Happy Thanksgiving  - isolated text in vintage letterpress wood type blocks scaled to a rectangle shape
Director of Coaching, Seamus Donnelly's

November OP-ED Article



Giving Thanks:

 

This week is a very special week for everyone in America, and especially here in PennLegacyLand. The Monday after the Fall Classic marks the official end of our fall season (our older teams continue for a couple of weeks in their college showcase tournaments) and of course it is Thanksgiving on Thursday. So I thought I would use this month's article to give thanks for all of our blessings.

  1. The Fall Classic - no matter your opinions on "opt-outs", volunteerism, field set-up day, or field tear down, nobody can dispute the impact that the Fall Classic has on our club. Sometimes we forget, but it is worth remembering that NO other club comes together like this one for its big event every November. Literally everyone involved in the club pitches in and makes this weekend happen. Other clubs outsource or hire staff, and many run fine tournaments. But ours is extra special because we all own a small part of it. Whether it was field marshals dealing calmly with obnoxious coaches, parents going way beyond the call of duty to get fields lined in the darkness, or PL siblings picking up rubbish, there is simply no other tournament that is run by its members for the kids on a scale like ours. We are all members of the Penn Legacy family, and the Fall Classic tournament is our crowning achievement.
     

  2.  The Penn Legacy Way -  I spent a lot of time this weekend visiting many of our tournament sites, and I witnessed an awful lot of negative and toxic behavior by adults on both sides of the pitch and I wondered if the kids were actually enjoying themselves. It is my long-held opinion that a team culture is defined by the coach. I am proud to say that at every Penn Legacy game I attended I saw nothing but good sportsmanship, and generally a positive environment. Some of our teams had great weekends, some had a tough few days on the field, but make no mistake about it, our people "get it" and always try to see the bigger picture, and it seemed to me that our kids were having fun. The Penn Legacy philosophy strives to be about so much more than wins and losses. After everything I saw this weekend, that is most definitely something to be thankful for.
     

  3.  Referees - yes, I said it! Who would want to be one? Every league in the world seems to issues with their officials, but in a sport with no video replays or referee booths, where every mistake is scrutinized and every call they make potentially upsets 50% of the participants, we still have to give thanks to them for taking the abuse and continuing to perform their job to the best of their abilities.
     

  4.  Penn Legacy Parents - for everything you do, for cheering our players on, for chauffeuring them to practices and games, for consoling or celebrating them on the way home from a tough game, or for just keeping perspective. (http://changingthegameproject.com/the-ride-home-after-the-game/)
     

  5. Our Players - Soccer coaches have the best job in the world. We get to see our players come together as a team, and then go through everything that sport throws at you; exhilarating victories and tough losses, crazy moments that you get to share with your teammates. But it is also about just being a kid, having fun, making friends, and being lucky enough and healthy enough to have the opportunity to play this wonderful sport in such a setting. We must never forget that. That opportunity can be taken away at a moment's notice, and we have members of our Penn Legacy family who know this, and know the meaning of true adversity.
     

  6. At the end of the day this is all only a game, but it is special game, and I believe this is a special club that tries to keep perspective and always focus on what is best for the kids. That is not just a cause to give thanks; it's a cause for celebration!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone,

Seamus.

 

Seamus Donnelly

Director of Coaching and Player Development

Penn Legacy Soccer Club

 

Read Recent OP-ED Monthly Articles by Seamus:

July 2014:  How the US Team's Performance in the World Cup Directly Relates to Penn Legacy's Philosophies - read

August 2014:  Watch More TV?  Yes Please!! - read

September 2014: How to Become a Better Soccer Player - read
 
October 2014: The Role of Parents in the Penn Legacy Philosophy - read
.