The Unbeaten Path

The most wonderful part of life is leaving the house in the morning not knowing what you will learn, what you will see, what you will experience, or who you will meet. Our time in Japan is a great example of this, and I owe it all to Rebecca. It was her dream to come to Tokyo to train with the best players, and to surround herself in an environment where you can't help but get better. Everywhere you look you see someone doing something you have never seen before. Your mind is wide awake and constantly trying to make sense of the world around you. It is Rebecca's constant search for knowledge that I admire so much. Trust me, Japan is not a place you come to get a confidence boost in your soccer skills (at least for me). Similar to what Rebecca expressed in her latest blog, I have also spent my entire life dedicated to this beautiful game, which I thought I was mastering. I played for the youth national teams, the full national team. I've traveled all across the world playing with and against some of the best players ever to play womens soccer. I did this with the support of my family, driving me up and down the East coast to different tournaments, picking me up after work from late soccer practices, and placing me on the best teams. Their constant encouragement pushed me to get better, and most importantly, to love the process of getting better. They instilled in me their incredible work ethic, where the idea of giving anything less than your best was considered sacrificing the gift one possessed. (Prefontaine) The players of Beleza have a gift. They are like artists painting on a canvas of fake grass and little rubber pellets. Everyday at practice they paint a new picture, one more amazing than the day before. The pure enjoyment in their faces when they pass out of a difficult situation or dribble past three defenders to score a goal makes our long trip worth it. We are witnessing a group of individuals so selfless that 'sorry' and 'thank you' are the most common words used in practice....they never blame...they never talk back....they perform to their best of their ability for hours and hours on end, rain or shine, early or late. They fill up their own water bottles, chase their own soccer balls, pick up their own cones, wash their own clothes, and even at times, tape their own ankles. I see now, this is why we came, to witness the game how it should be played, by individuals who play it purely out of the passion they feel for the sport. They travel hours to practice after working long days. They start practice early and stay late. They slide around the field with reckless abandon, not caring about the scrapes and bruises they're reagrivating from previous practices. They redefine the term "work ethic". The most amazing part....they do this all with the exuberance and excitement of a child just beginning to discover their love for the game. These qualities are ones that I have only witnessed in a few people outside of this experience and Rebecca is one of them. She has been defined by our Washington Freedom staff as the smartest player they have ever coached and this is for good reason. She craves to learn. She asks questions and seeks answers to become a better player. She revels at the process and not necessarily at the outcome. Her mind never stops and her analysis of the game is second to none. She is fast, both mentally and physically and her physical speed often conjures 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the team. She broke the speed record here at Beleza on her first try. Yet, she is smart enough to realize that the game is more than just speed, and so she meticulously works on her touch, her awareness, and her positioning. When I want to retreat to the sidelines to applaud the greatness unfolding in front of me, she insists on working hard enough to become a part of it, identifying and correcting mistakes along the way. It is amazing to watch her live out her dreams with the help of Beleza, to achieve that "Golden Touch" that Winston has always emphasized. She is finally surrounded by a wonderfully amazing group of individuals that share her passion for the quest of perfection, and I know she will find it. It is credit to her that the team has endorsed our staying longer in Japan, extending our trip until November 22nd. It is credit to her that Mr. Hoshikawa, Beleza head coach, has called Taejo to compliment our efforts at practice. It is credit to her that I have begun to learn Japanese...and love it. It is credit to her that we are here even after many coaches told us it was not possible or the culture shock would be too great. It is credit to her that our blog is now being translated into Japanese for all the Beleza supporters to read. And, it is credit to her that we find ourselves in the the most challenging soccer environment with the most talented players we have ever seen.