Dear Barbarians:
We are about to undertake our largest showing ever in the Northeast Regional Tournament with 7 teams’ applications having been accepted by the organizing committee. We could have entered a few more teams but things did not work out for them in the way we had hoped.
Our criteria for entering a team in a nationally implicated tournament are never based on our concern over winning or losing. We are firm believers that no matter how anyone else feels you have to play the game to make that determination and we believe that our method of training as well as our style of play give us an opportunity at being successful against any team in any age group we enter.
We did not enter several teams for this tournament even though we know our teams are quality teams and that the players are determined and understand what is at stake. Over the years I have often stated that I will not enter a team into any competition unless I have the players I want. However, there were other circumstances that kept us from being able to send the teams that we did not seek applications for.
Many of you know that you may speak freely to me and that I will not divulge the information you share with me, so needless to say I will not get into specifics nor will I name names. This is how we have conducted our affairs in the Barbarians for longer than most of you have been here! Confidentiality and respect are very important to how we do what we do. Some times we speak and some times you listen but many times you do not hear. We advocate on the side of families, players, and coaches. We know the measure and would welcome any of you to think whatever it is you think, and in whatever way your mind works, but that will never impact the truth or our approach.
We are neither calloused nor uncaring when it comes to our treatment of others for we know that we are all members of this universe and that we are human beings first and people (chattel) secondly. There were quite a few families who said openly that they were not going to the Regional without giving a reason, nor did we inquire to them why. Our decision to not enter a team was for the families we heard from who were unable to afford to go either financially, other family obligations or commitments, and not the least where they could ill afford to miss another day at work or the player cannot miss school.
We appreciate everyone who has found a way to get there but we appreciate even those who will not but would let us know their circumstance ahead of time, allow us to proffer suggestions to them on how we might work it out and still could not see their way to getting there. In the end, I made the decision and it does not matter who among you cannot make it for whatever reason. We will treat all of you as humanly as possible and not allow anyone to fret over the decision you made for your family even if you did so in a jaded way toward me, or the Barbarian FC. Our effort remains constant, to raise the level of play in Western PA, to improve our teams on a weekly basis, and to make certain we see improvement in the players who come our way. We are driven by the development of the player’s skill as players and people (character), as well as our love and respect for the game, not winning or losing and most assuredly not our ego!
The problem that has intertwined itself in youth soccer is that most of you are unfamiliar with how a club should operate and most of you can only see what relates to your particular team. If you lift your head a little you will notice that every team here, is conducted in the same way and that each player has the opportunity to develop at their pace. We are not in a rush nor do we have an appreciation for those who spend their waking moments trying to “rush” others. Slow and steady wins the race not panic and fear.
We spoke to several of you in person and some via email about moving your team forward despite not being able to attend the Regional Tournament. It is the Barbarian FC’s reputation within the USFF across the United States that will enable us to make certain that every team we attempt to enter in the National Tournament in July may be accepted. There are no guarantees to anything. Our persistence in the development of futsal in Western PA, as well as our style of play and our Code of Conduct are all factors in garnering a strong reputation. When the time rolls around for that application we will still have criteria that mandates our attempt to do what we have said we intend to do with regards to each of the teams who will not be attending the Northeast Regional Futsal Tournament next weekend as well as those who do!
The respect our teams, players, and fans have for those we compete against is our reputation, not winning or losing. How each of you who will be staying in a hotel under our name, behave, and the way in which you conduct yourselves on and off the pitch, are our reputation, not winning or losing. Simply; knowing it is not whether you win or lose but how you perform when called upon, and knowing that you competed to the best of your ability, and that you adhere that it is not what you do when we are watching but rather how you do when we are not is our reputation, not winning or losing. Make no mistake, we are entering to win but not at the sake of our reputation!
As usual, I will see you on the pitch!