From playing for fun on the streets as children most soccer players develop a natural inclination to attack with no sense of positioning or tactical awareness. It was during these times when the game was most fun and exciting. Little to no consideration for the opposition or tactical adjustments and what have, it was just go out there an have fun. Its during this stage of a players development though where you start to look at what type of player they may become in the future.
In most cases a players development in soccer follows a path determined by his/her physique. WHat I mean by this is that a persons development as a player will be directly influenced by how athletic the players is. Athletic players usually are the more dominant players at a younger age group simply because the less athletic kids arent skillful enough to cope with the physical advantage that an athletic player has, leaving them at an unlevel playing field. This same athletic supremacy during youth though is what will come to be detriment to the athletic players development.
While the athletic player is left to dominate his peers using his physical advantage and mediocre skills, the smaller less physically developed players are forced to cope by developing their skills. Through skill development these smaller players set themselves on the path to understanding the tactical side of the game as their skillset will eventually allow them to play freely with their head up to see the field and everything that is around them. A tactical awareness as it is called. As they continue to grow and develop physically they begin to combine their technical skills with the tactical knowledge of the game to make them the more superior player.
In contrast the physically dominant youngster develops along a less fruitful path. Due to his dominance at a young age, he didnt feel the need to develop his skillset as meticulously as his lesser peers. This in turn would be a detriment to his development as that same skillset he neglected is what will take his game to the next level through the introduction of tactics. Tactical instructions become a massive part of the game as you develop. In and around the 15-16 year old age range, players begin to develop an understanding for the game and usually it is the ones who have a more advances skillset who develop this understanding. The physical player can no longer compete the added element of tactical knowledge now renders his physical superiority useless as players starts to understand passing plays, movement patterns, opening and closing space, positional awareness and such.
You can see the two contrasting development methods in the English game and the Spanish game. Both are among the top teams and leagues in the world but Spain is more dominant simply because their players are far more advanced technically and tactically than their English counterparts who are incredible athletes. The physical side of the game can only take you so far before skill and intelligence renders it useless
A wise man once said, developing as a soccer player is much like building a house. The foundation of that player is their technical skills ie how well much ability do they have with the ball in areas such as passing, dribbling shooting, tackling, crossing. This is usually decided by the age of 15, if a player has no technical skill by 15 then they should forget about ever playing competitive soccer. A players technical quality is the be all end all for player development. From there you go on the build the first level of the house, which is their physical development in which you see if this person can cope with the physical demands of playing competitive soccer. Then you go and build the 2nd floor of the house which is the tactical side of the game where you see if this player understands the game, whether he can link up with his team mates and see what is going on around him. The last part of the development is the roof, which is one of the most critical as it determines a persons level of commitment and motivation to succeed in the game. Without a roof over the house, when it rains the house gets flooded and ruined. Many young potentially incredible players failed because they didnt have a roof if you know what I mean.
Monday, December 2, 2013
The Element of Competition
As a kid growing up, you play sports simply for fun. Hours on end, day after day, my friends and I would go out and play soccer the entire day all because we loved to do it. Why did we like it so much? I couldnt tell you, it was just fun. As you you grow though, that fun turns into something else. That same fun I was having also provided me with the tools to develop my skills and self confidence to the point I became a very good player capable of playing with the best young kids in the province. It was at this point where competition starts to enter the mix and friendly games of soccer turned into intense games where heated altercations were common. Winning became the name of the game and at all costs, even if it meant fighting with a friend or injuring an opponent.
That inner child in everyone still wants to go out on the field and have fun, not taking score, having a laugh and generally just enjoy yourself, but when you go out onto the field you know that is the exact opposite of what you will find. Competition changes peoples, I know it does for me and for many people who I have played with and against. I go from being a laid back, light hearted person off the field to very serious, aggressive, and at times malicious when I go on it. It is the persona that I had to cultivate in order to compete at any competitive level in soccer. Through years of coaching its been hammered into me, my friends and team mates that having fun isnt going to win you games, you have to fight and do whatever it takes to win.
One of the most contrasting on to off field personas I have ever met is that of a former team mate of mine in my teens whose name was Charles. He was literally the nicest guy, very caring, wouldnt hurt a fly, had never been in a fight, and was just your perfect kid off the field. As soon as he stepped onto the field though he becomes one of the fiercest competitors I have ever seen. He never really got angry on the field, but he was constantly in fights with the opposition because of the aggression and determination he played with. He would run through a brick wall to win the ball back, hurting anyone and everyone in his way and this attitude would see him get into many fights which he never backed down from. The coach always used him as an example to follow because he played with courage and fearlessness and wanted to win at any cost. Off the field where nothing was stake, Charles was one of the softest kids you would meet. The type who would cry when he got into a fight with his girlfriend, but throw in the element of competition and he becomes someone else, a mean person.
This is the cost of winning, decency goes out the window and ferocity is rewarded. They say you learn a lot of things from sports that can take you far in life. For me what I have learned is that the world like the soccer field is cut throat. Competition and those who are down for the fight and the struggle are the ones who will be rewarded. You cant be a nice guy and expect to get the results you want because there are people out there who will take advantage of kindness at the first opportunity.
The element of competition is what makes people the way they are. In an ideal world I bet we would all sing and dance around a campfire, but throw in a competition of some sorts and you will see what people are really about.
That inner child in everyone still wants to go out on the field and have fun, not taking score, having a laugh and generally just enjoy yourself, but when you go out onto the field you know that is the exact opposite of what you will find. Competition changes peoples, I know it does for me and for many people who I have played with and against. I go from being a laid back, light hearted person off the field to very serious, aggressive, and at times malicious when I go on it. It is the persona that I had to cultivate in order to compete at any competitive level in soccer. Through years of coaching its been hammered into me, my friends and team mates that having fun isnt going to win you games, you have to fight and do whatever it takes to win.
One of the most contrasting on to off field personas I have ever met is that of a former team mate of mine in my teens whose name was Charles. He was literally the nicest guy, very caring, wouldnt hurt a fly, had never been in a fight, and was just your perfect kid off the field. As soon as he stepped onto the field though he becomes one of the fiercest competitors I have ever seen. He never really got angry on the field, but he was constantly in fights with the opposition because of the aggression and determination he played with. He would run through a brick wall to win the ball back, hurting anyone and everyone in his way and this attitude would see him get into many fights which he never backed down from. The coach always used him as an example to follow because he played with courage and fearlessness and wanted to win at any cost. Off the field where nothing was stake, Charles was one of the softest kids you would meet. The type who would cry when he got into a fight with his girlfriend, but throw in the element of competition and he becomes someone else, a mean person.
This is the cost of winning, decency goes out the window and ferocity is rewarded. They say you learn a lot of things from sports that can take you far in life. For me what I have learned is that the world like the soccer field is cut throat. Competition and those who are down for the fight and the struggle are the ones who will be rewarded. You cant be a nice guy and expect to get the results you want because there are people out there who will take advantage of kindness at the first opportunity.
The element of competition is what makes people the way they are. In an ideal world I bet we would all sing and dance around a campfire, but throw in a competition of some sorts and you will see what people are really about.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
The Story of Mustafa
We had just played our first game of the season which we had lost to a very strong Humber team. Out of all the defeats Ive been a part of, this is one that will stick out simply for the superiority of the opposition. They were a very strong team with a few of their players having played for the Canadian Junior Teams and a few playing semi professional in the Canadian Soccer League. For this reason, the team nor myself were too disheartened by the loss considering it was a respectable 3-1 loss to a considerably stronger team. On the bus back to Mohawk the mood among the players was joyful, everyone was joking around talking and just typical banter you would associate with any team. For me though, this was a ride which would leave me in amazement at the story of one of my team mates with whom I had not had much dialogue with up until that point. The trials and tribulations he has had to endure in his life is something that left me humbled and grateful. For this reason I have decided to blog about the story of Mustafa.
On the way back to Mohawk I sat at the back of the bus alongside Mustafa. We hadnt really talked much yet so this was a good opportunity for fellow Africans to connect. We made small talk but nothing crazy or mind blowing, which would change soon. Eventually we were driving past Mississauga on the highway when we passed these highrise condo's which is when I turned to Mustafa and said, "imagine living in one of those things on day?" He replied, "what do you mean living in one? Im going to own them one day!" It left me taken aback for a second as you dont hear many people say those kind of things with so much assurance. People say those things halfheartedly with a sarcastic undertone to it, but Mustafa said it in a very serious manner and sort of scoffed at me for thinking so small. So I asked Mustafa, "how old are you? You dont hear many young people say stuff like that." And his reply was that he was only 18 which I couldnt believe.
I remember seeing Mustafa at tryouts in August and for sure I thought he would be a mature student such as myself. He had a well developed, athletic build and when he spoke, he spoke with an authority that you would associate with someone more matured as opposed to an 18 year old kid. Based off this I naturally assumed that he was older, maybe mid twenties or so, so when he told me he was only 18 I was very surprised. I told him that to as you dont really meet many 18 year old kids with his presence, confidence and maturity. He replied to me, "well most people in general havent been through what I have. Ive been forced to grow up quickly" I asked him what he meant by he was "forced to grow up quickly," which was when he gave me his incredible life story.
Mustafa was born in the poor West African country of Gambia. His had dad abandoned him and his mom right after he was born. Subsequently, Mustafa was forced to work and attend school in order to help his mom make ends meet. He worked on farms, worked on the street shining shoes, he begged for money or food on some instanced, basically anything that would help him and his mom. The first 12 years of his life were spent this way, hustling to survive and help his mom all the while diligently studying to keep up with his school. Already at a young age he had developed a mentality and work ethic that would take him very far in life, but this was just the beginning.
His life would change drastically at 12 years old when his estranged father got in contact with him again. His dad was now a Canadian citizen and was living in Oakville Canada. He wanted to offer his son a better life so he offered Mustafa the chance to live and study in Canada. Mustafa told me he didnt want to go, but his mother forced him to as it would give him a much better standard of living than the life he had in Gambia. So at 12 years old Mustafa left Gambia to live with his dad, his dads Canadian wife and her two daughters.
He said his initial experience in Canada was a nightmare, his father was a drunk who treated him terribly. His step family wanted nothing to do with him and also treated him like garbage. He was alienated at school because of his appearance and that fact that he was very different from his peers in every way possible. He was living a nightmare and wanted to go back home, but his mom wouldnt let him.The only place he found solace and enjoyment was when he played soccer at the park.
Soccer was something he had played his whole life and It was at that park where he was spotted by one of the coaches at Oakville Soccer Club who offered him the chance to play in their elite development team. The clubs fees were very expensive though which Mustafa couldnt afford to pay, but he was so good that the coach of his team exempt him from paying. This same coach would have a big impact on Mustafa's life later on.
At 14 years old, having now been in Canada for two years, things became unbearable at home. One day Mustafa and his dad got into a big fight in which blows were exchanged. He let out all of his childhood frustrations in one night on the man who abandoned him as a baby and forced him into a life of struggle and desperation. He was kicked out of his house and for the second time in his life he was abandoned by his father. Now 14 years old and living on the streets with no one to reach out to. Mustafa slept in shelters and on park benches for a couple of weeks and went back to living how he did in Gambia, in survival mode.
When his soccer coach found out about Mustafa situation, he did something truly commendable. He found Mustafa an apartment, signed it under his name, paid for his furniture, first 3 months of rent, and got Mustafa a job working at a local McDonalds in order to help him help himself. So at 14 Mustafa was living on his own, working full time, attending school fulltime, all the while finding time to train for high level soccer. And as if that weren't crazy enough for this child, a lot of the money he was making he would send back to Gambia to help his struggling mother.
One winter he had a brilliant idea to help him make even more money. Oakville is a very affluent town, so when winter came along there were massive houses with big drive ways that people didnt want to shovel after a snowstorm. They were more than willing to pay someone to do it though, so Mustafa got to knocking on doors and offering to shovel people's drive way for a fee. He developed a client list and people would contact him regularly to come shovel their snow for a very nice payment. He said he would regularly make $200-$300 for a days worth of shoveling which was more than he could ever make at McDonalds. While other kids were snuggled inside playing video games after a snow storm, Mustafa would be out there with his shovel in hand building his business and making a lot of money while doing so.This side business of his allowed him to make more money in shorter time period than his McDonalds job which gave him more freedom, but it was only seasonal work.
So now here he is a teenager with his own snow shoveling business and doing better for himself than he had ever imagined. He had expendable income and could afford to buy nice things for himself. He had exceptional grades in school which helped him earn a $20 000 grant from the government to help him pay for post secondary education. With this money he is enrolled at Mohawk College, playing for the school soccer team and life now is easier for him than it has ever been during his life.
His story is a testament to his character. When he told me all this, everything about him made sense. His level of maturity, his presence, the confidence and authority he brings on the field, it all started to come together. The life he has been forced to live his made him a stronger person than anybody on the team. He is a leader and fighter with the heart of a lion, someone who you want beside you in battle. There are a lot of lessons he was forced to learn in life that a lot of people will never learn and it is these lessons that will take him very far.
This bus ride back had a big impact on me also. Mustafa would become one of my closest friends on the team and his life is something that made me reflect deeply on myself and what I need to do to get to where I want to be. His story is inspirational and it has only just begun. Its strange for me to say this, but I look up to the kid, even though he is much younger than me. I wont be surprised one day to see this kid has become a wealthy business man because life has given him all the tools he needs to become one.
On the way back to Mohawk I sat at the back of the bus alongside Mustafa. We hadnt really talked much yet so this was a good opportunity for fellow Africans to connect. We made small talk but nothing crazy or mind blowing, which would change soon. Eventually we were driving past Mississauga on the highway when we passed these highrise condo's which is when I turned to Mustafa and said, "imagine living in one of those things on day?" He replied, "what do you mean living in one? Im going to own them one day!" It left me taken aback for a second as you dont hear many people say those kind of things with so much assurance. People say those things halfheartedly with a sarcastic undertone to it, but Mustafa said it in a very serious manner and sort of scoffed at me for thinking so small. So I asked Mustafa, "how old are you? You dont hear many young people say stuff like that." And his reply was that he was only 18 which I couldnt believe.
I remember seeing Mustafa at tryouts in August and for sure I thought he would be a mature student such as myself. He had a well developed, athletic build and when he spoke, he spoke with an authority that you would associate with someone more matured as opposed to an 18 year old kid. Based off this I naturally assumed that he was older, maybe mid twenties or so, so when he told me he was only 18 I was very surprised. I told him that to as you dont really meet many 18 year old kids with his presence, confidence and maturity. He replied to me, "well most people in general havent been through what I have. Ive been forced to grow up quickly" I asked him what he meant by he was "forced to grow up quickly," which was when he gave me his incredible life story.
Mustafa was born in the poor West African country of Gambia. His had dad abandoned him and his mom right after he was born. Subsequently, Mustafa was forced to work and attend school in order to help his mom make ends meet. He worked on farms, worked on the street shining shoes, he begged for money or food on some instanced, basically anything that would help him and his mom. The first 12 years of his life were spent this way, hustling to survive and help his mom all the while diligently studying to keep up with his school. Already at a young age he had developed a mentality and work ethic that would take him very far in life, but this was just the beginning.
His life would change drastically at 12 years old when his estranged father got in contact with him again. His dad was now a Canadian citizen and was living in Oakville Canada. He wanted to offer his son a better life so he offered Mustafa the chance to live and study in Canada. Mustafa told me he didnt want to go, but his mother forced him to as it would give him a much better standard of living than the life he had in Gambia. So at 12 years old Mustafa left Gambia to live with his dad, his dads Canadian wife and her two daughters.
He said his initial experience in Canada was a nightmare, his father was a drunk who treated him terribly. His step family wanted nothing to do with him and also treated him like garbage. He was alienated at school because of his appearance and that fact that he was very different from his peers in every way possible. He was living a nightmare and wanted to go back home, but his mom wouldnt let him.The only place he found solace and enjoyment was when he played soccer at the park.
Soccer was something he had played his whole life and It was at that park where he was spotted by one of the coaches at Oakville Soccer Club who offered him the chance to play in their elite development team. The clubs fees were very expensive though which Mustafa couldnt afford to pay, but he was so good that the coach of his team exempt him from paying. This same coach would have a big impact on Mustafa's life later on.
At 14 years old, having now been in Canada for two years, things became unbearable at home. One day Mustafa and his dad got into a big fight in which blows were exchanged. He let out all of his childhood frustrations in one night on the man who abandoned him as a baby and forced him into a life of struggle and desperation. He was kicked out of his house and for the second time in his life he was abandoned by his father. Now 14 years old and living on the streets with no one to reach out to. Mustafa slept in shelters and on park benches for a couple of weeks and went back to living how he did in Gambia, in survival mode.
When his soccer coach found out about Mustafa situation, he did something truly commendable. He found Mustafa an apartment, signed it under his name, paid for his furniture, first 3 months of rent, and got Mustafa a job working at a local McDonalds in order to help him help himself. So at 14 Mustafa was living on his own, working full time, attending school fulltime, all the while finding time to train for high level soccer. And as if that weren't crazy enough for this child, a lot of the money he was making he would send back to Gambia to help his struggling mother.
One winter he had a brilliant idea to help him make even more money. Oakville is a very affluent town, so when winter came along there were massive houses with big drive ways that people didnt want to shovel after a snowstorm. They were more than willing to pay someone to do it though, so Mustafa got to knocking on doors and offering to shovel people's drive way for a fee. He developed a client list and people would contact him regularly to come shovel their snow for a very nice payment. He said he would regularly make $200-$300 for a days worth of shoveling which was more than he could ever make at McDonalds. While other kids were snuggled inside playing video games after a snow storm, Mustafa would be out there with his shovel in hand building his business and making a lot of money while doing so.This side business of his allowed him to make more money in shorter time period than his McDonalds job which gave him more freedom, but it was only seasonal work.
So now here he is a teenager with his own snow shoveling business and doing better for himself than he had ever imagined. He had expendable income and could afford to buy nice things for himself. He had exceptional grades in school which helped him earn a $20 000 grant from the government to help him pay for post secondary education. With this money he is enrolled at Mohawk College, playing for the school soccer team and life now is easier for him than it has ever been during his life.
His story is a testament to his character. When he told me all this, everything about him made sense. His level of maturity, his presence, the confidence and authority he brings on the field, it all started to come together. The life he has been forced to live his made him a stronger person than anybody on the team. He is a leader and fighter with the heart of a lion, someone who you want beside you in battle. There are a lot of lessons he was forced to learn in life that a lot of people will never learn and it is these lessons that will take him very far.
This bus ride back had a big impact on me also. Mustafa would become one of my closest friends on the team and his life is something that made me reflect deeply on myself and what I need to do to get to where I want to be. His story is inspirational and it has only just begun. Its strange for me to say this, but I look up to the kid, even though he is much younger than me. I wont be surprised one day to see this kid has become a wealthy business man because life has given him all the tools he needs to become one.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Do or Die...
We had already played these guys in a preseason tournament and we knew we
had a tough game on our hands. Their team consisted of tall, big, athletes who
had average ability on the ball. Their height and physicality made them a tough
match up for us as we are a short team with high technical quality throughout.
I still felt confident we could out play them to a victory though considering
our ability to keep the ball.
Leading up to the game I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. The day before and the day of, it was all I could think of. I went through possible starting line ups, where our threat could come from, how we would cope without five of our starters, the huge responsibility placed on myself and the remaining five starters to get the job done despite the circumstances. It all weighed heavy on my mind. They say that you shouldn’t think too much about the game before it happens as it psyches you out if you do, but for me it’s the exact opposite. I like to feel that tension, the nerves, the anxiety, I like to think of the what will happen on the field, and who I am up against. It is one of the few moments in life where I don’t feel at ease and for some reason it helps me to focus and mentally prepare myself for the intensity of competitive soccer. Ive tried to be calm and not think of the game before and it doesn’t work for me, I know if I feel nervous I will play good.
Upon arriving at the dressing room, the team found out that another one of our starting players, a defender named Mustafa, had been suspended for today's game as a result of him abusing the ref after the Fanshawe game. The ref reported him to the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association and he was subsequently suspended. We were now left with 4 of our 10 starting players for this game, thing just went from bad to worse. On the bright side though, the atmosphere in the dressing room was really good and you could tell everyone was anxious to get the game started.
Coach Anthony, the assistant coach who was filling in for the head coach who had to attend to family issues in the Caribbean’s, gave an incredible pregame speech. Coach Anthony was a big factor in turning our season around. He just seemed to be able to connect with the players and was able to better understand how to get the best out of the talent the team had. As much as the players deserved credit for the game against Fanshawe, Coach Anthony and his ability to instill confidence in us after the mess of the season we had, was also a big factor. He had a way of transmitting his confidence into the squad through the team talks and what he says to you on a personal level. For both the Fanshawe and Redeemer games, the team went out onto the field willing to die to get the result. It was a big contrast to how the head coach would send us out. With the head coach we were like lambs to be slaughtered out there and the results and the performances show that. With Anthony though it was the opposite, we were the ones who would be doing the slaughtering.
The game started and right from the get go we were all over them. We were dominating possession of the ball, winning tackles, creating chances and were justly rewarded with an early goal. Our striker swung in an incredible shot from the edge of the box that curved nicely into the bottom corner of the net, sending the whole team crazy. We knew the goal was coming and when it did, it was a big relief. Redeemer had nothing, they couldn’t pass or create chances and their confidence was being drained out of them slowly. The half time whistle blew and we were up 1-0 feeling like we couldn’t be stopped. The back up players were doing their job and fighting for every ball and despite their short comings, you couldn’t ask for more from them. Coach Anthony reminded us that we are only up 1-0 and we needed to put this game to rest by scoring another or else…
The second half started and Redeemer were starting to get into the game more. You could see their fitness starting to play a big role now as they were able to keep up with the pace of the game whereas we were starting to drop off a bit. The back up players were tired, but they continued to hold their own, limiting Redeemer to a few chances. We also managed to create 3 clear cut, one vs. one chances with their goalie which our players failed to convert into a goal. After our last chance, I knew something wasn’t right. Fortune was favouring Redeemer. This proved to be case with 10 minutes left. They were rewarded a freekick outside our box. The ball was sent in, a pretty standard cross, not much power on it and it looked like the goalie would comfortably save it. He did manage to catch it, but for some reason I still cant understand to this day, he fumbled it. The ball slipped out of the goalies hands and fell to a Redeemer players feet. He shot but our defender made an incredible save to keep the ball out, only for the ball to fall to another Redeemer player who made no mistake about it and scored to tie the game.
It was such a surreal moment when they scored. One of those moments that felt like a dream, like that couldn’t have possibly just happened. There was no way. How could such a simple save turn into a goal? I found myself in a state of shock and disbelief. There was no time for that though as there was 10 minutes left to play and we had to make something happen. Unfortunately with 6 out of 10 players on our team not getting sufficient game time throughout the season, the fuel just wasn’t in the tank to push for those 10 minutes. Myself and the 3 other remaining starters did all we could to inspire the team but it was to no avail. The game ended in a tie and thus ended our season as Redeemer only needed a tie to progress into the playoffs at our expense.
When that final whistle blew, I collapsed on the field. Physically and mentally pushed to my limit, I had nothing left. Shocked at the outcome and heartbroken that this team wouldn’t be able to fulfill the potential we all knew we had together. Everything was coming together and all we needed was to get the win to progress and we failed to do so. It would be easy to blame the goalie for his mistake, but we had the chance to bury the game and we didn’t. It was our own undoing and not any single players fault. What makes it all the more worse is that it will be last year I will be playing varsity soccer at a university/college level and to leave with a feeling of “what if” is what makes it all the more worse. This was the best collection of players Ive played with and to not have to fulfill that potential, and at a time when it all started to come together is heart breaking.
Leading up to the game I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. The day before and the day of, it was all I could think of. I went through possible starting line ups, where our threat could come from, how we would cope without five of our starters, the huge responsibility placed on myself and the remaining five starters to get the job done despite the circumstances. It all weighed heavy on my mind. They say that you shouldn’t think too much about the game before it happens as it psyches you out if you do, but for me it’s the exact opposite. I like to feel that tension, the nerves, the anxiety, I like to think of the what will happen on the field, and who I am up against. It is one of the few moments in life where I don’t feel at ease and for some reason it helps me to focus and mentally prepare myself for the intensity of competitive soccer. Ive tried to be calm and not think of the game before and it doesn’t work for me, I know if I feel nervous I will play good.
Upon arriving at the dressing room, the team found out that another one of our starting players, a defender named Mustafa, had been suspended for today's game as a result of him abusing the ref after the Fanshawe game. The ref reported him to the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association and he was subsequently suspended. We were now left with 4 of our 10 starting players for this game, thing just went from bad to worse. On the bright side though, the atmosphere in the dressing room was really good and you could tell everyone was anxious to get the game started.
Coach Anthony, the assistant coach who was filling in for the head coach who had to attend to family issues in the Caribbean’s, gave an incredible pregame speech. Coach Anthony was a big factor in turning our season around. He just seemed to be able to connect with the players and was able to better understand how to get the best out of the talent the team had. As much as the players deserved credit for the game against Fanshawe, Coach Anthony and his ability to instill confidence in us after the mess of the season we had, was also a big factor. He had a way of transmitting his confidence into the squad through the team talks and what he says to you on a personal level. For both the Fanshawe and Redeemer games, the team went out onto the field willing to die to get the result. It was a big contrast to how the head coach would send us out. With the head coach we were like lambs to be slaughtered out there and the results and the performances show that. With Anthony though it was the opposite, we were the ones who would be doing the slaughtering.
The game started and right from the get go we were all over them. We were dominating possession of the ball, winning tackles, creating chances and were justly rewarded with an early goal. Our striker swung in an incredible shot from the edge of the box that curved nicely into the bottom corner of the net, sending the whole team crazy. We knew the goal was coming and when it did, it was a big relief. Redeemer had nothing, they couldn’t pass or create chances and their confidence was being drained out of them slowly. The half time whistle blew and we were up 1-0 feeling like we couldn’t be stopped. The back up players were doing their job and fighting for every ball and despite their short comings, you couldn’t ask for more from them. Coach Anthony reminded us that we are only up 1-0 and we needed to put this game to rest by scoring another or else…
The second half started and Redeemer were starting to get into the game more. You could see their fitness starting to play a big role now as they were able to keep up with the pace of the game whereas we were starting to drop off a bit. The back up players were tired, but they continued to hold their own, limiting Redeemer to a few chances. We also managed to create 3 clear cut, one vs. one chances with their goalie which our players failed to convert into a goal. After our last chance, I knew something wasn’t right. Fortune was favouring Redeemer. This proved to be case with 10 minutes left. They were rewarded a freekick outside our box. The ball was sent in, a pretty standard cross, not much power on it and it looked like the goalie would comfortably save it. He did manage to catch it, but for some reason I still cant understand to this day, he fumbled it. The ball slipped out of the goalies hands and fell to a Redeemer players feet. He shot but our defender made an incredible save to keep the ball out, only for the ball to fall to another Redeemer player who made no mistake about it and scored to tie the game.
It was such a surreal moment when they scored. One of those moments that felt like a dream, like that couldn’t have possibly just happened. There was no way. How could such a simple save turn into a goal? I found myself in a state of shock and disbelief. There was no time for that though as there was 10 minutes left to play and we had to make something happen. Unfortunately with 6 out of 10 players on our team not getting sufficient game time throughout the season, the fuel just wasn’t in the tank to push for those 10 minutes. Myself and the 3 other remaining starters did all we could to inspire the team but it was to no avail. The game ended in a tie and thus ended our season as Redeemer only needed a tie to progress into the playoffs at our expense.
When that final whistle blew, I collapsed on the field. Physically and mentally pushed to my limit, I had nothing left. Shocked at the outcome and heartbroken that this team wouldn’t be able to fulfill the potential we all knew we had together. Everything was coming together and all we needed was to get the win to progress and we failed to do so. It would be easy to blame the goalie for his mistake, but we had the chance to bury the game and we didn’t. It was our own undoing and not any single players fault. What makes it all the more worse is that it will be last year I will be playing varsity soccer at a university/college level and to leave with a feeling of “what if” is what makes it all the more worse. This was the best collection of players Ive played with and to not have to fulfill that potential, and at a time when it all started to come together is heart breaking.
It’s now been a couple of days since
our final game of the season and I can’t stop thinking about the games on the
weekend. It’s hard to sustain happiness as I keep going back to moments in both
games, the moments of despair. It’s a feeling akin to being heartbroken and it’s
hard to think about anything else. I’ve had moments like this before in my time
playing soccer and it never gets easy. It’s the only thing that keeps running
through my mind and it will continue to be for the next week or so. I ran into
two players on the team since Monday’s game, two of the starters who had been
suspended and they feel the exact same way.
Soccer has always had a strange way of
effecting my emotions like that. Its one of the few things in life I have a
strong, burning passion for. I never understood why it affected me so much
either. We’re just kicking a leather ball between metal posts, who cares
really? I try to tell myself that to feel better but it doesn’t work, because I
care and I care a lot. I leave it at that for now as I feel like I could go on
forever with this.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Thus Far...
We are nearing the end of our season with a game remaining, a game that decides whether our season is done or if we will continue on into the next round. For various reasons, the team finds itself in a predicament none of us would have expected at the beginning of the season with the amount of quality we have throughout the team. We knew nothing would come easy, but to be down the standings as low as we are is something none of us would have expected and we have no one to blame but ourselves. Having underperformed the entire season, we now have a big game tomorrow on our hands, without our key players and at a time when everything was starting to fall into place and we were really beginning to click into gear. So how did we get to this point?
With more than half of the team having never played with each other, team spirit and chemistry was near none at the beginning of the season. We had the players, but we weren't a team and with cliques having formed within the squad, I could already sense things weren't going to the way we had hoped. Seniors would yell at the rookies, rookies would scold the seniors, meanwhile the more older players such as myself and a few others were attempting to form this group of players into a team. This lack of team spirit would manifest itself on the field with the performances and the results we were getting.
Losses to Humber, Sheridan, Niagara, and St. Clair were all losses of our own doing. We had won 2 games in between those losses but they were against the lower end teams of the league. The losses though are what really stick out. The lack of camaraderie on the field was evident as everyone looked to blame someone else rather than rally together and salvage a result. The defense was in disarray, the midfield was lacking any fight, our forwards were clicking but to no avail with lack of cohesion behind them. Something needed to change and it needed to happen fast or our season was done.
Within the past week, something did change. The cliques within the team were starting to give way and we were starting to bond as a team. Practices became less tense and more fun, the team was training with intensity and purpose and the general morale of the team was sky high. I was starting to get the sense that we were starting to gel and it couldn't have come at a better time. Our next game was against the best team in the league, Fanshawe College. It was time to see if we really were underperforming or if we just weren't good enough.
Come game time, everything clicked and we were playing them off the park.To see the supposed best team in the league bickering and fighting as we were doing during our poor games was encouraging. As the game progressed you could see the belief and confidence throughout the team slowly rising to the point that we were dominating Fanshawe. We went into half time with a 2-0 lead and the feeling that we could score 10 more against these guys. We were going to bury this team and really make a statement to the league.
The second half couldnt have started any worse though. Within minutes of kick off, one of our best players received an undeserved red card after being brought down by the opposition and the referee thought he seen our player attempt to kick the opposition. An undeserved red card but we had to deal with it and see out the game. Our team lost its composure after the red card. We couldn't deal with the pressure of being a man down and getting bad calls against us by the referee and subsequently two more players lost their temper and lashed out at the ref. The ref proceeded to hand out 2 more red cards and then to make matter worse, our captain and our play maker both were forced out of the game due to injuries. We were now down to seven men against ten men with five of our starters and best players out of the game.
Fanshawe made their way back and scored two goals within 5 minutes after the three red cards. We managed to hold on until the last minute when the ref decided to give the opposition a penalty kick for a foul that occurred outside the box. The nail was in the coffin and they ended up winning 3-2. Such an incredible game turned on its head. All I heard in the dressing room afterwards was how we deserved this and we deserved that, but you dont always get what you deserve. Such is life and you have to deal with it. Our players lost their cool and it cost us the game, a game that we deserved to take more from.
Alot of our young players were so dejected after the game and I could understand as I had been in their shoes before. Losing is always tough to swallow, but you have to look forward. Playing well and not getting the result is something you have to deal with. Everything comes with a lesson and its something they will learn. Just as you dont always get what you deserve in life, you dont always get what you deserve on the field. That's just the way it is, and its your job to keep your head up and keep pushing on when things like that happen.
Now we have our last game tomorrow against Redeemer College and its up to us to get the result or our season is over. It would be terrible to see this team not move forward as I firmly believe we have the quality to dominate the best teams as the Fanshawe game proved. It will be hard though with 5 of our starting 10 players being injured or suspended due to red cards. Those are the circumstances and its up to us to overcome them.
With more than half of the team having never played with each other, team spirit and chemistry was near none at the beginning of the season. We had the players, but we weren't a team and with cliques having formed within the squad, I could already sense things weren't going to the way we had hoped. Seniors would yell at the rookies, rookies would scold the seniors, meanwhile the more older players such as myself and a few others were attempting to form this group of players into a team. This lack of team spirit would manifest itself on the field with the performances and the results we were getting.
Losses to Humber, Sheridan, Niagara, and St. Clair were all losses of our own doing. We had won 2 games in between those losses but they were against the lower end teams of the league. The losses though are what really stick out. The lack of camaraderie on the field was evident as everyone looked to blame someone else rather than rally together and salvage a result. The defense was in disarray, the midfield was lacking any fight, our forwards were clicking but to no avail with lack of cohesion behind them. Something needed to change and it needed to happen fast or our season was done.
Within the past week, something did change. The cliques within the team were starting to give way and we were starting to bond as a team. Practices became less tense and more fun, the team was training with intensity and purpose and the general morale of the team was sky high. I was starting to get the sense that we were starting to gel and it couldn't have come at a better time. Our next game was against the best team in the league, Fanshawe College. It was time to see if we really were underperforming or if we just weren't good enough.
Come game time, everything clicked and we were playing them off the park.To see the supposed best team in the league bickering and fighting as we were doing during our poor games was encouraging. As the game progressed you could see the belief and confidence throughout the team slowly rising to the point that we were dominating Fanshawe. We went into half time with a 2-0 lead and the feeling that we could score 10 more against these guys. We were going to bury this team and really make a statement to the league.
The second half couldnt have started any worse though. Within minutes of kick off, one of our best players received an undeserved red card after being brought down by the opposition and the referee thought he seen our player attempt to kick the opposition. An undeserved red card but we had to deal with it and see out the game. Our team lost its composure after the red card. We couldn't deal with the pressure of being a man down and getting bad calls against us by the referee and subsequently two more players lost their temper and lashed out at the ref. The ref proceeded to hand out 2 more red cards and then to make matter worse, our captain and our play maker both were forced out of the game due to injuries. We were now down to seven men against ten men with five of our starters and best players out of the game.
Fanshawe made their way back and scored two goals within 5 minutes after the three red cards. We managed to hold on until the last minute when the ref decided to give the opposition a penalty kick for a foul that occurred outside the box. The nail was in the coffin and they ended up winning 3-2. Such an incredible game turned on its head. All I heard in the dressing room afterwards was how we deserved this and we deserved that, but you dont always get what you deserve. Such is life and you have to deal with it. Our players lost their cool and it cost us the game, a game that we deserved to take more from.
Alot of our young players were so dejected after the game and I could understand as I had been in their shoes before. Losing is always tough to swallow, but you have to look forward. Playing well and not getting the result is something you have to deal with. Everything comes with a lesson and its something they will learn. Just as you dont always get what you deserve in life, you dont always get what you deserve on the field. That's just the way it is, and its your job to keep your head up and keep pushing on when things like that happen.
Now we have our last game tomorrow against Redeemer College and its up to us to get the result or our season is over. It would be terrible to see this team not move forward as I firmly believe we have the quality to dominate the best teams as the Fanshawe game proved. It will be hard though with 5 of our starting 10 players being injured or suspended due to red cards. Those are the circumstances and its up to us to overcome them.
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