Soccer’s your favorite sport and you’ve played a lot of games at this stage of your life.

Fall soccer. Winter soccer. Spring soccer.

Game after game. Different teams from one season to the next. New coaches.  Travel to other locations.  Defense. Offense.  Cold. Rainy. Stifling red-faced inducing hot weather.

Through it all there’s been one constant besides all the fun you’ve had: your teams don’t win games.  At least I can’t remember any victories over the past couple years… maybe there were some earlier, but darned if I can recall any recently.

You’ve come close several times… this winter when you played indoor in Hampton, your team had a six goal lead but your coach decided to take out his starters toward the end (which included you), and wouldn’t you know it, soon the opposing team caught up and then with a couple minutes left in the game, took the lead, never to look back.

Grammy and I were dumbstruck he would do that. You were so excited anticipating a win. so were your buddy teammates.

You guys had that game, it was yours.

Sometimes a few of your team mates appear to go through the motions and aren’t always giving it their all.

But you’re always there in the moment, doing your thing, typically on defense.  You play aggressively, trying hard to keep the ball out of your zone.  You kick it hard – amazing progress in this particular area over the past year.

Only once or twice have we heard you say anything about losing getting to you.   We know it bugs you at times and it would be so much fun to taste what a big W brings to a team… and to you.

Hang in there, keep playing hard. It will come someday. Never give up. Keep giving it your all.  Always remember that the only thing you can control in sports – and in life – is YOUR EFFORT.  you can’t do anything about your coaches, the weather, the strength of an opposing team or your team mate’s effort.

But you’ll always be in charge of what you think and what you do.

I’m proud of you Ben. Always fight the good fight.