When You Think It Is Over, IT AIN'T OVER!!

Well, it has been quite a while since I have written a post for my blog.

I want to tell you a story, a true story of something that happened that was quite incredible this year.
As many of you know I coach tyke football in our spring program in Smiths Falls.  We started indoor training after the March Break and then our season ran from early May to the end of June.

This year was like many other years, except I we had more players who had never played football before.  Out of our entire team, we had less than a third that had played one year of football.  I was talking to one of my co-coaches and thinking, "Wow, this is going to be a challenging year."

The season began.  We seemed to do well on offence.  We had some players who had played one year and we were able to score some points.  The defence was another story.  Because so many of our players had never played football before, the tackling took us a few weeks.

I want to fast forward to the play-offs.  We end the year in last place out of 4 teams.  Our record for the season was 2-4.  But we won our last game before the play-offs and I had a sense we were going in the right direction.  In the semi-final game we played a team that we beat once and they beat us once.  It was an incredible game with 96 points scored.  Now for those of you who know very little about football, "that's a whole heap of points for one game."  We Won! The boys and girl were ecstatic we were going to the finals and the truth was that in the second half it was our defence that got us there.

Now on to the finals, we were playing a team, the only team that we had lost to twice in the regular season.  I knew we could beat these lads but it was going to be a tough game.  The first half was very challenging, their defence came on strong and we could not run the ball very well.  At the end of the half it was 14-0 for the other team.  In the second half,  I had a sense that if we could just score the kids would get back into the game.  Well, the first play of the game the other team kicked off and one of our lads ran the ball all the way back for a touchdown!! It was 14-6 just like that and the bench was jumping up and down.  All of a sudden our confidence was back on offence.

Our defence went out on the field and shutdown their team not just for that series but for the entire rest of the game!! We scored 3 more touchdowns and won the game 24-14!!

I must say in my 21 coaching seasons I have never had a more exciting end to a season!! Last year we lost on the last play of a game to the same team in the semi-finals.  It was so awesome to see the boys and girl come back from behind and win!

What are the lessons from this season:
1. NEVER EVER THINK YOU CAN'T, WHEN YOU CAN
We started with the majority of players who had never played before and ended up with a 2-4 record and yet we won it all!!
2. WHEN YOU THINK IT'S OVER, IT AIN'T OVER
At the end of the first half of that championship game it just looked like we couldn't get it done.  But one play into the second half there was new life and that was enough to encourage the kids that we could win.
3. UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WIN SOME AND YOU LOSE SOME
Four seasons in a row we lost in the play-offs and never won the big game.  This year we won it all, due to hard work and the kids never giving up.

Maybe you feel like you are in a "losing season".  Don't give up because: YOUR TIME IS COMING!
And when you think it is over - IT AIN'T OVER!!!

ANTICIPATION!!

Are you ready?
Is it coming soon?
Can you wait?
I can't wait! It is gonna be awesome!

Anticipation: "The Act of Looking Forward"
This is a great word! It's also a great feeling!! What is coming, what is next, when will it start, I can't wait.
You see, we could all look back and say, "Wow, I wish that had not happened; why me?; why did things have to fall apart?"
Or,
We could look forward with anticipation and say, "Ok, bring it on! Can't wait! It's gonna be better this year, this season, this week!!"
Our Spring football season is only 3 weeks from starting.  Wow, we have had some awesome seasons, but this year, oh yeah, this year is gonna be awesome!! You see in many ways you get what you speak.
A guy in the Bible by the name of James said, "life and death are in the power of the tongue".  What are you speaking?  What are you hoping for?  What is exuding from your thoughts to your tongue to speak out?

This winter I had a strange encounter.  A gentleman was angry because he had brought his son to our arena to find out that it was not a free skate.  He had read the website wrong, but out of his mouth came the statement, "Figures, Smiths Falls" in other words, "yeah I shouldn't be surprised this is Smiths Falls."  I had to remind the gentleman that he was in my town and that Smiths Falls is awesome!!

Wow, 3 weeks to Spring Ball!! ANTICIPATION!! Can't wait, it is gonna be AWESOME!!
Are ready for some football?
See you on the field and get ready, get ready, get ready! You are what you speak, you are what you do!
Let's make this season the best!
I can't wait!
See ya on the field
Coach Birl