Ups and Downs

Life is full of ups and downs. Wins and loses. From everyday struggles to life changing decisions, we are constantly being asked to react to different obstacles placed before us. I think Lou Holtz, a legendary football coach, put it best: "Life is 10 percent what happens to you, and 90 percent how you respond to it."

After coming off a successful first week with our new squad scrimmaging (and winning) against our Under-19 boys teams, the team was feeling good. With a few days off to recover, everyone had a good couple days off exploring the greater San Diego area. (I actually took a quick trip up to Seattle which is also an amazing city and was an awesome trip)!

Returning to training this week posed a bit more of a challenge for us as a team. We really had to buckle down, physically and tactically because everyone has to be on the same page before we leave for Europe at the end of the week. We added more training sessions as well as more running. We are even doing a session with the Navy Seals tomorrow! (I am actually quite excited about this because I think it will be a really neat experience, even though I know it will be tough! I'll post later this week and let you know how it goes!)

As we try to fit everything in this week before we head off to competition, other factors off the field have had an impact on not only myself, but my teammates. Personally, I have been planning to go to Holland this coming year (fall and spring) to play in their club system, but things haven't worked out exactly as planned. As the fall approaches, it puts a little more pressure on me to get things worked out. But as with everything else in my life, I believe there is a reason this is happening and something better must be on the way. I must react in a positive manner in order to get a positive outcome.

I think it is important that if you want to be successful in your sport, that you must not let outside factors affect you on the field. It is a difficult skill to learn, but when you step onto the field, all that matters is what you are doing at that moment on the field. Although there is a lot going on in my life outside of field hockey, I am ready and excited to go to Europe and focus on hockey for the next 2 weeks.

As always, GO USA!