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(10/26/2008) |
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Rock N' Roll
No gloating. No "I told you so". Just a resounding scream and a human pile of players on top of the goalie to celebrate the team first victory in the Aztec Indoor League Final. A success full of lessons and emotions for an Alamo Revolution team quite not good enough all season to compete with the solid defending champion, Galaxy.
And for a long time, it looked kind of the same this Sunday, with just too much experience in the other team side, and quite not enough thinking in the White and Blue team.
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But, just like they did in the Independente League last year and the D2 District Playoffs, this team doesn't know when to quit. It doesn't matter if they are outmatched or outplayed. As if to say, it is not about what you can do, but who you are.
There was only 42 seconds left on the clock when they finally caught up with the Galaxy. Just enough to send the game (7-7) into a frantic penalty shootout, where the win (1-0 a.p.) was finally decided by the Alamo Revolution goalie soon buried under the joy of his teammates.
Hours and hours of hard work under the sun, for ten minutes of sheer happiness and a lifetime of memories. But this sunday was no surprise. There is a very inspiring quote in the San Antonio Spurs hallway, next to their locker room. More than a quote from Jacob August Riis, a 19th century Danish-American journalist/photograph/philosopher, it has became their motto.
It is also ours, and it should be everyone's motto: "When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before."
Keep hammering at the rock…
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(5/29/2008) |
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Super 2: a new step
Alamo Revolution will be moving up to Super 2 in the coming 2008 Fall season. Another step in the right direction after a very successfull D2 season closed with a South Texas District Champion title and a seat in the State Finals.
Playing better opponents is the right way to get better. It also makes for a tougher season, with longer trips, and even more commitment. This is the price to pay for our success.
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We will be the ultimate underdog, but let's do everything we can to enjoy the same kind of ride, while keeping an eye on the future. Having a long-term vision is the difference maker. In the meantime, those are the teams we will have to play when the season starts, mid-september:
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Padre Hurricanes Blue (ex-D1) |
Lions Red (ex-S2) |
Rapids (ex-D1) |
Tigres Gold (ex-S2) |
Classic Elite Blue (ex-D1) |
Fire Red (ex-S2) |
SA United Black (ex-S2) |
Dallas Texans SA White (ex-S2) |
AC Storm Black (ex-S2) |
SA Pumas (ex-S2) |
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(5/29/2008) |
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A great season
Our season ended up with another great experience, as the kids made it all the way to the Memorial Day Tournament with four wins.
The weekend was a success despite losing in a penalty shootout in the Final. We decided to play there to bounce back after losing the State Finals and the kids did exactly that as a team. They played good, they had fun, they fought, we can't really ask much more.
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Overall, it was a great season, as every kid made huge stride on their way to become some very nice soccer player. I also learned the importance of winning this season, and teaching brought us a big chunk of those Ws : we played 45 games this year and won 32 of them (2 ties, 11 losses).
We won the President's day Cup, the Independent League, the South Texas District, went to the State Finals and the final of the Memorial Day tournament, and scored 123 goals while giving up 46. Those are great numbers. Beyond the indeniable mathematics, it is also proof that we are more than ever on the right track. But without the vision those numbers have no life. Seing the big picture is and will remain our goal.
So, together, let's keep hammering at those rocks. We may just find a gem inside...
- Coach Olivier -
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(5/05/2008) |
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Revolution goes to State
Winning five games in the playoffs without giving a single goal is not a small accomplishment. It says a lot about the kind of control you have on a game. Well, not all the games...
Playing and winning two games, the semi-finals and finals, in overtime, in a span of two hours, says a lot about the mental toughness of the team. The kids really dug deep to get this championship, but this is the price to pay to win at this level.
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Physically and mentally they won't forget those two days for a very long time. And this is precisely the kind of experience that makes you grow before your eyes. Defense, chemistry and sacrifice were the keys to this tiring weekend. They will be equally essential in the next round, the State Finals (May 17-18).
 South Texas Cup Western District Playoffs 2008...
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