My son had a soccer tournament last weekend. An ‘out-of-town tournament.
We’re a relatively new U-17 boys soccer team. With a roster of 17 boys, only 6 have played together for more than 2 seasons.
Our coach deemed this our growing season. We have a TON of talent on our team. But, it takes time for a newly formed team to find their ‘mojo’ … to jive together … to dance the same dance.
The final score was 1-0. The loss was not due to a lack of skill or effort. Our boys fought the fight. They fought hard. In the end, however, they just couldn’t shut the other team down and score that 1 goal that would have brought us to a tie. Or 2 goals . . . that would have resulted in a win.
As athletes, they vie for and covet their positions. They play hard. They are highly competitive.
They play to win. Each and every player on the team gives it their all when they get on the pitch.
There was nothing to be critical of in that last match of the tournament. The loss was not any one player’s fault. They lost as a team.
But, reflecting back upon that tournament weekend, our team didn’t lose.
Typically, after a loss, the drive home is either dead silent or really loud! The drive home after this tournament was neither. Well, that’s not entirely true. It was loud. But it wasn’t an angry loud. It was a joyful loud.
The boys (I had 3 of them in my car …. for 90 minutes) were laughing and talking about how much fun they had over the weekend.
Really, what was there to say?
They had a fabulous weekend and made a ton of memories that won’t soon be forgotten. They bonded as a team. They found their mojo. They got their jive in sync. And, the boys – for the whole weekend – danced the same dance.
Memories, bonding, fun times aside … our boys were a force to be reckoned with in that gold medal game. They gave it everything they had. There was no criticism. Only the understanding that ….
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