It's been awhile since I last posted.

The last year has been a difficult one physically for me.  I was injured on the job and my (now former) employer contested my Workman's Compensation claim delaying treatment of my knee injury several months. Then, in January a simple hang nail on my thumb became infected that resulted in a 6 day hospital stay during which I nearly lost the thumb. It is now September and that healing process continues.  I have new employment and a new coaching gig.  I love my work, but the coaching has been a challenge.  No complaints here, challenges allow for growth and I have continued to learn and relearn each and every day.

One thing I have known for a long time is that each team takes on a personality that reflects
the player who emerges as the dominant personality.  Coaches speak all the time about senior leadership and how critical it is to a successful season.  Yet, it's not always a senior who steps to the fore. This I have learned again. 

Coaching at a small school can be a challenge. Sometimes it quite literally requires an all hands on deck approach just to field a team. With only five returning players from last years squad this is the situation I faced for this season. As late as May it was in serious question as to whether or not we would have enough to field a team this fall. We played our first game with 10 players. That was our entire roster.

Something remarkable has been happening with this team.  They did not complain about only having 10 players for the first game. They went out and played.  They played with courage and a spirit that restored my faith and hope in the process.. We got thumped 0-11 with the opposing coach keeping his stars in the long after the outcome was decided. Even so, it seemed as though we competed better as the game wore on. There was no quit in any of the players despite facing insurmountable odds. They competed to the best of their ability until the final whistle.  They joy of playing was evident in them.

The second game was much like the first. We again lost badly and the opposing coach kept his star players in way past the point when the outcome had been decided. We bent this game. Maybe lost some of our spirit for awhile but rallied in the last 20 minutes to again display courage, enthusiasm, spirit and ... belief.  Belief in one another and what we are setting about to accomplish. Trust.

Did I mention we are a co-ed team playing against boys teams?  Yep, five of our 13 players are girls.  Nine of our 13 are freshmen and sophomores. We have been playing against boys teams loaded with juniors and seniors. And our spirit has been strong. This is the most coach-able group of players I have had in ... a long time .., maybe ever. Certainly since the 2014 club team, but that was under completely different circumstances.

We don't talk about results. Our focus has been on personal records in fitness and skill test in practices. In matches we set goals based on what we have practiced. We are improving in all areas. And because we have taken this approach, the student athletes have a means to measure both their individual and collective improvement.

Throughout this summer and the first part of the season a young lady has stepped to the fore for us. At this point in the season there can be no doubt who the leader of this team is. We reflect her buoyant personality and spirit. I've only ever seen a freshman once before have such an impact on a varsity team. He is a special player, maybe the best I have ever been around, a better leader and even better human being. This year's young lady is right there. We will see how the rest of her high school career turns out but it is off to a most promising start and the bodes well not only for her but the team and program as well.

And we have a 14th player set to join us next week. I don't think he has ever played soccer before, but he sought me out in school last week to express interest in playing. There's something good happening here in the face of adversity. I am dumbfounded that student athletes continue to join our program as we have been trounced in the first two games.  It's the spirit of these young people that is attractive to their peers. It's not exactly been "all hands on deck" but it is becoming enough hands on deck and those who are joining continue to reflect the spirit that defines this team. I'm not sure where this path is leading me, but I do know this simple fact - coaching has not been this fun in a very long time.