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Some Thoughts After a Tough Loss

Posted by Ed Little at Nov 7, 2010 1:26AM PST ( 4 Comments )

When facing emotional turmoil, different people have different methods to cope. Some exercise, some pray, some get drunk, and some seek professional help. While all of those options sound viable to me right now, my method of coping is to write. So bear with me, this is sure to be a doosy.

How did we lose this game? That is the question we all want answered. I can tell you that we didn’t lose because we were unprepared. Our boys had probably their best week of practice all season this week. I called them out and demanded a high level of intensity and physical play at practice and they delivered in spades. We were also well prepared for Damonte Ranch specifically. In the game they did nothing we hadn’t rehearsed in practice, and they never really adjusted to our offense running away from their best defenders. I left the practice field Thursday supremely confident and for good reason. I even did something I’ve never done before and predicted a blowout. If we played as well as we had practiced, I told our team that I pitied Damonte Ranch for what was about to happen.

For whatever reason, during warm-ups the boys were really flat. I immediately sensed that their sense of urgency and physicality were not at a good level and did everything I could to rally them; to remind them of what was at stake and how hard we needed to play. In retrospect, I was only partially successful. I haven’t yet seen the film but although I don’t think we played lousy, we certainly fell woefully short of dominating our opponent like I demanded (and predicted). We did not control the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball, which is the primary ingredient to winning. Defensively, we had players in the right position all day and either missed tackles, took poor angles, or just got juked and outran. We have a rule on this team that there is no such thing as a good run by our opponent – we either do our job or we don’t – and today we didn’t. Yes they have stud athletes and are now 9-0 and averageing over 40 points/game but I offer no excuses. We were in position and just didn’t make plays.

Offensively, we never could get in a rhythym partly because we were never on the field. When the other team controls time of possession – especially with 8 minute quarters – and you must get White Offense their plays each half, it is darned hard to get going offensively. But even when Green Offense was in there, we didn’t do much. In fact, I can only recall one first down for the entire game. Clearly this won’t ever get it done. Now we have 68 plays and 15 different formations in our offensive playbook, and that’s alot for an 8-year old to learn, but they did learn it. No team we have faced has had more than 3 or 4 formations, and yet here we are on the outside looking in. I must face the fact that we need a better offense, and an offensive playbook with more winning plays. Although I cannot understand how any team could possibly prepare for us (15 formations) – with film or not – it is clear that we are not an offensive juggernaut. I have always been a defensive-minded coach and far less comfortable coaching offense. But as the Head Coach I would have to feel supremely confident in anyone else to relinquish the offense and especially play-calling.

Words cannot adequately describe how excruciating a feeling it is to have your team get eliminated. I have invested so much of my time, energy, and love into this team and into these boys that the team has become my baby and the boys have become my children. When you set the bar high – as we have done – and fall short; it hurts even more. Now that it’s happenned two years in a row I cannot begin to tell you how heartbroken I am. Truth be told I definately wanted to win a championship for my own sake – that’s my vanity talking but also my competetive spirit since so many of my friends have done it already. But without a doubt I would have relished a championship for our boys’ sake more than for my own. Most of them have older brothers who have won championships (and are about to perhaps win another) and I really wanted this for them. I am truly sorry that I failed to give them that gift – again.

So what does this team need to get over the hump? Well, I’ve had less than 24 hours to contemplate it, but I would say we need two things: a new Offensive Coordinator (he’d have to be a proven champ because while I admit I am not the best I haven’t done too bad either) and 3-5 more solid players. 18 players is simply too few. When we won the Bandit Championship in 2007 we had a critical mass of 15 stud players. Now how are we supposed to have that critical mass of players with a roster of 18? No other Fallon team in any division had so few on their roster this year. Here’s an example: when Brock got hurt in the game we had to have 4 players play new positions to adjust – just for one play – and Damonte scored a touchdown running right at Brock’s spot on that first play. Reile went to CB, Nathan Little went to MLB, Andrew went to End, and Tyler went to DT. It’s not anyone’s fault (I’m not gonna blame Reile when he’d never played a single down at CB all year), and it didn’t really affect the outcome of the game – we would have lost anyway – but that’s what happens when you have NO depth. If we had any depth at all we could have just substituted 1 player. We need more players and we need a better offense.

One of the motivational tools I used this week was to ask the question: "How much does this game mean to you?" Now that it’s over, all I can tell you is I am physically sick. I knew Damonte was a good team but honestly I never dreamed we would lose. Losing last year in the Championship Game is the only feeling I can relate to this, and I have still not gotten over that game. I don’t think I ever will. Now instead of one game that haunts me I have two. Imagine if you can being in my shoes and seeing half the team crying after the game. Now these are 8 – year old players that clearly have bought into everything I’ve been selling all year and yet fallen short. They paid my price and did not recieved the promised "payout". How betrayed they must feel – by me. I built up our team’s (8 year-old) hopes yet lead them to failure. I am not asking for your pity, but I want you to understand my perspective. When I am 90 years old the pain of these two losses will still be acute, just as the memory would have been sweet had we won.

Now I do not accept the "poor me" attitude from my players and here I am crying "poor me". What you must understand, however, is that this is my medicine and I cannot afford a psychiatrist. The very short version is simply this (and yes you can quote me):

I am sorry.

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Week #14 Golden Gerka Award

Posted by Ed Little at Nov 5, 2010 12:00AM PDT ( 0 Comments )

Congratulations to Cameron Chambers for winning the Week 14 Golden Gerka Award. Cameron is a player with a tremendous upside, and the whole coaching staff has been waiting anxiously for him to play to his potential this year. Last week Cameron displayed a marked improvement in maintaining a consistent, high level of effort in practice and during the game. When Cameron is playing up to his potential there are few who can keep up with him, which is why we have pushed all year for him to do just that on every play. The same goes for our other players. We are trying to instill the habits of champions in our players because that’s what winning is – a habit. A habit pattern of consistent, high standards of performance is what fuels every champion and they do it that way ALL the time because they don’t know any other way. Whether we win the Championship this year or not I want our players to learn how to be champions, on and off the field. Because of his marked improvement in displaying the habits of champions, Cameron will get to wear the Gold Jersey all week, is an automatic Captain, and will lead all our breaks.

We have somewhere between 0-2 Golden Gerka awards remaining to be won (depending on how far we go into the playoffs and beyond) so if you want to win it you’re going to have to display something remarkable to us in the few practices and games that remain. Effort, hustle, toughness, and enthusiasm all count a long way toward winning this award. If you want it, go earn it.

Past winners:
Week 1 – Devin Souza
Week 2 – Gabriel Hardy
Week 3 – Nico Hofheins
Week 4 – Andrew Phillips
Week 5 – Gabe Hardy
Week 6 – Reile Cole
Week 7 – James Harmony
Week 8 – Brock Richardson
Week 9 – Quinlin Jackson
Week 10 – Tommy McCormick
Week 12 – Reile Cole
Week 13 – Gabe Hardy

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Week #13 Golden Gerka

Posted by Ed Little at Oct 27, 2010 1:18AM PDT ( 0 Comments )

Congratulations to Gabriel Hardy for winning the Week 13 Golden Gerka Award. Gabe brought a new level of intensity and toughness to practice last week that I have frankly never seen in my 4 years of coaching. Gabe always plays with alot of intensity but last week he put on a display that was almost frightening. We had several guests attend one practice from the JV team (boys 3 years older) and I was a little worried that Gabe might hurt one of them. Additionally, we asked him to learn a new position last week – Center – which is the most difficult position to play on the Line and he handled it fine. For displaying superior determination, focus, toughness and intensity Gabe will be wearing the Golden Jersey this week. As a football coach, I can’t tell you what a great feeling it is to look down on all those upturned faces and see Gabe Hardy looking back at me with his sweaty hair, determined eyes and bloody nose. He never complains, always gives 100% at whatever he’s asked to do, ususally finishes his water breaks first, and always plays with enthusiasm. As we start our playoff run, I would hope that we could get all 18 other players displaying the same qualities.

-Coach Little

Past winners:
Week 1 – Devin Souza
Week 2 – Gabriel Hardy
Week 3 – Nico Hofheins
Week 4 – Andrew Phillips
Week 5 – Gabe Hardy
Week 6 – Reile Cole
Week 7 – James Harmony
Week 8 – Brock Richardson
Week 9 – Quinlin Jackson
Week 10 – Tommy McCormick
Week 11 – Reile Cole

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Week #12 Golden Gerka

Posted by Ed Little at Oct 22, 2010 5:00AM PDT ( 0 Comments )

Congratulations to Reile Cole for earning the week 12 Golen Gerka award. Week #11 was shortened by rain, so the previous winner – Tommy McCormick – was allowed to keep his status. Reile earned this reward by his off-the-field effort. He spent many hours practicing his kicks at home – and Saturday made the most of it by going 3/5 for extra points. At the Maverick level I can’t begin to tell you what a weapon this is for our team. Reile has become our 2nd repeat winner of the Golden Gerka. Way to go Reile!!

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Important info for Parents

Posted by Ed Little at Oct 6, 2010 1:32AM PDT ( 0 Comments )

Please read the newly uploaded document in the "Team Documents" section at the lower right hand corner of the home page.

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