For many this will be your first experience to this prestigious event.  Enjoy each minute while supporting your son or daughter and their team. Please take some time to observe other Beadling teams, watch and witness the quality of this tournament and the players participating.   Throughout the soccer community, some have defined soccer in western Pennsylvania as having “good teams but not many good players.”  I disagree; a good team is comprised of good players who have a willingness to win and do not accept losing easily.

     A couple of observations that define who we, The Beadling Soccer Club,  are come from some comments by non-Beadling coaches  The first comment  was made by Ed Leigh, the coach from the  FC Bucks U-15 girls team.  I played against Ed 25 years ago when he played for UGH (United German Hungarians ) from Philadelphia in a National Amateur Cup game.  His FC Bucks team and my U-15 girls were battling in a Region 1 Director’ League game this past spring.  His team had many skilled players and a few Regional team players.  With the FC Bucks team probably having the better of the play, the final score, nonetheless,  was Beadling 2 FC Bucks 0.  His post-game comment was so simple but true:  “Beadling teams haven’t changed over the past twenty five years; they battle for every loose ball and somehow find a way to win.”

     The second comment occurred during the 2006 State Cup final with our U-17 boys team.  In a rain-driven game with a very slippery field and mud-covered players, the Beadling team was victorious with a 2-0 win.  An opposing staff coach made the following observation and comment:  “With both teams having equally talented players, the difference in this game was in the uniforms.”  The Beadling players’ uniforms were indeed drenched in mud  -- shorts, socks and jerseys; the opposing team had many players with relatively clean shorts and shirts. The key factor here was in not talent but a sincere attitude to win and not lose and let their teammates down.  It is this kind of attitude that makes championship teams   And this  is what Beadling and any other championship program is all about .  I wish all the teams participating the best of luck, be supportive of your teammates and other Beadling teams.

Denny