These are e-mail communication with the 2025 U9 team parents/guardians sent over the 2025 U9 season.
The practice session plans PDF communicated to assistant coaches is available as a single file, but was built two pages at a time, one page per practice session, two sessions a week.
The U9 end-of-season knowledge evaluation worksheet) contains what coaches hoped the players will have learned by the end of the season.
Players name have been changed to preserve privacy.
Back to soccer! - Coach introduction (July 18th, 2025)
Hi All,
My name is Sebastien, or Seb. Dillon, Sean and I will be coaching the WCSC U9 Soccer team your boy is in. This e-mail is to introduce ourselves, and tentative practice schedule.
I played competitive soccer in Europe 30+ years ago, and came back to soccer recently through my 2 boys, who both will be attending Walnut Heights this year. Sean also played a fair amount of soccer as a kid, and has passed on his passion to Leo, also attending Walnut Heights.
At a quick glance to the rooster, the majority of the players attend Walnut Heights. Since some games will also be played there, we will pick Walnut Heights as our home field; practices starting the week of Aug 4th.
As for timing of practices, I would like your feedback.
Per WCSC, we have to schedule 2 practices per week, 60-80 minutes per practice. The proposed practice schedule is as follow:
- Wednesdays 5pm - 6:15pm, Walnut Heights soccer field
- Fridays 5pm - 6pm, Walnut Heights soccer field
The practice on Wednesdays is longer to accommodate extra technical training. It could be shorten if two 1h practice is simpler for everyone.
The practice on Fridays would be lightweight physically, more tactical; with a big hope players remember tactics going into the week-end game. :)
There is some wiggle room if other days, earlier, or later, practices fit the majority of players better. So please, gives a thumbs up to this proposal, or let me know your schedule constraints.
I will send a confirmation e-mail for the practice schedule at the end of next week, after collecting your feedback.
Thank you, Seb.
U9 soccer practices schedule (July 24th, 2025)
Hi All,
The practice schedule will be:
- Wednesdays 5pm - 6:15pm, Walnut Heights soccer field
- Thursdays 4pm - 5pm, Walnut Heights soccer field
First practice on Wednesday Aug 6th 2025 at Walnut Heights.
Please make sure players wear shim guards to practice, and bring a bottle of water. No need to bring your own soccer ball.
We are waiting on the league schedule, but first game will be the week-end of August 23rd.
If you haven't already, you have until August 10th to pick up your player uniform kit at Soccer Post (see a previous e-mail titled "Welcome to WCSC 2025 Fall Recreation Soccer Season!" for details).
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
See you all in a couple weeks!
Seb.
p.s. If you are interested in how the practice schedule was finalized:
Feedback indicated Fridays were going to be difficult for multiple families. Many players have other commitments on Mondays and Tuesdays. I am taking an evening course on Thursdays, so an earlier start time is necessary Thursdays, at least until the week of Sep 22nd.
CANCELED Wed 6th & Thu 7th U9 Soccer Practices (August 2nd, 2025)
Hi All,
I have just been informed that renovation work at Walnut Heights Elementary is late, and the fields are closed until Aug 12th. (I drove by Today, and indeed the school is still fenced with construction people working inside.)
If anyone feels strongly about making up the practices, we could add 30min to some future practices.
In other news, the week-end game schedule should be live on Playmetrics August 6th.
I apologize for the late notice. If you have any questions, please reach out.
Thank you, Seb.
It is on! First U9 soccer practice Wednesday 5pm! (August 12th, 2025)
Hi All,
I hope everyone had an amazing first day at school!
There is still some renovation work going on here and there at Walnut Heights Elementary, but the fields are open and safe for soccer practice.
The weather should be hot but bearable, definitely cooler than last week.
Looking forward to meet everyone! Seb.
Planning for the week-end games (August 19th, 2025)
First game is around the corner! I wanted to share here the rules of the game, and how the team is going to approach the season.
Wednesday, we are going to ask players to pick a team name, and introduce the three roles we are going to use during games (striker, goalie/centerback, winger). Homework for the kids Wednesday will be to find a current international player that plays in the role they will be assigned for Saturday's game.
Rule of the game
- 7v7 (6 field players + 1 goal keeper)
- 2x25min halves, 10min halftime break, no added time
- 1 referee
- free kicks and penalty kicks
- kick offs, throw-ins, goal kicks and corner kicks
- no restriction on substitutions
- no heading
- mandatory uniform and shim guards
- no jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, etc.)
Game plan
Tactically we are going to divide the field in 3 bands (see attached diagram), and divide the central band in equal zones (forward and backward). The left and right bands are symmetrical, so we will bucket the players into 3 roles:
| role | zone | expectation without the ball | expectation with the ball |
|---|---|---|---|
| stiker | central forward | stay on top, create trouble | turn and shoot |
| goalie and center back | central back | stay with top forward opponent player | kick to a teammate on the left or right side |
| wingers | left or right band | run back to defensive line | driving and passing forward |
Player development
The goalie and center back typically watch the game facing forward, wingers see it from one side (left or right), and the striker sees most of the game with his back to the opponent's goal.
To give an opportunity to every player to experience the game from each vantage point, as well as learn enough about each role to be effective, we are going to rotate each player between roles (striker, goalie/center back, wingers) for the first 6 week-ends. We will use the last 3 games to fine-tune our team formation going into the tournament.
At practices, each player will also have a chance to learn the expectations of the role the week before each game, following the same rotation as the games.
The focus of this fall season is for the players to have a fun experience, while becoming a responsible person, through playing soccer.
Player role assignment
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 2025/08/20 | Practice |
| 2025/08/21 | Practice |
| 2025/08/23 | Home Game vs. Wertz - our team wears blue |
| - Striker: Liam , Benjamin | |
| - Goalie/Centerback: Oliver, James, Henry | |
| - Wingers: Mateo, William, Austin, Wyatt, Hugo, Leo | |
| 2025/08/27 | Practice |
| 2025/08/28 | Practice |
| 2025/09/03 | Practice |
| 2025/09/04 | Practice |
| 2025/09/06 | Home Game vs. Greene - our team wears blue |
| - Stiker: Oliver, James | |
| - Goalie/Centerback: Mateo, William, Austin | |
| - Wingers: Liam , Benjamin, Henry, Wyatt, Hugo, Leo | |
| 2025/09/10 | Practice |
| 2025/09/11 | Practice |
| 2025/09/13 | Home Game vs. Bonino - our team wears, Team Photo |
| - Striker: Henry, Mateo | |
| - Goalie/Centerback: Liam , Benjamin, Wyatt | |
| - Wingers: Oliver, James, William, Austin, Hugo, Leo | |
| 2025/09/17 | Practice |
| 2025/09/18 | Practice |
| 2025/09/20 | Away Game vs. Gonzalez - our team wears white |
| 2025/09/21 | Home Game vs. Macariola - our team wears blue |
| - Striker: William, Austin | |
| - Goalie/Centerback: Oliver, Hugo, Leo | |
| - Wingers: Liam, Benjamin, James, Henry, Mateo, Wyatt | |
| 2025/09/24 | Practice |
| 2025/09/25 | Practice |
| 2025/09/27 | Away Game vs. Varni - our team wears white |
| - Striker: Wyatt, Hugo | |
| - Goalie/Centerback: James, Henry, Mateo | |
| - Wingers: Liam, Benjamin, Oliver, William, Austin, Leo | |
| 2025/10/01 | Practice |
| 2025/10/02 | Practice |
| 2025/10/04 | Away Game vs. Azama - our team wears white |
| - Striker: Leo, Liam | |
| - Goalie/Centerback: William, Austin, Wyatt | |
| - Wingers: James, Henry, Mateo, Benjamin, Oliver, Hugo | |
| 2025/10/08 | Practice |
| 2025/10/09 | Practice |
| 2025/10/15 | Practice |
| 2025/10/16 | Practice |
| 2025/10/18 | Away Game vs. Luengo - our team wears white |
| 2025/10/22 | Practice |
| 2025/10/23 | Practice |
| 2025/10/25 | Home Game vs. Gayson - our team wears blue |
| 2025/10/29 | Practice |
| 2025/10/30 | Practice |
| 2025/11/01 | Away Game vs. Geldard - our team wears white |
| 2025/11/05 | Practice |
| 2025/11/06 | Practice |
| 2025/11/08 | Tournament |
| 2025/11/09 | Tournament |
| - Striker: TBD | |
| - Goalie/Centerback: TBD | |
| - Wingers: TBD |
Game 1 - Game Analysis (August 24th, 2025)
All our players were focused and made good runs. When we were down 2-0, our players kept their cool and kept playing their game, to finally win the game 3-2. For a first game together as a team, this is a good base to build on.
In a 7v7 game, the pitch is bigger than last year. A few times our players dribble the ball all the way up... just to run out of breath in front of the opponent's goal. We none-the-less scored on a few of these long rushes, but that won't last as the season progresses, and other teams' defenses start to be in place.
For the next weeks, we are going to follow the game plan outlined earlier, focusing practices on helping players connect, find each others on the pitch, and pass the ball a bit more.
There is no game this week-end (Labor day).
The rotation for the next two weeks practices and Sep 6th game are:
- Striker: Oliver, James
- Goalie/Centerback: Mateo, William, Austin
- Wingers: Liam, Benjamin, Henry, Wyatt, Hugo, Leo
If you attend the practices, stikers will have blue pinnies, goalie/centerback red pinnies, and wingers yellow pinnies.
If you are curious and want to learn more, the following video is worth watching]: Every Position In Football Explained in 8 Minutes. At our age group in 7v7, there are only 4 positions to learn: Goalie, Centerback, Striker and Winger.
If you are curious to see what a U9 game looks like at top soccer academies (FC Barcelona U9 vs. Malaga CF U9).
Keep smiling, Seb.
Thursday practice, Sep 6th Game, and Picture day (September 1st, 2025)
Hi Team,
I've been attending a coaching class from U.S. Soccer since July. In order to pass the class, I will need to video record one of the team's practice, and take the in-person exam on Sep 6th.
My plan is to video tape Thursday's practice (09/04). The recording will be uploaded to the U.S. Soccer Website for the sole purpose of instructors to evaluate my coaching. If for any reason you object, please kindly let me know and skip Thursday's session.
Dillon and Sean will be responsible to manage the game on Sep 6th, while I spend the week-end in Alameda for the coaching license in-person exam. I do not anticipate missing other games this season.
The substitutions schedule for the Sep 6th game is attached here (as well as the spreadsheet used to create substitutions schedules for future games). Since the theme of the team is "Responsibility", I am eagerly looking forward to learn how the team behaves on its own.
Team picture day is confirmed for Saturday 9/13 at 9:30 am at Arbolado park. Please make sure the players are in full uniform (blue), including socks and cleats. We will be playing in blue at Indian Valley 11:20am the same day.
Each team has a 15 minute window, please try to be a little early so we can get everyone situated ahead of our 9:30am slot.
The following Youtube soccer channel is fun and educative if you are looking to watch something with your player to end a lovely Labor Day.
Thank you, Seb.
Game 2 (September 6th 2025)
[I didn't attend the game as I was at the in-person US Soccer License D course.]
Game 3 - Game Analysis (September 13th, 2025)
Hi Team,
This Saturday was a challenging game (1-7 loss). None-the-less we are learning a lot, and will continue the players rotation as outlined at the beginning of the season. The goal remains for each player to experience the basic expectations of each position.
In that respect, five out of the seven goals we allowed were of our own doing: A goal kick was played to the central lane right into the opposition pressure, lost around the penalty spot, leaving the goalie alone facing a shot impossible to save.
We had specifically worked on goal kicks last Wednesday, and how to pass the ball to the side. We also missed a few occasions on corners that were played with a strong shot in front of goal, while we worked on quick passes, because of the "no header" rule, the week prior.
Obviously, lessons were not learnt.
Over the next practices, I am going to work with 3 or 4 players in turn to test behavioral and tactical expectations are understood, while Dillon and Sean will run the drills for the other players.
Please remind your players that practices are classrooms - not chit-chat playdates.
Thank you, Seb.
Game 4 and 5 - Games Analysis (September 20th and 21st, 2025)
Hi Team,
The week-end game proved to be a turning point for the team.
On Saturday, there were positioning mistakes that could have cost dearly, but it was still a tied game (3-3) a couple minutes from the end. At that time, Liam missed a penalty. Undeterred, he continued playing intensely, and redeemed his mistake by scoring a goal in the last minute to a 4-3 win. Phoenixes [Our team name] rose again! There are a few more examples during the game when our players could have cratered and they didn't. I am really proud of them.
In Sunday's game, a couple players have clicked with the expectations of the position they were playing in. William scored 4 goals for his grandpa's birthday, who was watching from the sideline. Leo was on fire, even delivering an awesome assist on the last goal. Wyatt didn't have much to do in the goal in the second half, but when he had to, he stepped in, and made a couple important saves. Staying focused won the game.
We are already 5 games in a 10 games league, pointing at 3rd place.
Next week-end is going to be a difficult game. The opposing team will use a high-press on our goal kicks (big guys rushing fast from the offside line). They also have strong players in the back. Fortunately for us, their center back often drifts outside of position, opening space for our strikers to run into.
Our team will most likely play a defensive game with fast counter-attacks.
To prepare the game, in this weeks practice, we will work on:
- Man Marking (see "Zonal vs Man Marking")
- Long ball passing (see "How to nail long passing")
Our players are smart. They started to communicate together on the field, which shows a deeper understanding of the game - and selfishly helps me keep my singing voice :).
If our players can stay focused for the full 50 minutes, we have a chance.
Thank you, Seb
Games are won at practices (September 25th, 2025)
Hi Team,
Everyone did the best they could to prepare for Saturday's game.
If you have a chance to remind your players the guidelines for defending, we worked on this week, please do so.
- Stay focus at all times.
- Marking: find an opponent and follow them everywhere they go.
- Always stand between the opponent and our goal.
- When the ball carrier has his back to our goal, prevent him to turn.
Looking forward to see everyone Saturday! Seb.
Game 6 - Game Analysis (September 27th, 2025)
Hi Team,
There is not much to write about Saturday's game (9-3 loss). The opponent didn't have better soccer skills than our team, but they did everything with more focus and intensity than our team.
The energy you bring to practices translates into what you bring to games. If our players would spend as much energy on chasing the ball as they do goofing around, the game could have turned into a coin toss. That's what I am most disappointed with.
I made a short video you can share with your player. Maybe it will help.
The team has potential, but we keep giving the ball away by lack of focus.
For example, in the video at 2:08 we see a good example of "Calling for the ball" - i.e. making a run, then reversing the run to loose the marker... and the thrower to send the ball right to the blue team. Maybe we played in blue shirts too often in past games? Who knows?
The weather is cooling down, so we will have more drills focused on intensity (i.e. speeding up and slowing down fast) in the next practices.
Thank you, Seb.
Game 7 - Game Analysis (October 4th, 2025)
Hi Team,
I am happy to have seen mouvement and much more focus from our players this past game (win 4-1). Everyone seemed to enjoy playing the game. For a minute at the begining of the second half, we were even playing as a team instead of 7 random players in white shirts! Special mention to Benjamin who showed true fighting spirit, and courage when he didn't hesitate to stand in front of a really strong kick.
Saturday was the last game with a pre-defined rotation. Every player had a chance to experience playing at every position, and show their skills in different parts of the pitch (see each player evaluation below).
for the remaining 3 games (Oct 18th, Oct 25, Nov 1st - no game next week), and through the tournamnent, each player will have a fixed role where they can thrive within this team.
There is a Zoom call on Nov 3rd on which we will learn more about organizational structure of the WCSC tournament (i.e. kind of like playoffs). I will communicate details when we have them - just be prepared to be around a soccer field all day Saturday Nov 8th and Sunday Nov 9th.
On a side note, the biggest soccer tournament is the World Cup which will be held in June 2026 in North America (Canada / USA / Mexico). Time to pick which type of supporter you are :)!
Keep smiling, Seb.
Player evaluation
Henry is not shy to talk his mind. I really like that Henry recently started to take to heart that actions speak louder than words by helping his teammates with multiple off-ball runs.
Hugo shows good hustle in 1v1 at practices and warm-ups. He just needs to bring that quickness and fighting spirit into the game. Focusing on his direct opponent will help.
Leo runs fast without the ball, and often times can project himself to be at the right place at the right time. it is a skill difficult to teach. How he does that while seemingly looking at birds in the sky is a mystery.
Wyatt always applies himself to hit the target when throwing or kicking the ball. Wyatt has become the quiet discrete player you can count on in set pieces (goal kicks, throw-ins, etc.) because he makes very few mistakes.
Oliver internalized the position he plays on the pitch. Either as goalie, winger, or striker, you will not often find him out of position.
Liam can destabilizes a whole team by himself with quick dribbles. Unfortunately until his teammates have enough football experience to organize around his runs, he can create as much chaos in his own team as in the opposition.
Austin is not shy of efforts. That's the kind of players I like to see at 9 years old. Leaving everything on the pitch at every game.
Benjamin has good ball control and intelligence in his game, yet his performance can go up and down on a mood swing. It my fault for not finding the right words to get the best out of him sooner.
William is not shy of efforts. He also started to communicate clear instructions to his teammates, which indicates a level of maturity above average for his age.
Mateo is a natural born sweeper in the pure tradition of Franz Beckenbauer. Mateo is able to do great tackles in 1v1 at practices and warmups. I would like to see him bring these into the game.
James can hold the ball and typically stays calm under pressure. With a little more passing in his game, James will be a reliable player to build out from the back.
Game 8 - Game Analysis (October 19th, 2025)
Hi Team,
Saturday is a game we shouldn't have lost (2-3). It sometimes happen. This is a good occasion for our players to learn life is not always fair.
The first opponent goal came on their first turn over win (similar as in the Varni game). One of the other two goals from the opposition started from a bad throw-in from our side. Our transition from offense to defense should be quicker and with more intensity. Though we started to see more intensity from our players in practices, unfortunately it hasn't translated into the games yet. Too many kids are walking.
On the positive side, players had better positioning relative to the ball, and each other in the past game. The distances between teammates did not require superkid's strength to connect passes. As long as players keep the same off-ball movements, passes will come at some point, and it will look beautiful.
On the very positive side as well, communication between players is good. Everyone slowly aligns on the same values and target. We have a team!
I edited a video of the game highlights for players that were not there. For fans that were there, you get to make memories in stereo. That's how the game looked from the coaches' side.
Thank you, Seb.
ps. At timecode 4:00, Oliver receives the ball before the buildout line (offsides are only counted between the buildout and the goal line), then run to score. It is a valid goal. The referee marks it down as such. Then a parent shouts "offside" from the sideline, and the referee changes his mind.
Game 9 - Game Analysis (October 25th, 2025)
Hi Team,
I have to talk with the school headmaster. I am not sure what lunch regimen the other schools have, but those 9y old kids we played Saturday were buffed. The game turned into a battle of might and willpower our team ultimately won 4-3. The game didn't look anything like modern soccer, but still we can be proud our players showed fighting spirit!
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Sat Nov 1st is our last league game.
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Mon Nov 3rd, I will attend a video conference to learn details about the organization of the tournament. As soon as I know how many games, where and when we play, I will let everyone know.
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Wed Nov 5th, during the regular practice (5pm-6pm), we are planning a scrimmage against the U10 girls team training on the other side of the field. I will confirm if it happens, otherwise it will be a normal practice.
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Thu Nov 6th, we will have a scrimmage against coach Walvick's team at Walnut Heights starting at 4:30pm (a bit later than usual), followed by a shared end-of-season potluck with both teams. (Walvick has many kids from Walnut Heights. It is the only team we haven't played in the season.) I will send a sign-up sheet for food, drinks, utensils, etc. early in the week.
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Sat Nov 8th-Sun Nov 9th will be the tournament. Plan to be all of Saturday and Sunday morning on a soccer field. If we make it to the final, we will most likely be there Sunday afternoon as well.
For anyone who is not a sports aficionado, in a league, you get points for winning or tying games, and at the end of the season the team with most points wins the league. In a tournament, you go head-to-head with another team in a single game. The winner moves to the next round, the looser goes home. - i.e. a tournament is a Highlander-style "There can only be one", without the lighting and special effects - though we might practice how to make thunder sound with the kids this week :).
Get some rest, and see you on the field! Seb.
Game 10 - Game Analysis (November 1st, 2025)
Hi Team,
The first half of Saturday's game is to be forgotten. We practiced throw-ins and goal kicks for weeks, yet the players decided to forget all of it, and fall back on tactics that don't work. The result: two goals we directly gave to the opposite team. "You are too far." "You are too far." You can hear my frustration on the soundtrack. At half time I was a bit upset and harsh to the players. It seemed to have paid off. In the second half, the team started to play one of its best soccer in the season. There just wasn't enough time to catch up the lost time (final score: loss 3-4). I am particularly happy players defended by trying to regain possession - i.e. control the ball, and make a pass forward instead of blasting the ball out of bounds.
Season's retrospective
At the beginning of the season, we had cliques of players that don't know each other. Some kids could barely kick the ball, while others could dribble like veterans. Two weeks in, we sent those kids in a 7v7 game with more adults screaming from the sideline than there are players on the field. It is difficult to realize how far we traveled in a few months.
I deeply thank Dillon and Sean for stepping up and assisting with the coaching. Last year, I had ten 8-year old to handle by myself. The help from both Dillon and Sean tremendously lower my daily stress level.
Over the weeks, we had a mix of practices to develop individual skills and learn team tactics. For the first 7 weekly games, we implemented a strict rotation to allow each player to experience each position on the field.
The goal was never to win the regular season league, though at some point, it looked like we could have. We lost two games against strong teams while having a mismatched player/position rotation. I was hoping for a 50-50 win/loss ratio while rotating players, so that's a testament to the quality of our team to have lost only two games during that time. The last three games, we used to prepare for the tournament. We won the most difficult game, and lost the two games our team was better on paper. It is a reminder that when you loose focus, you loose games.
I see smiles on every kid's face. All players have started to show effort and interest, intermittently yes, but that's OK. We are still talking about 9-year olds here. We are as ready as can be within the constraints we have.
Anything can happen in a tournament, so it is time to enjoy the game. I am certainly going to bring my chair, sit down, and relax. It is time for the players to step up and choose their fate.
Reminder for this week's calendar
Nov 3rd - I will find out details about the tournament. Where we play, what time we have to show up, as well as the number of games, etc. I will send an e-mail as soon as I have this information. For now, just be prepared to spend Saturday and Sunday on a soccer field.
Nov 5th - We will have a regular practice 5pm-6pm.
Nov 6th - We will have a scrimmage against Coach Walvick's team at 4:30pm at Walnut Heights. I recommend you arrive 5-10min early as we will try to start the game by 4:35pm (at the latest). After the game, we will have a shared end-of-season potluck with both teams.
Nov 8th/9th - Tournament. Details will be available on Nov 3rd.
Thank you to the fans for showing up consistently! Seb.
Last practice, Party and Tournament (November 4th, 2025)
Hi Team,
Wednesday (Nov 5th), we will most likely have a shorten practice as it might be dark by 5:45pm. The practice will mostly consist of a 5v5 mini-game. We will rotate one player out in turn to validate the tactical knowledge we learned during the season (cheat sheet) attached if you want your boy to prepare).
Thursday (Nov 6th), we invited Coach Walvick's team to a 30min informal scrimmage at 4:30pm, and to share our end-of-season party (they will have their own party later). I will be at Walnut Heights by 4pm to setup the goals, so you can always show up at the usual time if you wish so. We will try to wrap up everything before it is dark (around 5:45pm).
Saturday (Nov 8th), we will play 2 games at Castle Rock Park (800 Hutchinson, Walnut Creek, CA, US) (map of the fields)
- 9:00am U9 Boys Mirolo vs. U9 Boys Geldard - Castle Rock Park Field 6
- 12:55pm U9 Boys - Varni vs. U9 Boys Mirolo - Castle Rock Park Field 8
Sunday (Nov 9th), we will play one game in the morning and another game in the afternoon if we happen to be a finalist.
- 10:50am U9 Boys Mirolo vs. U9 Boys Walvick - Castle Rock Park Field 8
- 3:40pm Group A #1 vs. Group B #1 - Castle Rock Park Field 6
The full tournament schedule is available here.
Please bring both, your player blue and white jerseys, as we will play some games as "Home" and some as "Away".
I will add the games on Playmetrics shortly.
If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me or come talk to me any time.
Thank you, Seb.
Tournament / Saturday Analysis (November 8th, 2025)
Hi Team,
I can see red sweaty faces. I can see game changers on the side line eager to get in. All players care to do well on the pitch. We can be proud of this. No one was left behind.
We can also see players have started to bring what we learned at practices in games. The team connected 3 to 4 passes reliably multiple times. Growth happens in bumps and leaps. Today the increased football IQ (how to play the game together) of the players was on full display.
As a reward for their focus and effort, I have let multiple players pick a position they wanted to play in the second half of those two games, and let the team self-organize for the most part.
To see players focused, and the team play well together in this tournament means more to me than any wins. Having transmitted a passion for effort, discipline, and teamwork, mixed with a pinch of imagination, is the true victory. That's what soccer is all about.
See everyone on Sunday morning! Seb.
p.s. Varni won 2 games and currently is at 12 points. Win or loose, Sunday morning will be our last game.