"i began to teach the r.e.a.l. man program several years ago....[frank dicocco] made sure to personally reach out to me to get his tremendous message of character-building to a larger audience....i still use his program today....frank, you may be gone, but your message of hope lives on!"
"coaches and athletes have been using the book as a learning tool where we teach each other lessons presented within the book.....the essential life lessons presented within your book are proving to be very influential in the lives of our athletes"
"frank dicocco's 'playbook for manhood: a game plan for being a real man' is, and always will be, a staple in my football program....we must arm ourselves [as coaches] with the best knowledge available to teach manhood through the greatest sport on this planet, and coach dicocco's manual provides a wonderful, organized format."
"the playbook for manhood is a must have for every athletic program in the country. the program is easy to use for any coach in any sport, and will have a profound impact on your athletes. coach dicocco's playbook will give you the tools to equip your athletes to be great citizens as they leave your program."
"we are all in this business to touch and change kids' lives every day, and frank certainly tried to do that. his book is a great tool to work by."
"the 'beyond the game' philosophy that we have instituted throughout the association embodies the exact same things frank believed in and taught."
"although i was never fortunate enough to meet frank personally, having read one of his books i learned of his passion, intelligence, and extreme caring for today's youth."
The single most important goal for the H.O.P.E. Foundation, as well as for Coach Frank DiCocco, is to help today's youth in their efforts towards character development. As a coach, Frank's mission was to help raise the quality of this world, by helping to raise the quality of the individuals who live in this world. He worked by using the sphere of athletics to help impart valuable life lessons to the young men who will shape the future of the world in which we all live, and was committed to inspiring, equipping and empowering young people to reach their full potential: on the field, in the classroom, in the community and in the Game of Life.
It was for this purpose that DiCocco created the REAL Man Program. Frank created and designed this character-education curriculum for students of all ages. It was developed for and implemented by the National Football League's Youth Impact Program ​with the intent of helping to shape middle school, high school and college-aged students by promoting respect, integrity, courage and honor. The REAL Man Program has 20 lesson plans designed to help today's youth reach their full potential and give them a stronger foundation in dealing with right and wrong. This program has been used by athletic programs, schools and youth-development organizations nationwide.
The REAL Man Program has received praise and recognition from influential and successful coaches across the country. Among them are: Nick Saban (Alabama), Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks), Houston Nutt (Ole Miss), Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Geno Auriema (UConn), Bill Curry (Georgia State), Dabo Swinney (Clemson), Ken Niumatalolo (Navy), Mike London (UVA), Chris Ault (Nevada), Joe Taylor (FAMU); assistant coaches from Ohio State, Oregon, Grambling State, Kentucky, Mississippi State, University of Florida, Florida State, and Memphis; as well as famous athletes such as Kurt Warner and Emmitt Smith, and high school and college coaches throughout the country.
"our coaches continuously preach about respect and being a real man in the game of football and life outside of it. it is something that is so important to get across to our players, which is why we completely agree with and practice aspects of the r.e.a.l. man program. "
Coaches use the r.e.a.l. man program at the university of mississippi (ole miss) to teach THEIR athletes character development, making them better people on and off the field.