Fairytale Ending to DSYA Girls U14 Season

This past weekend I completed my fourth season of coaching my daughters with the DYSA, this year guiding my older girl’s U14 squad through a very challenging season.  We started the year with a victory then dropped the next four straight games which understandably affected some of the player’s attitudes.  I know adults who can’t stand losing, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise when several of the kids became negative.  Before I knew it I was spending more time counseling players and coaching life skills than refining soccer skills.

Things worked out pretty okay too. After involving several of the individual parents of kids who were jumping ship and preaching positivity, we ended up winning two games in the second half, tying two more and only losing one. All except two of our early games were close too, so there was no real reason to give up. I hope the girls learned that it’s okay to lose as long as you’re still trying, getting a good workout and enjoying playing on the field. You can’t always be on a winning team, and the high school coaches these girls encounter at the next level are not going to be as lenient or forgiving as this recreational soccer coach was during our losing streak.

Many of the girls had exemplary attitudes throughout the season. One girl Alaina had never played soccer before, and she was an absolute animal on the field going after the ball harder than everyone around her. Taylor, Emma and Jasmine were like cool professionals throughout the season in practice and during games, never letting anything phase them. Georgia and Katie were constantly upbeat, not to mention skilled players.  Poor Katie strained a ligament in her knee though and missed four games, then had her appendix removed right before the playoffs and missed the best part of the season, the two games that mattered most.

Speaking of the playoffs, everything came together when we were scheduled against the Novato team that was seeded third in the league.  They had won seven games, lost none and tied three. They had scored more than twice as many goals than us during the season, and given up less than a third of what we had, so it didn’t seem like we would have a chance.  However my girls played their best game of the year and neither team scored in regulation or overtime and it came down to penalty kicks where unfortunately we lost. The Novato team is currently in the final four scheduled to be played out this coming weekend.

The next day we played a consolation game against a tough Ross Valley team and that game also went scoreless and came down to penalty kicks. This time the outcome was different. Sawyer, who had missed a penalty kick the previous day was our last kicker and we were tied at 2-2. I yelled to her, “It’s okay Sawyer, it’s only the entire season riding on your shoulders!” My assistant coach Stefan practically knocked me over, but I was only trying to lighten the mood for Sawyer who was wringing her face in her hands.

Sawyer wasn’t our best player on the field during the season, but in penalty kick practices over several sessions she was unquestionably one of our top three. She also had the very best attitude of any of the players. After every game and practice she thanked me and Stefan for coaching, looking us in the eyes and shaking our hands. Sawyer was always positive and willing to do whatever the team needed, including playing goalie in one game, and if there was anyone on the team that deserved to get that last shot it was Sawyer.

Sawyer rose to the occasion as I never doubted she would (I was surprised she missed her kick the day before) and put the ball in the net. The team celebrated around her, and the season was no longer just an unquestionable success off the field, but on it as well.