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Fall 2011 - Game 2 Wait, What?
She probably didn't mean it the way it came out. What she was really trying to say was, "step up your game," but what she actually said was, "don't play down to their level." Nice and loud. Perhaps more so today than ever before, I wouldn't trade the Avalanche for any other team. You can beat them 7-1 and 2-0, but you won't find eleven girls--like those in light blue--who will continue to battle under such trying circumstances. Play down to their level? No, you would struggle to play up to their level of heart and persistence. Way up.
But that's all of the time I have for excuses or pity. I have never been more proud of this team--and I have been immensely and consistently proud of them for years. The showed more grit and determination than I could have reasonably expected. They didn't give this game away in any shape or form--the TSC Pride had to win it. I won't soon forget the way that Danielle played. She seemed to rise to the need of her team. Sometimes she was beaten badly, but more often she fought, and fought, and fought to help her new mates. And Jillian was feeling poor enough for me to consider leaving her on the bench for the second half, but played the whole way due to Holly's injury, which came when she took on the challenge from a muich larger player and the laws of physics took over--again thinking primarily of her team and not her own safety. For the second straight match, Anna showed signs of the full potential she has. The player you saw today is the player she can be when she wants to, and, man, is it great to watch her manage the field. Who would have thought that our most quiet player would become a forceful leader when her team needs it most? And Ashley finally seemed to feel comfortable after her long recovery from an ankle injury. She was tough, tough, tough. Without question, Erin and Goose were equally up to the challenge. At times they were under intense pressure, but they cleared all but two scoring chances out of harm's way.
And Sammy, Caris and Steph were like prize fighters continually trying to find ways to break down the opponent. Each time I heard the other coach call for "subs!" I couldn't help thinking "rope-a-dope." He understood that the girls in light blue would eventually wear out, but it wasn't until the final whistle blew that these three ever thought about giving up. As I left the field, the Director of Coaching from the other club asked me who won the game. I had to tell him that the other team did. But then I said, "my team had eleven to start, lost one, and played most of the second half with ten." So, if anyone else asks me I'll tell them the Avalanche won today. They played up to a level that only true athletes and teams ever achieve. You just don't see it on the scoreboard. Yet. Think snow! |
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