Dear Barbarians:
We are now into our second week of the second half of our season and will soon be in route with 4 teams traveling to The USFF REGION 1 CHAMPIONSHIPS. It is an honor and privilege for THE BARBARIAN FOOTBALL COALITION to travel to Maryland and not only represent our selves but also with the opportunity to represent West Penn Futsal, as well as all of Western Pennsylvania. There are many who are not going to venture off to The Regional for one reason or another, and there are several players from within The Barbarians, some who are unable and some who are unwilling to travel to an event that will certainly feature some of the very best futsal to be played along the Eastern Seaboard. Be that as it may, life goes on with or without us.
The significance of having the opportunity to play in such a prestigious event as The Region 1 Futsal Tournament can be viewed in many ways but we expect that each of you who are attending will be mindful of the tenants of The Barbarian Code of Conduct and will display a manor of respect for your surroundings, whether in the hotel, on the pitch, or just in uniform around town, please be vigilant and caring in your attitude. We would like to be remembered for how we play the game, from beginning to end, and not how we are susceptible to the pitfalls of the ones who do what they do without regard or respect for those around them. Always remember that no matter what, whether you choose to or not, you represent more than just yourself, especially when you are in uniform!
Well, the conclusion of the first half of our season left us with a club-wide record of 61 wins, 25 loses, and 8 draws. These are numbers from games that I can account for and an aside to the number of matches in which we played against our club mates, so there is always a margin of error. Still, the numbers are noticeable but as impressive as they may seem the things that were detrimental to any success we might enjoy still remain, and by now, 10 or so games into the season you would think we should be past making fundamental mistakes yet we are not!
Thursday, February 23, 2006
That being said and judging from the date inserted above, by now you must be aware that the U14B took first place in the Regional Tournament. Now writing to you nearly a month afterward, (today is March 21, 2006) my vision of what transpired during the course of this year relates the story of this team’s beginning and why they are a team that teams 2 years older have a hard time dealing with let alone beating.
Each of the members of the U14B team understands the significance of their involvement with The Barbarian Football Coalition. Their parents were some of the first members to notify their outdoor clubs that when it comes to indoor soccer they play for The Barbarians, without waiver. Most of the parents have been with the club for quite a few years and have witnessed firsthand the development of their child, as well as the way in which the club has developed. Over the years, they interfered the least with our approach to how we go about doing what we do yet have a stronger say in how the club develops, more than any other team’s parents or individuals. As a result of the commitment these parents and players have shown we say unabashedly that this team plays at a higher level than any other team in our area, on any level. No brag, just fact. The U14B team embodies everything we are trying to do with football in our region through all of the players whom come our way and would call themselves Barbarians! Everything they achieve they have worked for, and will continue to do so because of their selflessness and willingness to be on the team, as well as in this club. The players, and now perhaps the parents, have accepted our premise, that true competition is not always embodied in the opponent we face but what we hold within our selves. Confidence in each other as well as one’s self is far more important than who you are matched against!
We are coming to the close of another season and in some future newsletters my plan is to try to accommodate as many of you with the way in which we will move forward. We have always sought to improve what we do, the way we do it and what dynamic we can render to have everyone who comes our way feel that they are a part of any success we might enjoy. Not everything always goes according to plan but we know that if we do not have one we have no chance of succeeding. Perhaps the most telling tale of any plan is the willingness of all involved to work in the same direction. For much of this year, that has not been the case for some who were here only to serve them self. Only time will tell if they will accept what we do and work to contribute, or if they are still window-shopping. Commitment is what we seek, not zealousness.
Some of you will choose to go separate ways and not return to us in the fall of 2006. Some will be pulled in other directions all together but it is our hope that you have pleasant thoughts of any time you have spent with us. You must know by now what we hold to, that makes us who we are and why others cannot be. Those who return must be willing to accept that there will be some changes to teams that are deemed necessary, by virtue of the level of competitiveness we seek and will always seek for those who would don a Barbarian uniform. While we hold that you must be asked back on a yearly basis, it is never our intention to let anyone go unless we are unable to see the progress in attitude and behavior that being a member of The Barbarian Football Coalition requires. Along these lines, parents must ask themselves, ‘has my child improved their overall skill by being in The Barbarians and was it worth the expense?’ while players must ask, ‘have I done everything I can do to better myself as a player and person?’ In the end, that is the measure by which we judge what we do and how we do it, not by our wins and losses.
As usual, I will see you on the pitch!
David W. Sayles