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Some Thoughts After a Tough Loss

Posted by Ed Little on Nov 07 2010 at 01:26AM PST

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.

Comments

2010-11-07T13:43:42.000-08:00November 07 2010, at 01:43 PM PST, James Harmony said:

Coach Little,
First, this is no pity letter. You don’t need that. I do, however, want to point out some things that you’ve accomplished this season. You’ve taken a handful of 8 year olds, with varied football experience, some with no experience at all, taught them and made them a team. We know how 8 year old boys can be. Teaching them anything can be a daunting task. You have my respect.

Let me refresh your memory on your goals:
1. HAVE FUN – Do I even have to go there? I know you can never have too much fun, but, these boys may have pushed that limit at times.
2. GET BETTER EVERY DAY – Without this they wouldn’t have made it to the play-offs.
3. WIN – A winning season. Not many teams ended the season as well as the Fallon Greenwave Mavericks did. They won so much that the sting of loss was not a very familiar feeling.

And your rules:
1. NEVER QUIT
2. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST
3. DON’T BE AFRAID
You taught them this and so much more. I’ll list just a few, and I know I won’t hit them all:
• The game of football.
• The rules, the plays and how to play their positions.
• How to be a team.
• How to be respectful of others.
• How to be good sports.
• How to be brothers.
• How to have humility.
• And most importantly, how to be a better person.

You need to stand tall and be proud of what you’ve accomplished. I am proud of your accomplishments, but as a father, of one of your boys, I’m thankful for this experience, thankful for this gift you have given my son. I’m glad to know you and hope that you will continue to coach our boys with the fire, intensity and passion that you bring every day. They deserve nothing less. You are the standard that I will hold all other coaches to. I know I’m being selfish, but, my son, because of you, wants to play FYFL football, with his brothers, next season, with the Renegades. I sure hope and pray that you’ll be his coach. This same team of brothers, next year, will be a force to be reckoned with.

Lastly, please stay clear of McDonald’s, that stuff can kill ya. ;) Go Greenwave!

All my thanks!

James Harmony Sr.

2010-11-08T03:33:28.000-08:00November 08 2010, at 03:33 AM PST, Ed Little said:

Thank you James Sr. for your kind remarks. I appreciate that very much. But I hope everyone will remember an important fact. A coach is an important member of a team but a coach never accomplishes anything for a team. All I can do is instruct, motivate and direct. Therefore I must deflect any praise directed at me towards our players. I didn’t play a single down all year, I sweated and bled far less than they did and never had to make a tackle or a block. One of the most satisfying moments of my coaching career thus far was right after winning the Bandit Championship in 2007 (I was an assistant) and seeing the kids go wild. I made darn sure I was nowhere near them because I wanted it to be their moment, not mine. To me, a coach’s reward should be within – knowing you got the best out of your team. A player’s reward can be without – knowing you conquered your opponent on the field of battle.

Whatever this year’s Maverick team accomplished was accomplished by our players, not me. I am simply an enabler, and I hope to become a better one.

2010-12-01T14:50:17.000-08:00December 01 2010, at 02:50 PM PST, Michelle Trousdale said:

Coach Little,
Forgive me for intruding as a rival from Fernley.

My heart is breaking for your little guys all over again. Even as my son celebrated his Championship in 2009, I cried a little for your boys. It is never easy as a coach, or a parent, to see your kids hurt.

Please know this: Each year I look forward to playing Fallon for two reasons. 1) I know that your kids and coaches are always good sports, and 2) I know that it will be a great game because both sides of the house leave everything they have out on the field.

When Matthew cried after losing in California I asked him if he gave his coaches and his team everything he had. He answered yes, and I told him that is all that he could do. Obviously you and your boys played your guts out too, and you can’t ask for anything more than that.

I applaud you and your efforts, and even as your rival, I wish you the best of luck next year….sincerely and from the bottom of my heart.

Michelle Trousdale (Matthew Glover’s mommy) :)

2010-12-02T04:44:59.000-08:00December 02 2010, at 04:44 AM PST, Ed Little said:

Michelle:
I want to thank you for taking the time to post on our site, for your kind words, and for the Class you have displayed. It is perhaps no coincidence that your post came just hours after our final team party, where we celebrated our success and re-dedicated ourselves to even higher achievements. Your comments display the type of dignity and respect that I admire and cultivate amongst our own parents and players, and I am humbled that you would do so on your own.

I am thrilled that you found our website and I hope others have/will as well. BTW, I was there in Placerville and saw the game you guys lost. I have already posted my comments about it on the SYFL site. I’m sure you can find them (with our rules you would have won).

Thank you again,

- Coach little

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