The Black and the White

I'm going to touch on a few things coach Tom said over the past couple weeks and then move into other areas. After this post I may not be the most popular guy but hey; winning, commitment and dedication aren't popularity contests.

First, after the championship game at Nomads, Tom said he felt disappointed. More accurately, he addressed the team and said he felt disappointed 'for you'. From an old coach when someone says that, I interpreted it to mean that maybe you weren't disappointed enough, or at all. That maybe it didn't mean as much to individuals as it should. That maybe getting pounded in the championship by a team we could have beat earlier in the tournament and playing so poorly should have hurt a little more than it did. Should have p*!!ed some people off a little more than it did. I saw some players crying. I saw some on the brink of tears. Do you think it hurt those players to lose in such a fashion in such a big game. Do you think they took responsibility? You bet they did. What hurt the most was to see others walk off the field like it was just another game. Like they were wondering where they were going to eat before the flight home instead of wondering how we could have taken such a beating, why it happened and what we need to do to ensure it would never happen again. It hurt because I saw players give up. Something I never thought I would see from a Sodium team. Can each individual player look in the mirror after that game and honestly say the gave 100%? Honestly say they left everything on the field for the team? A very few can, most can not. Let me insert an example here. There was a little REC hoop team some of you may be familiar with. The team had several players who had never stepped on the court before. In there second game of the season they played a returning team that was supposed to win the league. At the end of the first quarter this little REC team was down by 14 points and things didn't look good. But let me ask you this; "Do you think this team ever, for ONE SECOND, gave up? Stopped fighting or thought they didn't have a chance win?" NO WAY! And do you know why? Because almost half this team was made up of SODIUM PLAYERS! That's why! They never gave up, they never stopped fighting and clawing their way back into the game. They not only went on to win this game, but the league championship. I didn't see that effort Monday.

Secondly, after the embarrassing loss to FC Portland, Tom said that from here on out, from U13 onward, it's no longer about the name on the back of the jersey, but the logo on front. It's about the black and the white. It's about doing for the team, not the individual. It's about dedication and pushing yourself to be the best you can for the team. Do you think every player gave everything they had for the team Monday? Short answer: No.

Practice: You practice like you play. You give 100% at practice, you give 100% in the game. If you give lame excuses not to go to practice or not to give 100%, you'll look like it on the field. And believe me, from the coach to the fans, we can all tell.

Fitness: When I was trianing if someone told me we would have Navy Seals training us, I would have jumped out of my skin! Think of how much better condition we are going to be in than our competition! I bet no OTHER team has Navy Seals training them! Instead, I heard a lot of lame excuses not to go to fitness. "It's too hot", "It's too cold", "I don't feel good", "I have some sort of ache or pain" or the best ever: "I'm too tired". If I would have been Tom, I would have said; "Fine, stay home. And maybe stay home the next couple of games too". I am an old school coach I will admit but I rarely had players miss practice.

Game Time: The hours before a game is a time for reflection. To review all the things you've been taught. To review the opposition, their strengths and weaknesses. To review why you are here and what contribution you can make to the team to ensure victory. To realize the opposing teams only goal is to beat your butt and to get fired up about it!

Commitment and Dedication: Do you think Mia Hamm is committed to the sport and dedicated to her team? Do you think she goes the extra distance? Does more sit-ups than her team mates? Pushes herself to be first in drills? More push-ups than anyone else? Climbs the stairs faster, jumps higher and sweats a little more? She is committed. To herself, to be the best so she can play the best for her team. Each individual on Sodium needs to ask themselves, "Am I committed?" Am I dedicated and willing to put everything I am on the line when I take the field? Sodium teams in the past have answered "Yes", Can you? Can you commit to the Black and the White of Sodium? Dig deep ladies, the answer is within you. The old saying "A team is only as good as it's weakest player" has withstood the test of time. Don't be that player. Work harder to be better every day, every practice, every game. Remember "If it is to be, it's up to me"? Each individual being the best they can be for the better of the team.

The letters 'L' 'O' used to make this teams blood boil. What does it mean now? Are we already beat before we walk on the field? Why play if you aren't 100% committed? Why do that to your team? If your going to go out and give less than 100%, save us all the agony and just go home! I say this as a coach and player because I know what it takes to win. I know the sacrifices that need to be made. I know the level of dedication and hard work it takes. I coached 2 league championship teams and played on 3 State Championship teams and 5 league championship teams in 3 different sports! Best of all though, I have had the pleasure of witnessing back-to-back State Championships from THIS team! And selfishly, I know we can do more.

Every team from every bracket in State Cup is going to be gunning for you Sodium. Are you going to give some lesser team the chance to knock you out? Or are you going to refocus, recommit and rededicate yourselves back to the level you know you can achieve? I've seen the killer instinct in your eyes. Look at our defense giving up 0 goals in BME. Look at MAC scoring 3 goals in the semi-finals at Nomads and the team playing for the Championship. THAT is what I'm talking about. THAT is the Sodium we know. The look in Laura Camp's eyes when she is stutter stepping to a free kick from 25-yards. The look in Taylor's eyes when she stops a forward dead in her tracks and clears the ball. Eyes that say; "Is that all you got?" THAT is the Sodium we know.

Lady Warriors, will you truly be Back in Black or will it all just fade away...
The time is now to make that decision. { I'd hate to be the team that finds out! }

With pride and confidence, the Sodium faithful yell: GO SODIUM!