I bet y’all thought I forgot about this, didn’t you? 🙂

No, I did not forget. I got in yesterday and was incredibly soaked (if you know, you know), and I needed some time to process the day. Here is what I came up with.

As season openers go, that was a tough one. Through no fault of our own, we went from expecting to compete and win a tournament to facing two of the better teams in the region (one team withdrew the day prior to the tournament, and the other withdrew on the tournament day). At the very least, this gives us a taste of adapting to unfortunate circumstances.

You know me though, and, love it or hate it, I am a positive dude, and I want to focus on the positives of yesterday.

Our first match did not go as we had hoped, but I did not see anyone quit trying or turn on her teammates.
We played much better in our second match, and progress is always exciting to see.
We kept our spirits up when we were quite literally being soaked to the core in a thunderstorm.
This, of course, came after we all got sunburned by the scorching heat.
Still, we kept our heads, and we learned.

We learned.

We learned that a team can lose twelve seniors and still continue to play hard and play for each other.
We learned that we can lose our goalkeeper of three years and still have a great presence in goal.
We learned that a new captain can be a great leader.
We learned that tough times will come, but we will be together when they arrive.
We learned that we are fortunate to be able to play the sport we love.
We learned that we are excited to move forward as a unit.

We learned that Shelbey Walz is quite a shot-stopper, and she improved more and more as the day developed.

We learned that Krista Glenn has a competitive streak and is unafraid to mix it up with opponents from day one.

We learned that Skylar Tucker is still among the fastest and strongest players in the region.

We learned that Skyler Henderson wants to improve every minute and has as much determination and hustle as anyone.

We learned that Bralyn Whitworth can step into a dangerous environment and not back down.

We learned that Lauren Lucas can make the transition into midfield and contribute in meaningful ways.

We learned that Marcy Rogers can be a great player as well as a great captain and leader.

We learned that Sydney Tucker has a powerful motor and a more powerful right leg.

We learned that Delaney Carter has worked hard and practiced every moment to greatly improve as a player.

We learned that Kate Adkins still has the same instincts for picking great passes and contributing on offense.

We learned that Chloe Peterson has continued to develop her silky-smooth footwork to glide past opponents.

We learned that Maddie Shilts can step into the varsity arena and battle for the team.

We learned that Jasmine Livermore has continued to work hard as she recovered from her broken finger.

We learned that Aeriana Brock not only can step in when needed, but also has a great eye for reading the game.

We learned that Mariah Stephens will continue to be a positive presence even when her ankle keeps her from playing.

We learned that Madison Driskell has incredible instincts for the game and shows great promise.

We learned that Sydney Jolly will challenge anyone on the ball and, most likely, win.

It was a tough day results wise, but, as you can see, we learned a lot. I am excited to showcase what we have learned tomorrow night when we host McLean County. Win or lose, I am looking forward to seeing our girls play hard and play for one another.

See you tomorrow!

Coach (Mr.) Garrett