“ My job , at that point , had been to wipe tears away and fill them with sugar ,” she said .
But to hear Bunnell talk about “ her girls ”, there is no denying that it was the right choice . She knows their play styles , their strengths , their weaknesses , their temperaments , how to deal with their individual moments of frustration , and she speaks with overwhelming pride about their successes .
“ Lilly blew my mind . I was so friggin ’ happy for her ,” she said of Lilly Cohen . “ She has been hesitant and we ’ ve been working with her . If there is no one knocking at your door , just go . Don ’ t hesitate , because when you hesitate is when you make mistakes .”
She then described a play at EPL in which Cohen jumped into the snake and made it to the opposing 40 .
“ I don ’ t cry in front of people , “ Bunnell said , and then admitted that , overcome with pride , she shed a few tears .
Bunnell said that the young ladies are not taking this opportunity lightly and that they each have a tremendous passion for the game .
“ They hold themselves to a very high standard ,” she said . “ They want to show the world that kids can play this sport , too .”
Ross speaks in the same thread .
“ We talk to these kids with the words ‘ honor ’ and ‘ respect ’,” he said . “ We teach them about discipline , because , in all honesty , that ’ s what they need . Kids thrive with discipline and structure .”
He said he hopes that concept becomes an organizational philosophy for The Belles , providing them with a trajectory that will lead them to the WNXL , if that ’ s where they want to go . But his role has been to establish the organization , and then pass it on .
“ My goal is to have Sydney Nates own this when she is ready ,” Ross said .
According to Ross , he isn ’ t interested in creating a legacy for himself , but rather he wants to create the same avenues for the young women that are available to the men .
“ My young ladies enjoy the game , but they aren ’ t chasing it as hard as Sydney is ,” Ross said . “ She ’ s a good leader . She was even given the sportsmanship award at ( World ) Cup for lifting another girl up who had come off the field crying . Sydney took her aside and not only calmed her down , but had her laughing in just a few minutes . That ’ s a true leader .”
“ My hope is that she will be able to carry the team in the future and build the legacy for herself down the road ,” he said .
The Liberty Belles placed 9th in their bracket , which is a phenomenal accomplishment when put into context . They battled against , not only their brothers The Marauders , but also against grown men , some in their prime , and some aged 53 years young .
Unsung heroes , Whitby called them . But not for long . www . paintball . media
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