Don't Let The Record Fool You

Last week was a long week. Playing four games in seven days is challenging especially with the emotions wrapped up in a single contest. Within one game, so many emotions can be felt: joy, fear, elation, passion, anger, insecuity, unworthiness, strength, belief, faith and hope. Every game is like a journey through one's soul going through so many opportunites for growth in such a short amount of time and when in that short 40 minutes, it ends with a loss, the prevailing emotions felt are sadness and a deep questioning of self and team.

It is difficult to take a loss and then stand tall with faith in the next opportunity. It is especially hard when a team which is as good as we are now has three losses in four games. How does a player recover? How does a team recover especially knowing that within each game an opportunity was there for a win? The games were so close we could physically touch and emotionally feel them, yet not hold them as ours.

How do we gather ourselves up in the full knowledge and awareness we are good and the journey has just begun? How do we find the right stuff to end the game as we desire? The real question is: how do take these losses and turn them into victories? It is not what has transpired which determines our future. It is our hope, our faith, our belief in one another and ourselves. It is the unwavering knowledge we can overcome; we are deserving; we are good; we are capable and we can.

I have witnessed such tremendous growth in the individuals and the team this season that they have inspired me. There is Katy Arick who has practiced and played with pain every day but who is playing the absolute best she has ever played in her career. The mental courage and willingness of Ali Tobias to step outside of where she has played the last two years and become a scorer willing to take the toughest of shots. Tiana Beatty, another injured player, who without fear jumps and leaps and plays with reckless abandon knowing every step hurts her. Tarenna Dixon who just a year ago couldn't sustain playing through a mistake and now keeps playing and giving effort when she misses a shot. Lindsey Kentner, an athlete who has beaten herself up with mental games, allowing herself to not be perfect and to let go of her missed shots playing in the now.

I have seen Jules overcome self doubt and the pain of not playing much last season to step up with confidence. There is Chrissy, an freshman, who last night after the experience of just three games, razzled and dazzled everybody with her passes and vision. Tianni, another fresh face out of high school, work through her self frustation to come again and again to play with determination. Lisanne getting out of the throes of self pity after injuring her ankle to encourage her teammates and be a team player. Moneka in her disappointment of not playing as much as she desires to continue to work hard in practices to improve. And finally, Emma, our sweet Emma who has shown such tremendous heart in her willingness to take on the journey of loving herself through each of her mistakes.

I believe in where this team is going, where the journey is headed, what they will achieve in the future because I can see into their hearts. I am full of hope.