Sunday-- we are rooting for...

[moonie]

The Monroe-Woodbury Galaxy!!!

The soccer team that was one breath from extinction in March. Struggled with only 11 active players through the spring. Fortunate enough to pick up 6 new players for the fall.


And went from 2-7-1 last spring to


9-0.

One to go. 10am EST.

Go Galaxy!!!

[silvercamaro]

Great news, Moonie. (I hear they've got a great coach, too.)

[christie1111]

I will root for them

And Denver.

I am on a roll this weekend.

[kayrharris]

So when do we get a report on the soccer game? Hope they won!

[moonie]

I've been holding off on telling the story of our little under-14 yrs old team all season, as I am prone to be superstitious to no end.

Last year, our team lost 8 out of 18 players due to various reasons. The first girl left because the parents (or at least 2 ring-leaders) forced her mother, the coach, out. The assistant coach took over (another mom) and i came in as the 'new' assistant. (I had coached Spencer's team for 2 years until they got a 'new' parent to take over, and I was asked to leave).

That new coach had a family situation that kept her away from November through January. I actually coached the last game of our fall season (we were in the "A" division). It was a horrible year. We were outmatched in every way, the stress wore on the girls, the girls hated what they were doing as well as hated the drama that had ensued with the parents/coaches. We finished 1-9.

As the interim coach in the winter, I attempted to change the negative culture of the team. Making indoor practices more upbeat, more focused and fun. The next girl left to play on another team in town (she never connected with me). The team was such that several of the better players started practicing with other teams around town and in neighboring towns. (In soccer, if you're a good player, everyone thinks you're available, and they try to woo you to their team). Our best player was practicing out of town, and when the coach finally came back and learned that 2 others were playing with another team, she panicked and told me she would be looking at other teams for her own daughter. (This is the COACH, mind you).

The shit hit the fan when the coach found out that her daughter was now practicing with the other girl on the same team. I knew about it, but didnt want to lose the rest of the team by making it public. (These girls were 'just practicing', which is the last step before 'getting asked to join').

The better girl finally decided to quit (the parents, who are good friends of mine, who vowed they would NEVER leave, got into a 2 hour fight with the coach, and that made their decision easier. We were down 3. In March, the coach finally got the invitation she wanted from that other team, and when she left, she decided to write an email to the rest of the parents why she 'was forced to leave because' yours truly was 'not fit to be a coach of your child, as he attacked our daughter, and only wants to favor his own daughter over your child'.

With that, 2 others who were aligned with her departed, and we were left with 12. I got the parents in a circle in March and was ready to announce I was going to walk away. (this was after a verbal confrontation with the ex-coach's husband, a local cop, who put the police-intimidation thing on me when I knocked on his door to retrieve team equipment). It was a personal assassination attempt on my reputation, and being a doctor in a small town, very potentially damaging to my career. A voice inside me said to stick with it, as there were still girls remaining that wanted to play. Since there is 11 on a field, it is almost illegal to play with an 11-man roster. I had to beg and borrow from other teams to get an adequate number of players for our 10-game spring season.

We played the spring, and weren't good, but, with borrowing players from the younger aged teams, managed to go 2-7-1. In June, I thought my obligation to the parents and the kids had been met, and I could at least go out with the notion that I had repaired my reputation as a decent human being. Then, a funny thing occurred. The team one year younger than us decided to fold. That meant all their players were now searching for a new team to play for. In June, 6 of them came to a club tryout, and even though they had heard all the rumors about me, and knew what the team had gone through, they decided to join on.

We started practicing in August, and played our first game in September. I secured professional trainers to practice with them, and I outlined a plan that we would go and hope to play competative soccer for the fall season. We now have a roster of 15 players, 5 being underaged. In our first game, we gave up an early goal, as our goalkeeper was not experienced (in fact, I had to coerce 2 girls to timeshare the position, they reluctantly agreed). We then came back to score 4 goals, and take it 4-1. We were overjoyed, and parents were happy we could actually win a game.

Long story short, the Galaxy team has blended together, and like a sappy Hollywood sports movie, we grew and the girls bonded together. We have the youngest team in our division, as every other team (as I get the game rosters) has 13 or 14 yr olds. We have 5 12-yr olds, and they have grown up quickly!

We went into this weekend with an 8-0 record, and faced a good team Saturday night in 24-degree cold. Our goalkeepers had frozen feet, and it took many players an hour afterward to feel their hands and toes, but we prevailed 3-2, and went into today's game looking to do what no other Monroe soccer club team had ever done, go 10-0.

Well, the team we played today was a middle-of the pack team, so we went out and got 2 goals in the first half. Let one up on a breakaway early in the second half, but kept working and put 2 more later on. The 4-1 Final makes us a perfect 10-0! I have lost many hours of sleep (see an earlier post by me) because when you are a coach of a team, you are responsible for the welfare of other people's children, and have to juggle everyone's wants and needs, plus try to win a game at the same time. I would say it is not too far away from running a franchise business. The behind-the-scenes paperwork, contacts with trainers and finances, and public relations, and planning for the winter and spring seasons is a full-time job.

But I write to you now, because I can finally exhale. Our team is really a miracle. We were one breath away from extinction, and I and my family endured the most stressful situation you could imagine. We still live in the same town as the people who tried to bury us (team and family), and one day, our paths will inevitably cross. At least I know my daughter can hold her head up, and so can everyone else on our team, that we stuck it out, worked hard, and reaped the benefit.

So, Kay... you wanted to know, right?!

(aren't you glad you asked?!)

[kayrharris]

Woo hoo! Congratulations on perservering and overcoming a lot of obstacles
to play a perfect season. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!

[clem21]

Well way to go!

It sounds like your team had an inspirational and extremely fun season. This is a great story. Well done!

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Congratulations on your team's perfect record!

[silvercamaro]

This is one of the reasons why Moonie is my hero.

[peacock2121]

Sticktoitiveness!

Hooray for you, hooray for those who believed in your team!

The rest of them are not good enough to bite you.

[christie1111]

Awesome job Moonie and the Team!

Great story.

Explains some of the insomnia. Bet it goes away completely.

[SportsFan68]

I love stories like this. Congratulations!!!

I'll watch Remember the Titans, The Rookie, Miracle on Ice, Miracle, Hoosiers, A League of Their Own, and Bend It Like Beckham as often as they come around.

[moonie]

The 'Miracle" movie is one I've watched several times. I made my kids watch it too. I often go back to it when I need some inspiration.

That, and the book "The Secret". I dont know if it's ever been discussed here, but that book, if you do what it says, WORKS! (for the kids, too).



BTW.. today is a great day!