Our season ended a couple weeks ago with a strong showing at the San Jose tournament, where we tied a match, lost to powers Lamorinda (Silver) and won a game. All the coaches loved the way our players came together in the last games of the season as each and every player contributed. We looked like a team, especially our forwards who can just smash and ruck with the best of them.
It made us feel good for all the hard work we put in the last six months. It's programs like ours that City leaders should be tripping over falling into line to try to support us. It's more than an after school activity. It's growing boys into good men.
And speaking of looking like a team, we had our banquet today and acted like team. More like "felt" like a family. The players brought their parents, coaches came with wives and families and we enjoyed an incredible meal hosted by Oakland Charter School in downtown Oakland. Our guest videographer in residence Paul Washburn made a highlight clip of the season set to rap. The event would not have been possible without the drive of Coach Ryan Burke and our team mom Lupe. There was enough food to start the players growing another 20 pounds and 2 inches into next season (A thought that scares me because I will once again try to "go live" with them at training.)
There were no big speeches at our banquet, just some words about how much we appreciated the contributions from players and from each other as coaches. Had I felt like being Coach Wind Bag this is what I would have dropped on them:
"Maybe it's because I did not have a wealth of natural talent that I had to work harder, focus more and train better to hang with more gifted players. I see my story repeated every practice, every match and every season. It is like the tides and the sunset. The talented player with no dedication will have fleeting moments, the driven players and teams that stick together will triumph again and again.
Victories in life go to the grinders and to those willing to prepare. I have told many of you to just go out to a field on your own and to do your sprints kicking and chasing a rugby ball. I have showed you how a jump rope can be the best tool for footwork and how pull-ups and tricep pushups will give you the power to fend off any tackle. Will you have the discipline to train on your own when you don't feel like it or you and your friends just want to hang out?
Here's another way of thinking about what I am trying to convey:
Everyone says they want to be good and to win but how many of you are willing to sacrifice and put in the time to actually do it?
It's the same whether it's rugby, school, work or business. (I applied to the Graduate School of Journalism at UC-Berkeley three times before I was accepted. I passed the state PI exam on the second try. Don't be afraid to fail. ) You have to work at it every day. And the work has to have focus, discipline and heart.
Every day I look at my college diploma and my master's degree hanging on the wall. I know that they can never be taken from me and that I earned them. They will be with me until I die. Unlike "things" such as a shiny car or clothes, an education is forever. It will set you apart and give you advantages over others. A college degree is far from a guarantee but it's a huge step. Go make it happen.
Talent is not enough. Look what just happened on the Raiders when first round draft pick Jamarcus Russell was cut. He has all the talent in the world but he doesn't have a job this season. The guy who replaced him, Jason Campbell, has been in the league not much longer but beat him out because he has a documented history or working and studying the game hard. Remember: One team the same year took Peyton Manning and one club took Ryan Leaf, who washed out after about one season. Talent and hard work is the best combination in sport and in life.
One kid who has walked the walk and talked the talk is Jose Pena, who has gone from Oakland Warthog to Cal Bear national rugby champion. Jose had gifts but worked hard at every training. Now that's what I'm talking about!"
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