I have spent most of my life around athletics. My older brothers played sports, and I was always dragged to their events. I grew up playing soccer, and then moved to lacrosse. If I had a boyfriend, he tended to be an athlete. I eventually married a player-turned-coach, and have spent the last 22 years with a lifestyle centred around his team and all things sports.
Once our children were old enough, my oldest and youngest found their love for multiple games. My son plays football, basketball, and lacrosse. My youngest has settled on basketball and lacrosse, with a side of theater. My middle took her time to find what she loved. She is naturally gifted at acting, singing, and dancing, so she didn’t take to sports until she discovered volleyball.
She has her first tournament this weekend, and apparently, there is this thing that volleyball players do that has nothing to do with the rules or regulations of the game, but everything to do with building each other up and supporting one another, even across teams and with competitors.
It has taken me this long to encounter this idea of “clipping” others. And I think it’s amazing, not just for athletes, but for everyone—literally, everybody.
For those who lived in a bubble like me, “clipping” is when players take clothespins they’ve decorated with charms and positive sayings and put them on another player’s backpack or jersey (sometimes secretly) to create conversations, build community, and develop friendships. Think along the lines of the friendship bracelet trading that happened at all the Taylor Swift concerts.
In a world dominated by winning and losing, competing and defeating, there exists this innocent tradition that promotes kindness, connection, and joy. The world could use even just a little of this mentality.
My daughter couldn’t wait to participate, and she certainly didn’t want to show up empty-handed for her first time. So, I spent about $30 and a few hours helping her create some of the sweetest clips we could imagine. I loved watching her check in with other players and yell, “You got clipped!” It was an easy way to start a conversation for my reserved child. And I believe it is just the start of her learning to use acts of kindness to make and maintain real friendships.
The best part is it’s the tiniest of gestures—but getting clipped has a profound impact.
I am not saying that we should go around in our everyday lives “clipping” people. But we can show small acts of kindness or offer a tiny bridge to others to build community and foster connections.
These things take no effort, except for a little attention to detail:
- Learn and use people’s names (neighbors, coworkers, baristas).
- Make eye contact and smile. (It sounds small, but it works wonders.)
- Ask one genuine follow-up question instead of saying “How are you?” and moving on (I hope it goes without saying you should pay attention to the person’s response).
- Remember something someone shared and ask about it later. (If you do the suggestion before this, this becomes the natural, easy next step!)
If you are feeling more outgoing, maybe you could:
- Leave encouraging notes on a coworker’s desk, in a shared kitchen, on a car windshield, etc., when it seems appropriate.
- Acknowledge service workers by engaging in actual conversation, not just the polite basics.
- Send a short text checking in, no agenda.
- Put your phone away when someone is talking, and just be present with them.
You don’t have to yell, “You got clipped!” to start a conversation or try to connect with someone. But wouldn’t the world be a much better place if we all took a cue from the clipping trend into our everyday lives?
by Brooke Teel 
by Brea Schmidt 
