[M.D. Holloway]

So far we have had a great season - even though we have a few girls who have never played soccer before. We have a post-season tournamnet coming up. Here is a letter I penned as a follow-up to the parents. Let me know what you think.

Rarely does one get to have the memory of playing for a winning team. We have scored 54 goals this year and only let 8 in. That is an amazing statistic! But its not about the winning per se. Its more than that. We all want our kiddos to grow, and flourish and become strong independent people and that comes from our guidance as well as their hard work and discipline. With discipline, I don't mean yelling and swatting them I mean the act of taking on a task and seeing through to completion. To engage in a repetitive action that is designed to improve performance (drills, practice, the boring stuff). We all know that discipline is one of the most difficult things to instill upon a child but there is one thing that helps nourish discipline and thats success.

The D-Bugs have been very successful this season and the past not because we have better skills, or better coaching or a better team philosophy but because we as coaches insist upon focus above all else. I know we may seem a little tough on the girls. We both have girls that have been playing for years now. But we also know how they feel when they let a ball in a goal or miss a winning shot. The tears after are acid on our souls. As fathers we look deep and ask our selves what more can we do?

Fathers are fixers, problem solvers. To have our little girl in tears is as bad as it gets and for her to cry because she just wasn't good enough at that time or didn't have her focus on, well...thats something I think we can help with. Instilling focus. This is perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of coaching 8 and 9 year olds! Often they are more interested in a dog they see or an acorn or a friend on another team. Lets now loose our focus and forget that they are still little ones. I know its tough. (I put a ton of pressure on ours. I expect, no make that demand perfection often with Mouse. With our situation, her and her brother have to take on additional responsibilities with in our home. It is what it is. So, if you hear me get on her sometimes, I have a pretty good understanding of her pressure level. I know her breaking point and I won't hit it.)

All that being said, this tournament is a great opportunity to build upon a confidence foundation that we are looking to establish with our girls. Its tough enough being a girl in today's demanding, bitter, snide society. The ridicule and judgments that girls face these days is social abuse. Developing our girls into independent, strong, confident young ladies can only help.

If you and your daughter decide to compete in the tournament in the post -season it may mean two practices a week. It may also mean weekend practices. It means commitment. We may have to ramp up the level of focus exercise but please let us know how they are in terms of their emotions. We don't want to ruin them only make them better. With that commitment shall spring forth success and that success will be a memory that these fine young ladies all shall take with them into the formative years.

Please consider having your daughter make the commitment.