I need to give a shout out to the True Potential Football Club. Not only did they have an undefeated season, but they had an undefeated year. Since 2020 hasn’t been great to everyone, it’s time to celebrate something; and this is worth celebrating.
Spring 2020
It was rocky. It started off strong but covid lockdown had us wondering if we’d even be able to finish the season. Luckily, soccer is an outdoor sport and we ended up being able to finish it. True Potential went 6-0. Scored 31 and allowed only 10, and we played some challenging teams. It was great competition.
Fall 2020
Fall kicked off in September. We had some great games and finished up the season 8-0. We scored 83 points and only allowed 11. Our game differential was 72, almost as much as the next 3 teams total goals. They did an amazing job and we’re so proud of them.
The Parents
First of all, thank you to all the parents who take the time out of their busy schedules for practices, games, extra practices and sometimes even a special parents vs kids battle. Our True Potential parents are amazing. So much support for these young men, it’s so great to see. I hear parents on the other sidelines and I can tell you it’s a pleasure to have these parents. Yes they yell and scream but it’s FOR their kids and the team, not AT them, and there is a big difference. The proper support could mean the difference between a kid continuing with the team or dropping out. It plays a large part in why we’ve kept so many on the team all these years, and why they’ve done so well.
The True Potential parents are also great at stepping up and helping out whenever needed. From bringing snacks and drinks to games, coordinating who brings what to helping get kids to and from practices and games.
They also put on a great bonfire. Yes, that’s right, a bonfire!! One of our parents hosted a bonfire at their house complete with s’mores and hot cocoa. Even mini marshmallows. It was great to see so many people there, and an absolute beautiful sight to see all the kids playing together.
And the gifts. Some handmade, sometimes gift cards or even cash. I hope they know how much it means to us. The True Potential Parents are all amazing.
The Coaches
This team is so blessed to have the coaches we do. Coach Mike and Coach David have done such an amazing job with this group. And they genuinely care about them. They dedicate their time each week to these young men for practices, weekend get togethers, games, film watch and tournaments. It’s not just to win games, either. These coaches want these kids to understand the intricacies of the game, those subtle changes that can make a good player great. And they both love that ‘aha’ moment when the lightbulb clicks on for one of them.
The Team
I couldn’t speak about True Potential team without saying how wonderful this group of young men are. Some have been with us since Mike started coaching in the Fall of 2015. Though we’ve gained and lost a few along the way, a core group of kids have been with us for years.
This group has no problem letting new kids on the True Potential team. They welcome the new ones as if they’ve always been here. It’s a special thing to watch. And a reason why they dominated this year.
These young men have grown so much. They work on skills at home, they develop skills on the field, they know what to work on, the list goes on and on. They’ll play at the field even when there isn’t practice. They work on tricks from YouTube. They ask questions about field positioning. They’ll change up their strategies depending on the team they’re playing. They take criticism well. They talk to each other, they have fun. They have developed into such great soccer players, but also such great young men.
The Tournament
This was our first year to participate in a tournament and we did the Turkey Shootout at ESC. Since the Fall 2020 results showed us dominate with 83 total goals, we decided to up the game, so to speak, and participate in the competitive bracket. It was tough going as we didn’t win a single game out of the 3. But those boys held their own and proved that they deserved to be there. I can’t express how proud I am of each of them. They all learned something about the sport and about themselves. And it was so refreshing to hear that yes, they were disappointed with the loss, but they preferred those types of games. I’m so proud of them.
I am thankful to have been able to witness this over the years and I can’t wait for more True Potential Football!