It's Just A Game...

Isn’t that the old adage that is spoken when a team loses or someone gets too emotional over a sport? It’s just a game. I would have to agree. It is just a game. I usually don’t go into depth about coaching, because for the most part, it’s not well understood.
For instance the pay equals about two cents per hour and that could be a generous estimate. Choosing to work with 18 adolescent females is enough to leave anyone shaking their heads and wondering why…
However, it’s those very 18 athletes that keep me coming back for more. In a season that begins in August..and if we are lucky enough to keep winning, ends somewhere in November.
When the last game is played, I realize it is definitely not just a game. I have watched 18 wonderful young people work through some sweat and tears to all accomplish a common goal. There are extreme highs and extreme lows that somehow transcend the whole "game" of soccer. Anyone who has ever played or coached can probably gather exactly what I am talking about it.
In case you can’t…it’s about the experience. As a coach you try to figure out what makes each girl tick and how to demand the most out of a team without breaking their spirit to win. It’s trying to find the balance of when to expect more and when to have a little fun. It’s about watching them put personal feelings aside and gut it out on the field to win. It’s about them looking at you and wondering what I am going to ask of them next. Wow! What a responsibility! Coaching is about knowing something special about each one. Knowing what books they are reading, knowing who had a bad day and who has mom enduring chemo therapy. Yup, soccer is just a game. But, the athletes add the element that makes sports worth it. They are worth the time, the frustration, the winning and the losing.
So, since August this team of girls has done everything I’ve asked. They made it to one of the most recognized platforms in New York State as Section II Finalists. They lost the "big game" , but they gained so much over the past few months. I did post a picture of this wonderful team. Though, I am sad the season is over, I am proud too :)
Oh and by the way, Thanksgiving is in like three weeks!