Five words can change a life.
Handshake America created a framework for building character in the next generation. Perseverance. Passion. Positivity. People. Presence. We spent fifteen years coaching gritty kids through the Five Practices. Now the coaching is an open playbook, and anyone can run it.
The first chapter has ended. The movement has not.
On July 1, 2026, after fifteen years, Handshake America ended operations. On August 11, 2026, it went live again in a format that doesn't need an office, a staff, or a board: an open Playbook and a team that runs itself.
This is the story of that handoff, told straight.
15 years · 604 students · 187 coaches · 105 high schools ·
15 years · 604 students · 187 coaches · 105 high schools ·
It started with a handshake.
In 2012, three student-athletes sat down with three coaches in Columbus, Ohio. Fifteen years later, 604 students had earned their spot on the team, backed by 187 coaches across 105 high schools. In 2026, we turned everything we learned into the 5P Playbook, so the work can outlast us.
Make a difference and take the next rep.
The Handshake America 5P Playbook
Everything Handshake America built is yours to use. Start here. A small-group practice that builds a team, then coaches the Five Practices, one session at a time. The whole Playbook lives right on the site, open to anyone. Teach it as written or adapt it to your group.