Last Game - Alta - 8-0 Loss

After trying to figure out what went wrong in the game, I watched the game film. I made some clips about key moments that caused us to completely self destruct. A few key moments really defined the game, but these moments were defined long before the game started.

I was nervous for this game to say the least. The last two practices only 50% of you were on time, even after receiving repercussions for the same thing all year. During practice, no matter how much we run, we still seem to blame others and walk. Preparing for games starts with every touch, every drill, every possession, etc.

These are the things that defined our last three games:

1. Preparing for big moments. We went uphill into the wind when we won the toss. Why wasn't the decision made in advance? Making things harder than they are for the sake of making them hard doesn't make sense.

2. Practice, outside of practice. I asked how many people had continued the T20 program after the program was over, and not one had. Not one senior completed the program. When big moments come in the game and we are prepared, we will have the confidence to succeed.

3. Listening. A comment was made after the game that nobody listens to each other. When I played in practice yesterday, I understand completely. I would ask for the ball and wouldn't get it. I would ask someone to mark, and they wouldn't mark. I would tell someone to run through, they would, at half pace.

4. Trusting your leaders. I asked a player if he got a free kick to not clear the wall, but hit it low; he tried to clear the wall. We (as coaches) tell you to take shots from distance, play one touch, attack from the wings, and not put balls back into the middle from the defense. Our team have not made the effort to do this since we played Mountain View.

All of the above can be summarized as pride. I call this type of pride as the "thumbs up" syndrome. These lip service gestures do nothing to change behavior. Someone tells you to do something and you give them the thumbs up, but then do the opposite.

If you want people to listen to you, or be lead by you, then you must listen and you must follow. If you want to be trusted, then you need to do the hard things that help people trust you. Usually pride comes from those on the bottom looking up, not those on top looking down.

I truly believe that this loss can help us understand where we are and what we need to do.

Player of the Game: Jose Delgado - hustled his brains out.

Text "thumbs up" to me after you have read the post.