As the reader will discover, this coach has enjoyed and benefitted from coaching these young men in junior high/middle school soccer. One particularly uplifting and proud moment came when we played one of the most competitive teams on our home field. As I learned from this competitive team from the start of this soccer league, they were powerful....aggressive.....and we and another SW County team were always the teams to beat.

We were winning the game and were the aggressor as our right wing was commanding attention from the opposing team with his speed and clean aggressive ways. On one particular play as my winger was walking back toward the "on" position, the opposing defensive player made a swipe at Wes...actually striking him in the jaw.

To my surprise and immediate pride (by the way I did not scramble hurriedly to his aid...but simply watched his reaction proudly).....my standout right winger simply turned away and walked back to the general area where I was standing. Quickly the center official lifted a red (a red is terminology for red-carding/ejecting the player who had done wrong). That meant that his team would play the remainder of the game with one less player.

Consequently my winger was back-slapped and huddled by his teammates, as this proud coach dad stood there and secretly vowed to himself that this moment would forever stand as a an example to refer to in following years of the quality of my team players. From my memory I do believe that proud moment lasted many years...!