My Final Pep Talk...

I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow our summer is nearing it's end, and with that - so is our time together as a team. As I reflect on our season together I've been thinking about the kind of things I hope you will carry with you from your time on the team.

I do hope that you have grown both in your knowledge and love for the game. Soccer is a great game. It's often referred to as "The World's Game." Wherever you find people and an open patch of grass, if you bring a ball and throw it down you'll likely find someone who's willing to kick it around with you. I do enjoy the game, largely because it has given me the chance to work with you, yet there are some things I hope you take with you that go beyond the game; things that have the potential to help you as you continue through life.

Teamwork

You will likely spend much of your life on some kind of team. When you go back to school in the fall, many of you will have to work on group projects at some point. When the time comes to enter the workforce, you will likely find yourself working with or for other people.

Working on a team can't be all about you. Teams made up of people who are really there for themselves generally don't work, and they really aren't much fun be on. There are times when you won't get the role or position you want. I hope that when those times come that you will be as willing to give your best where you are needed, just as you were for me and your team this summer.

Your willingness to work together, to do what needed to be done ESPECIALLY when it wasn't what you wanted, was what made this team so fun to coach and to play on.

Sportsmanship

If you're honest, none of you really much care that I'm a mechanic, or that I'm good at what I do. You likely aren't much impressed that I'm an elder at my church. You do care how I treat you. It matters that I do my best to give you equal playing time. It matters that I'm really on your side. The point is this:

Who you are is much more important than what you do or accomplish.

If you're a jerk, few people on your team are impressed by how many goals you can score, your ability to deke out the other team or perform a bicycle kick during the game. It's great if you can do those things, but what matters more is how you relate to other people.

Our most talented players this season carried themselves with a quiet humility. You have likely played on teams with people where that wasn't the case. They were good for sure. They knew it, and they made sure everyone around them knew it as well. I'm so happy that's not the story of our team.

Perseverance

You were with me until the end. Literally. All 17 of you were there for our final day together. Throughout the season, I never sensed that you gave up during a game, even when it became obvious you weren't going to win.

Please keep that. Hold on to it and face life with it. Learning to keep going starts now. It starts where you are in grade 7 and 8. A lot of life can be hard. Maybe at school you're scared to give a presentation to the class. Muster all the courage you find and do it anyway. Don't allow surrender to be the thing you turn to and don't let it become the pattern for your life.

Even when life gets really hard, even when it seems you just can't win - play on. There are times to quit and move on, but don't surrender JUST because it's difficult. Very few things that are worthwhile come easy.

You Matter

For all of my talk about teamwork, and how it's not about you - You Matter.

I haven't taught this to you like I have about teamwork, sportsmanship and perseverance. I hope however that you've 'caught' it. I hope you could tell that you matter to me. I hope you could tell by the way I made a point of greeting you when you came on the field. I hope you noticed the way I tried to connect with you, even if I did seem sort of lame and awkward about it. I hope you heard me cheering for you when you made a good play.

You matter to your family. They bring you out each week. They come when they can to watch you and cheer you on. They even wash you stinky soccer shirts that you fill with sweat on Thursday night.

You matter to your team. Each of you has helped to make the season what it was, and no matter how confident you are about your ability, without you - this team would have a big hole.

And If you'll hear me out....

You matter to God.

I'd be happy to elaborate on that, but will leave it there for now.

Thank You

I suppose there are other things I could have done with my summer. There's always something to watch on YouTube. I also have a lot of video games I could play. I can't however imagine spending my summer any other way. Having the chance to get to know you, to put on my blue shirt every Thursday night and hear you call me coach has been far better than any vacation I could have planned. Thank you for making this a joy filled summer.

I hope I have the privilege of being your coach again someday.

Coach Kevin