Don't Leave With Regrets: Soccer Lessons

"Don't leave a game with regrets."

   In soccer one moment can mean the difference between winning and losing. The choices players make in games greatly impact their team and the result of the match. As a goalie, I know many times I look back at games and think about what I could've done differently. I do my best every game but mistakes are bound to happen because no one is perfect.

   My players know that I don't expect them to be perfect. But, I do expect them to play their best for their team. In order to do that, we've adopted this saying that we don't leave a game with regrets. Will the players get tired? Yes. Will they mess up? Yes. But, that doesn't mean that they should regret the way they play unless they don't do their best and put the effort in.

   This quote can also apply to life. I believe we should live our lives without regrets. You choose how hard you will work every day. As long as you try to do your best every day it will be very difficult for you to have regrets. Will your best look the same every day? It probably won’t, because every day you won't feel 100%. Yet, you can still do your best.

   Titus 2:7-8 says: "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." These verses tell us that we are to be good examples to others. We know if we call ourselves Christians all of our actions will be scrutinized by others. That's why we need to do our best. We need to try to live our lives without regrets, not for us, but so that God's glory is reflected in us.

   So, are you living your life with regrets? How can you do your best every day? How can you reflect God's glory today?

   Image from here.

Control: Soccer Lessons

"You can't control the refs, the weather, the fans, the other team, or your teammates. You can only control yourself."

   One part of soccer that is very hard for players to understand is the mindset. They have a hard time focusing. What I mean by that is they take their mind off the game. They focus on how the referees are making bad calls. They focus on how the weather isn't good soccer weather. They focus on the fans taunting them. They focus on the other team who are making dirty fouls. They focus on how their teammates are not working as hard as they could. What they don't focus on is the only thing they can control: themselves. Players choose if they are going to make excuses and say "we lost because it was rainy." Or, they can push past it and play the game.

   Just like my players, you have a choice. There are so many things in life you can't control. You choose if you focus on them and make excuses. You choose if you will focus on that driver who cut you off on the way to work, the fact that the power went out so you went to work looking like a mess, that it is raining and you can't go somewhere to get a break, or that your boss yelled at you for messing up. Or, you can just do your best and focus on what you can control: yourself.

   Matthew 6:34 says: "Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." In this instance we are not worrying about things we can't control but tomorrow. Still this verse applies because we cannot control what will happen tomorrow. We can plan and work to try to make sure certain things happen but sometimes circumstances happen that we can't control. When those things happen we can choose if we will focus on that and worry about that; or, if we will roll with the punches.

   So, are you focused too much on things you cannot control? What can you do to try to focus on the things you can control?

   Image from here.

Attitude: Soccer Lessons

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

   One of the first things my players learn about me is the two things I look for the most in players. The first we've already discussed: effort. The second is attitude. I've always said that I would rather work with a player who knows nothing about soccer and has a good attitude than work with a player who knows a lot about soccer and has a bad attitude. I still work with both kinds of players but one is easier to train than the other.

   When I was in 6th grade I first read the saying "attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." I didn't think much of it at the time but as I grew up I saw what the poster was saying. In life if you come to work and you see a person with a sour attitude; are you going to want to work with them? Or, would you rather work with someone who has a positive attitude? People like working with and helping those who have a good attitude. Attitude is something we can control. We choose every day if we are going to have a good attitude or not. We choose if we are going to work hard no matter what, learn, and grow.

   So, how has your attitude been lately? Do you have a good attitude no matter what happens to you? How can you brighten someone's day today with your good attitude?

   Philippians 2:14-15

   Image from here.

Keep Improving: Soccer Lessons

"Keep improving and moving forward."

   One of the worst things a player that I coach can do, in my book, is to not improve. As a coach, I cater many of the drills I do in practice based off of our last game and what we need to work on the most. I also talk with my players about what areas they need to improve in and how they can improve in them. The players I coach are given everything they need in order to improve.

   The beginning of each season is usually rough. The players are working on their own individual weaknesses and working on their weaknesses as a team. That makes it difficult to win games. Thus, we don't usually win many games at the beginning of the season (JV team). However, if the girls apply themselves normally by the end of the season we are winning games. Or, if we aren't winning we are improving against teams we replay. That's what I care about. If we are not improving year by year, what was the point of playing?

   In life we also have strengths and weaknesses. We choose if we want to improve in them or not. We are also to grow in God. 2 Peter 3:18 says: "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." To grow in God you need to pray, get into his word, and spend time with him. If you do those things you will grow, improve, and keep moving forward.

   So, do you try to improve and keep moving forward? What can you do to work on improving your weaknesses? How can you grow in God today?

   Image from here.

Give Your Best Effort: Soccer Lessons

"The result doesn't matter as long as you give your best effort."

   This quote sometimes catches some of my players off guard. I also had problems believing it when I was a player at times. But, I believe it now let me tell you why.

One year I was coaching my Junior Varsity team and I had many new players who hadn't played soccer before. Thus, the beginning of the year was rough. As the season went on we played a team who beat us the prior year 6-0. We implemented everything we had been working on that season during that game and ended up tying that team. I was very proud of my girls because they played well, put the effort in, and did everything I asked.

   The next day we played another team. This team had 1 sub. This team had not won any games that year. We played well the first half and were winning 4-1. At that point I backed off because it doesn't feel good to crush a team's spirit (some coaches may disagree but I have my reasons for saying that). The girls were hyped and let up in the second half. I was not happy. We ended up winning but the final score was 5-2. That meant that if we had only played the 2nd half we would've tied that team.

   I looked at my girls and asked them how they felt about the result. Many were hanging their heads. They said they didn't feel too good about it. I said, that's why I want you to put your best effort forward and let the result happen. Then I dismissed them. One of the girls came up to me and said, "Coach, I know that was our first win but I am more proud of our tie yesterday than our win today. Is that bad?" I said "no." Then we moved on.

   My girls learned this lesson that day. They knew they didn't put a good effort in the whole game so the win didn't feel much like a win. In life if you don't give your best it probably doesn't feel too good if you don't get the result you were expecting.

   Galatians 6:7-8 says: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." If you don't put the work and effort in that's your best you will probably not get the result you wanted. God knows if you are doing your best. He wants you to give your best in all you do. He doesn't want you to do that simply so you get rewarded on earth. He wants you to do that for him.

   Colossians 3:23 says: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." If you choose not to give your best you are not only letting yourself and your co-workers down but God as well. Will God still love you? Yes, but you are not following his word. God wants you to give your best for him. Will you always get the result you were expecting if you give your best? No, but you will have done what God asked you to do.

   So, do you always give your best effort? Do you work hard even though you may not get the result you were expecting? How can you put in a good effort today?
   Image from here.