2009-2010 NEWPORT HARBOR SOCCER SEASON
11/18/09
NOT MAKING IT - THE TRUE CHALLENGE
By Anson Dorrance University Of North Carolina Head Women's Soccer Coach and former United States National Team Coach
If you make a team, that is great. But if you don't, you get to demonstrate how determined, strong and noble you are. Rather than blame politics, or become devastated when your continual success hits a hurdle, take personal responsibility and use a setback to recover and refocus. You weren't selected, so you can begin to figure out ways to improve. You can resolve to come back next time, and be better. Ask yourself what your weak areas are, and because of this bump in the road, you will give yourself a chance to improve them.
Whether you're chosen or not, you're going to win, because there are wonderful victories in both cases. In fact, I think the higher-level individual can triumph greater in not being selected, because the strength to take responsibility and recommit, or the strength to accept that our best was eclipsed by someone else's best, is a more powerful statement of character than just making the team. Through adversity, you can grow more as a person, and a part of the growth can be a decision on whom you have decided to become as a player.