Week Four. Why They Are Called the Sharks.

     I was thinking about what we saw from the Sharks Sunday and I recalled writing something a year ago about the team's signature style. 

 I would describe that "style" in one word: "fearless".  You'd assume that by fearless I meant their willingness to crash into other players for the sake of getting the ball.  Certainly every player on the team  has that quality.   But what I'm thinking of is a fearlessness when trying new things, when daring to use a new move or learn some new skill or trusting your teammate to play his position while you play yours.  In short, they don't fear failure.  They take chances and risk stumbling over their own attempts to expand their skills all for the sake of getting better at the game they love, and it seems that for them, for these ... players, that has always been their natural attitude.   If the Sharks have a style it is "fearlessness" and the foundation of that style is joy.

      The team roster has changed some since then but not the style and yesterday we were all treated to a joyful display of beautiful soccer.  This wasn't a runaway scoring romp either.  The Sharks managed four goals to the other side's one and the other team played hard, pressing us physically at every point.  Sam A., Jackson, Brandon and Wyatt put in our goals and they were each beauties.  But the overall quality of the game was the way our players built, minute by minute and move upon move to a crescendo of fearless, creative, exuberant play.  Watching from the bench I was flabbergasted over and over.  Sam put in the first goal after gracefully negotiating the traffic.  Then it was Jackson putting one in after zig-zagging through the other team's entire defense.  Brandon got number three for us, finally trusting himself to keep the ball close and dribble in for a shot.  Then last came Wyatt, who had played so beautifully all game, including throwing in a jaw-dropping scissor move.  Wyatt dashed across the goal area to his left chasing a loose ball and caught it just as it was leaving the box.  He ripped it, left footed, right out of the air.  Luckily no one was hurt!  What a rocket!  At that point on the bench it felt like we were at a rock concert.  The team went crazy! 
     And those were just the goals!  Everybody played so well and with so much energy.  I don't want to go on too long but I do want to mention a few other highlights. First what about Samuel and the great runs he made?  And the great defense he played?  His tackle step is really kung-fu like in its precision and I've asked the rest of the team to take note.  And how about Lillian?!  She was fierce in this game. What a game!