Dear Duktig Brand Friends,
Happy New Year!
We wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for your support of our company, for us as people (the two go hand-in-hand) and for your contributions to the soccer and coaching communities you belong to. As we have said numerous times in the past, we couldn’t do this without you and all the work you do. One of the best feelings in this life is being your true genuine self and finding the place where that self not only fits, but is celebrated. We feel that from you and hope you feel the same back.
As with all communities, we are here for the same reasons. We want to do right by the game, help players and coaches succeed, have fun, and celebrate each other’s successes. We want to provide safe environments for everyone, empower the people in our care and help them to reach their full potential while pushing towards our own.
Ade is still playing professional soccer at 36 years old. She currently plays for Celtic FC in Scotland in her 14th year as a professional player. A true journey-woman, lover of the game, hardest worker you will ever meet. Still as competitive as she was as a UNC National Champion and still training to develop every day.
I live in a player/coach purgatory where I still play competitively in the WPSL while I coach the team- we were WPSL National Champions last year and I was named Co-Coach of the year with Matt Cameron and Offensive Player of the year for our Conference. I play pickup 2x a week, go to the gym and physical therapy 2x a week and run when there is no soccer to be played. I’m also coaching 2009 and 2011 girls DPL teams out of Connecticut.
All this to say - we are in it and we are always learning how we can be better in the same fields you are in. Duktig Brand is interwoven in everything we do. The biggest realization for 2025 is that everything is connected. I am not Tiffany the coach without being Tiffany the business owner, Tiffany the player, Tiffany the friend, etc. I don’t think it’s fair to separate things.
With that said, we can’t be “on” all the time. So, while we are all here because we want success (which should always be by our own definition, not someone else’s) we likely suffer by trying to do it all. Many people, especially coaches are overloaded, burnt out, fatigued, anxious, etc - it shows up differently for everyone. Can we start to work back to less is more for coaching?
For 2026, I am offering a thought: Can we keep it simple? Have fun? Make sure that the people in our care know that we love the game, know that we are there for them, know they can make mistakes and it’s ok. Can we plan, perform and reflect?
Duktig Brand provides more than just notebooks. We provide opportunities for organization, clarity, reflection… to get it on paper and out of your head so you can focus on what matters the most.
We provide you the chance to experience that sense of calm that we all crave. Sit down with a notebook and a pen. Maybe coffee or tea. And take time to actually think.
We started 2025 with this quote:
“Simply picking up a pen you could regain some sense of agency, and think at a better pace- with the added benefit that, as you complete a notebook you make something unique and personal” - Roland Allen from the book The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper
We truly believe that the power of a single notebook is extraordinary and the ones who still utilize this ancient tool are the ones who will thrive during the tech and AI revolution. The mindful coach is the one who prevails.
Good luck in 2026! We are rooting for you to be successful in your own definition of it and to be the best, most genuine version of yourself - for you and for the people around you.
Thank you again for everything,
Tiffany Weimer
Co-Founder Duktig Brand
