Letter from the Editor:
Well winter Factory Select tournament season is over and spring is upon us. It seems as though there isn’t enough time in the day or the season, we just finish Select season and now head straight into spring league. In our next issue I will detail more about the spring season and what is happening, but for now there is something special about the spring league. On the Factory Select teams the boys are from various cities in southern California (even some from different states) they spend quite a bit of time together from practice, travel, and 5-7 games in a tournament over 2-3 days for 4-5 tournaments per season. In the spring league, everyone has to go back home and play for their hometown, and as a result this creates natural rivalries. Attackmen from SBLC going up against the defense from Palos Verdes, middies from the Dragons going up against middies from the Vikings, and the goalie from Leverage, mano a mano, against the goalie from Culver, all trying to best their friends. It’s something, to see them all head out onto the field before a game, say hi, and give each other high fives, and then as soon as the face off happens they are trying to get the better of each other for bragging rights. In my opinion that’s that way it should be, I was taught that your friends are your friends until you step on a field, turf, diamond, or ice and you’re wearing different jerseys then it was a badge of honor to get the better of your friends. As soon as you step back off and you fall right back in line and are great friends and nothing changes that. For me it promotes two very important things, first of all it teaches your kids how to compete, no one wants to be left behind and you may get the best of your friend in a game or practice that day, but rest assured he is going to come back with a vengeance the next time to reclaim his ground. The second thing is more important to me than the first, even if he doesn’t reclaim his ground, if everyone sees that he tried his best and he put the maximum amount of effort into it, it doesn’t matter if he succeeds, he automatically gains respect and acceptance from the entire team or teams, and that builds confidence in a child. Because when you get down to it we put our kids in sports to teach them discipline, structure, how to function in a team environment, and how to give the best effort they can to be part of the team. If these kids do that, no matter the score at the end of the game or the year, they're all winners and get valuable lessons along the way that will not only translate in their youth but for the rest of their lives.