Ocala, FL
- Owning the Error — Savannah, GA
- Owning the Error — Brownsville, TX
- Owning the Error — Gulfport, MS
- Owning the Error — Myrtle Beach, SC
- Owning the Error — Lafayette, LA
- Owning the Error — Asheville, NC
- Owning the Error — Naples, FL
- Owning the Error — Mobile, AL
- Owning the Error — Spartanburg, SC
- Owning the Error — Beaumont, TX
- Owning the Error — Tallahassee, FL
- Owning the Error — Fayetteville, NC
- Owning the Error — Montgomery, AL
- Owning the Error — Shreveport, LA
- Owning the Error — Hickory, NC
- Owning the Error — Lubbock, TX
- Owning the Error — Huntington, WV
- Owning the Error — Gainesville, FL
- Owning the Error — Clarksville, TN
- Owning the Error — Columbus, GA
- Owning the Error — Roanoke, VA
- Owning the Error — Hagerstown, MD
- Owning the Error — Fort Walton Beach metro area, FL
- Owning the Error — Kingsport, TN
- Owning the Error — Waco, TX
- Owning the Error — Longview, TX
- Owning the Error — College Station, TX
- Owning the Error — Tuscaloosa, AL
- Owning the Error — Laredo, TX
- Owning the Error — Slidell, LA
- Owning the Error — Amarillo, TX
- Owning the Error — Lynchburg, VA
- Owning the Error — Daphne, AL
- Owning the Error — Tyler, TX
- Owning the Error — Lake Charles, LA
- Owning the Error — Hilton Head Island, SC
- Owning the Error — Macon, GA
- Owning the Error — Fort Smith, AR
- Owning the Error — Panama City, FL
- Owning the Error — Charlottesville, VA
- Owning the Error — Gainesville, GA
- Owning the Error — Athens, GA
- Owning the Error — Monroe, LA
- Owning the Error — Punta Gorda, FL
- Owning the Error — Jacksonville, NC
- Owning the Error — Johnson City, TN
- Owning the Error — Lexington Park, MD
- Owning the Error — Warner Robins, GA
- Owning the Error — Auburn, AL
- Owning the Error — Florence, SC
- Owning the Error — Charleston, WV
- Owning the Error — Houma, LA
- Owning the Error — Bowling Green, KY
- Owning the Error — Dover, DE
- Owning the Error — Midland, TX
- Owning the Error — Burlington, NC
- Owning the Error — Abilene, TX
- Owning the Error — Jackson, TN
- Owning the Error — Greenville, NC
- Owning the Error — Blacksburg, VA
- Owning the Error — Odessa, TX
- Owning the Error — Vero Beach metro area, FL
- Owning the Error — Homosassa Springs, FL
- Owning the Error — Decatur, AL
- Owning the Error — Hattiesburg, MS
- Owning the Error — The Villages metro area, FL
- Owning the Error — Florence, AL
- Owning the Error — Dothan, AL
- Owning the Error — Sherman, TX
- Owning the Error — Valdosta, GA
- Owning the Error — Winchester, VA
- Owning the Error — Wichita Falls, TX
- Owning the Error — Rocky Mount, NC
- Owning the Error — Alexandria, LA
- Owning the Error — Dalton, GA
- Owning the Error — Texarkana, TX
- Owning the Error — Albany, GA
- Owning the Error — Morgantown, WV
- Owning the Error — Hammond, LA
- Owning the Error — Harrisonburg, VA
- Owning the Error — Jonesboro, AR
- Owning the Error — Wheeling, WV
- Owning the Error — Cleveland, TN
- Owning the Error — Salisbury, MD
- Owning the Error — Staunton, VA
- Owning the Error — Morristown, TN
- Owning the Error — Elizabethtown, KY
- Owning the Error — Lawton, OK
- Owning the Error — Goldsboro, NC
- Owning the Error — San Angelo, TX
- Owning the Error — Brunswick, GA
- Owning the Error — Anniston, AL
- Owning the Error — Owensboro, KY
- Owning the Error — Steubenville, WV
- Owning the Error — Sebring, FL
- Owning the Error — Pinehurst, NC
- Owning the Error — Beckley, WV
- Owning the Error — Sumter, SC
- Owning the Error — Gadsden, AL
- Owning the Error — Paducah, KY
- Owning the Error — Rome, GA
- Owning the Error — Victoria, TX
- Owning the Error — Hot Springs, AR
- Owning the Error — Hinesville, GA
- Owning the Error — Parkersburg, WV
- Owning the Error — Enid, OK
- Owning the Error — Eagle Pass, TX
West
- Owning the Error — Los Angeles, CA
- Owning the Error — Phoenix, AZ
- Owning the Error — Riverside, CA
- Owning the Error — San Francisco, CA
- Owning the Error — Seattle, WA
- Owning the Error — San Diego, CA
- Owning the Error — Denver, CO
- Owning the Error — Portland, OR
- Owning the Error — Sacramento, CA
- Owning the Error — Las Vegas, NV
- Owning the Error — San Jose, CA
- Owning the Error — Salt Lake City, UT
- Owning the Error — Fresno, CA
- Owning the Error — Tucson, AZ
- Owning the Error — Honolulu, HI
- Owning the Error — Bakersfield, CA
- Owning the Error — Albuquerque, NM
- Owning the Error — Boise, ID
- Owning the Error — Oxnard, CA
- Owning the Error — Stockton, CA
- Owning the Error — Colorado Springs, CO
- Owning the Error — Provo, UT
- Owning the Error — Ogden, UT
- Owning the Error — Spokane, WA
- Owning the Error — Reno, NV
- Owning the Error — Modesto, CA
- Owning the Error — Santa Rosa, CA
- Owning the Error — Visalia, CA
- Owning the Error — Vallejo, CA
- Owning the Error — Salem, OR
- Owning the Error — Santa Maria, CA
- Owning the Error — Salinas, CA
- Owning the Error — Anchorage, AK
- Owning the Error — Eugene, OR
- Owning the Error — Greeley, CO
- Owning the Error — Fort Collins, CO
- Owning the Error — Boulder, CO
- Owning the Error — Kennewick, WA
- Owning the Error — Olympia, WA
- Owning the Error — Merced, CA
- Owning the Error — Bremerton, WA
- Owning the Error — San Luis Obispo, CA
- Owning the Error — Bend, OR
- Owning the Error — Yakima, WA
- Owning the Error — Santa Cruz, CA
- Owning the Error — Prescott metro area, AZ
- Owning the Error — Bellingham, WA
- Owning the Error — Las Cruces, NM
- Owning the Error — Lake Havasu City, AZ
- Owning the Error — Yuma, AZ
- Owning the Error — Medford, OR
- Owning the Error — St. George, UT
- Owning the Error — Chico, CA
- Owning the Error — Billings, MT
- Owning the Error — Coeur d'Alene, ID
- Owning the Error — Yuba City, CA
- Owning the Error — Redding, CA
- Owning the Error — El Centro, CA
- Owning the Error — Idaho Falls, ID
- Owning the Error — Pueblo, CO
- Owning the Error — Grand Junction, CO
- Owning the Error — Logan, UT
- Owning the Error — Maui, HI
- Owning the Error — Santa Fe, NM
- Owning the Error — Hanford, CA
- Owning the Error — Flagstaff, AZ
- Owning the Error — Mount Vernon, WA
- Owning the Error — Napa, CA
- Owning the Error — Albany, OR
- Owning the Error — Bozeman, MT
- Owning the Error — Missoula, MT
- Owning the Error — Wenatchee, WA
- Owning the Error — Sierra Vista, AZ
- Owning the Error — Twin Falls, ID
- Owning the Error — Farmington, NM
- Owning the Error — Longview, WA
- Owning the Error — Cheyenne, WY
- Owning the Error — Corvallis, OR
- Owning the Error — Helena, MT
- Owning the Error — Fairbanks, AK
- Owning the Error — Pocatello, ID
- Owning the Error — Grants Pass, OR
- Owning the Error — Great Falls, MT
- Owning the Error — Casper, WY
- Owning the Error — Lewiston, ID
- Owning the Error — Walla Walla, WA
- Owning the Error — Carson City, NV
Cities and all 3,143 US counties are covered too — every place page is live. The campaign sitemap lists every one.
