Beijing 2008 - Olympic Goals and Dreams
I woke up this morning with a good feeling. I am confident that our team will play well and beat Germany later today to move into the quarterfinal round. While it is great to feel confident we still have to play the game.
Since I have been working with the national team our goal has been to get back to the podium and win the first medal for the USA in water polo since 1988. Twenty years is too long! It is time. It is our time. These guys have worked hard and they have come together so much. The game two days ago with Croatia is proof of just how far we have come. However, here at the Olympic Games (just like in life) you can’t rely on what you have done in the past and you must be ready to prove yourself everyday. The reality of today’s game is that if we fail to win or tie we will not advance in the top 6 and our medal hopes and dreams will be shattered. That will not happen. We have come too far and we have worked hard for this day – this opportunity.
If there is one thing that we have learned over this past year is how to win this type of game. We have spent time training with the best teams in the world and in the process of doing so we have become one of the best. We have learned to play defense together and we have learned to rely on our defense. I received a great compliment from Jonni Lonzi, (he is the head of the TWPC) who kind of controls our sport, he told me (and he has been around the sport for a long time) that “the game against Croatia was the best he has ever seen an American team play”. So now we have to go out and do it again.
The Germans have given us trouble that last two times that we have played them. That is history and as I have told the guys we are a different team now and this is a different time. This is our time and if we come out and play well – with good balance on offense and defense then we will beat them. We are the better team but it is for certain that no one is going to hand us the game. We will have to earn it. I do expect us to get a fair game from the officials. That is all we can ask for - let the athletes decide the game in the pool.
This is our time – our day to move that much closer to realizing our dream. Put all your good thoughts out there today for us. We are ready. This is what we have been working for and no one is going to stand in our way.
GO USA! See you at the pool!
Coach
P.S. Yesterday I went to the Water Cube to watch Michael Phelps win his 8th gold medal of the Games and make history. Today it is our turn to get one step closer to making some history ourselves.
Since I have been working with the national team our goal has been to get back to the podium and win the first medal for the USA in water polo since 1988. Twenty years is too long! It is time. It is our time. These guys have worked hard and they have come together so much. The game two days ago with Croatia is proof of just how far we have come. However, here at the Olympic Games (just like in life) you can’t rely on what you have done in the past and you must be ready to prove yourself everyday. The reality of today’s game is that if we fail to win or tie we will not advance in the top 6 and our medal hopes and dreams will be shattered. That will not happen. We have come too far and we have worked hard for this day – this opportunity.
If there is one thing that we have learned over this past year is how to win this type of game. We have spent time training with the best teams in the world and in the process of doing so we have become one of the best. We have learned to play defense together and we have learned to rely on our defense. I received a great compliment from Jonni Lonzi, (he is the head of the TWPC) who kind of controls our sport, he told me (and he has been around the sport for a long time) that “the game against Croatia was the best he has ever seen an American team play”. So now we have to go out and do it again.
The Germans have given us trouble that last two times that we have played them. That is history and as I have told the guys we are a different team now and this is a different time. This is our time and if we come out and play well – with good balance on offense and defense then we will beat them. We are the better team but it is for certain that no one is going to hand us the game. We will have to earn it. I do expect us to get a fair game from the officials. That is all we can ask for - let the athletes decide the game in the pool.
This is our time – our day to move that much closer to realizing our dream. Put all your good thoughts out there today for us. We are ready. This is what we have been working for and no one is going to stand in our way.
GO USA! See you at the pool!
Coach
P.S. Yesterday I went to the Water Cube to watch Michael Phelps win his 8th gold medal of the Games and make history. Today it is our turn to get one step closer to making some history ourselves.
posted by Dr. Terry Schroeder at
7:09 PM
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