Thought of the week 4

    After taking a slight blog sabbatical this past week I come back with an open thought for the week. Over the past few months, whilst I have been out of college coaching I have felt far from myself, and while there are various reasons for this, not been around the coaching environment has been a huge factor. Been a part of a team environment is something very special, and without it I have just not felt like myself.

   Since I was 4 years old I have been around some form of team, whether it be my older brother’s or my own, and it really wasn’t until this Spring that I have been without that environment. This means that for 21 years of my 25 (nearly 26) year existence on this earth I have been surrounded by people who are willing to look out for me and care for me, and I can do the same for them. Without this I found myself lost, and without a real feeling of self worth. I have never been the greatest player, and I do not claim to be the greatest coach (not yet). But that's the special thing about a team, you do not have to be the best individuals, you just have to make up the best team. For all of those people reading who have been around team sports I am sure you understand. The problem is that it is not until you are without this environment that you come to understand its true worth.

The team environment

   Whether as a player or a coach the team environment is all I have ever known. I have learnt to understand that if I have a problem I can find a member of that team and talk to them, and hopefully people feel the same about me. The team environment offers the opportunity for you to enjoy each others company, and I can honestly say 99% of my friends come from a team I have been a part of. It is not just about the playing and training, it is about the experiences you get of the field a well. Been a teammate does not require you to be best of friends with every member, but it does require you to be there for them and understand that they are just as important as you to the team. If you ask any ex-professional or even former collegiate athletes many will say they miss the sport, but I guarantee all will say that they miss the camaraderie of been around the team.

   I have been very fortunate in my life to have had the opportunities to be around some great teams. I have won trophies and medals, I have traveled all over the world to play, and I have watched some of the finest players on the planet. I can honestly say none of this means as much to me as the feeling of been a part of something as a team. The opportunities are great, and the medals are what we play for, but when all is said and done it is not the medals or trophies that will mean the most to you, it will be who was with you to share in that moment.

University of the Cumberlands Women's Soccer

      One of the reasons I have really struggled so much over these last couple of months is because I left one of the greatest experiences I have had in my life. I was part of a team that I felt connected to, and I aimed to do all I could to provide an environment to which the players could thrive. While this was not always possible, I felt a respect from the players and other members of the group that allowed me to work at my best, and I had a deep respect for each of them. I would wake up each and every morning with an anticipation for the new day, and an excitement of what was to come. Coaching a team is far more than been out on the training pitch at 3:00pm. Been a coach means that you are there for your players when they need you, not when you need them. I am not sure that the feeling I had coaching this team will ever be replaced, but maybe in time I will find something that will come close.

   There are some things that just cannot be replicated, and while my coaching career will move onwards and upwards the feeling of not been a part of a team has taught me many lessons. For the first time in my life I have been without this environment, and I have to say I hope there is never another time when I have to be without it. It is a dark and lonely place, a place where I feel secluded and cut off from the happenings of the soccer world. I know that my vision and ability will eventually provide me with the success I seek. But what this last few months has taught me is that been around a team is what I need the most.