We enter the complex and head up the stairs to the second floor deck.  We pass Aussie TM Sandra Miller who wishes us luck.  South African coach Jack van Blerk also wishes us well and tells me how good it is that the USA is here and hopes we will return.

The support is overwhelming but we get down to business.  Peter Derrick leads the stretch as I use an indelible marker to write the boys cap numbers on their arms. Samuel 1, Eric 2, Ryan 3, Quantum 4, Raymond 5, Che 6, Peter 7, Conrad 8, Tristan 9, John 10 and Jake 11.  We're ready.  We line up and make the familiar march down to the locker room.

Our opponent is Canada once more.  The loser will end the tournament in last place.  There has been ill will from Canada towards USA and I try to end it.  I walk over and shake hands with Coach Emmanuel Caisse, TM Ben Lee and Branko Gojsic.  I also shake hands with their Captain and hope that this game will be played with no malicious intent.  In hockey, it doesn't take much to start a rivalry and initiate rough play.

Buzzer, strike, the Canadians attack as we knew they would.  Aggressive play.  Their forwards drop two and attack the puck, swing under and pass to the waiting weak side forward and they move the puck steadily up wall.  Small breakaway, and they score. Canada 1 USA 0.

We hold steady and fight back.  We drive into their zone and In front of their goal, Raymond reverse curls and centers the puck in front of their goal.  Conrad drives forward and scores.  Canada 1 USA 1. The play is furious.  A few fouls, a few penalties, a minute here, a minute there, the boys play on and Canada scores again.  Canada 2 USA 1.  Seesaw battles until halftime.  I swim over and coach.  I tell the boys:  "weak side forwards attack and take the puck off the wall into the center!"  "Backs come up!"  "Everyone drop on the goal". "We got this!"

Buzzer sounds, 15 more minutes.  The centers slam into each other.  Canadians take it to the wall. Samuel Jr.  eggbeats the puck and wins the wall game.  We push the puck into corner, the puck is centered, Raymond is there and scores.  Canada 2 USA 2.  Minutes click off the clock.  We fight, the Canadians fight, the game is furious  and intense.  The crowds are screaming.  The Canadians have the larger crowd, but the USA delegation and supporters are heard USAaaaaaay!!  Quantum SCORES!! USA 3, Canada 2.

I scream at our boys "wall and corners!!"  "Walls and corners!!"  The Canadians are frothing and attack with everything they have.  They kick it out and breakaway.  Our weak side back intercepts and brings it into our corner.  The Canadians are exhausted bringing it out but they do.  They center the puck but Eric attacks and drives the puck out.  The clock ticks off and the Canadians falter.  They have spent their all as the USA crowd screams out 10, 9, 8,7, 6.....the buzzer goes off.  Ryan jumps on Jake and the boys are leaping out of the water with their fists clenched.  I have to swim into them and scream "circle up!! circle up!!"  in order to cheer and show respect to the gallant Canadian warriors.  "Three Cheers for Canada!!!"  Hip Hip HOORAY!! We finish cheering, peel out into a line and shake hands.  I join the line at the end and and when I reach the Canadian coach, we embrace and congratulate each other.

Our boys will never forget this game.  On deck, we give each Canadian player a commemorative patch and shake hands again. Coach Emmanuel suggests Team USA U19 and Team Canada U19 join together to hold camp and clinics for junior hockey.

Only after we have shown due respect to Canada, do we release our joy with cheers and embraces. The boys march to the showers and I stay behind to talk to Ref Bruce Chamberlain who invites Team USA U19 to the land down under for a junior tournament.  As I enter the locker room, the magnitude of what our young boys have done hits me. I break down.  The boys see me, come around, surround me, pick me up and crush me with a team squeeze.

Tristan Reynard, Tournament Director, has accepted our invitation to speak to the team tonight and to join us at dinner. I will update tomorrow.

We have a free day today.  The wives of Doc Lucky and Manager Samuel Sr. (Jacquie and Zamarit) plan a trip to Valencia.  Cost is always a consideration so we look for an inexpensive excursion.

After breakfast, the team walks 7 blocks to the train station.  Five euros each buys a ticket to Valencia.  We arrive and walk two blocks to the Bull Fight Stadium and Museum. The stadium is no longer used for bull fights but it's well preserved.  We pay one Euro each which gains access to the stadium and the small adjacent museum.

We walk onto the sand of the arena, stand in the middle and imagine the bull and the matador going at it.  I root for the bull. After pictures are taken we walk into the small museum.  It's filled with photos of famous Matadors, costumes and a stuffed bull.  A video is shown in a small room and several of our party go in to watch.  I watch for a few minutes and leave before they kill the suffering and tortured bull.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we gather up and walk to Valencia Cathedral.  It's magnificent. To sit in the pews would cost four euros but to walk into the foyer is free.  There's a stairway to the top of the cathedral tower.  For two euros, you can climb 207 steps to the top.  Tom, Tristan, Samuel, Che, and Peter go with me and we're panting and complaining because the steps are narrow, steep and hazardous.  The climb to the top is worth it.  A magnificent 360 view of the city and the Mediterranean Sea in the distant horizon.  The climb down is easy.

Zamarit reminds me that the nearby stores are the best place to buy a nice gift for my wife Hilarie. I walk into a boutique and see porcelain figurines and know exactly which one she would like.  I'm happy now because I know I'm not going home empty handed.  I remind Coach Tom Brown to get something for VY, his girlfriend. We walk through the city center and past the fountain in the plaza.  Gelato, lots of water are consumed.

It's hot and the sun blazes.  We head back to the train station for the scheduled ride back to Castellón.  There are a few who want to see a nearby castle but it's late and I know we don't have time and energy to add this to our day.  I tell our group no, and by the time we get back to the hotel, we know it's the only decision that could have been made.

This is our final round robin match of the Tournament.  France is strong.  They will be a contender  for gold.  I don't think they can beat New Zealand, but anything can happen.  We scrimmaged with the French in the practice round so we know their style. A fast, open wall to wall game.

It's less than twenty minutes before the game starts and no Team France.  Maybe a forfeit?  No such luck.  The French march in and quickly gear up.  Our boys are already in the water and Tristan is leading the warm up.  We've already been gear checked and the French players are scrambling to get their gear approved and into the water.  They manage and with an abbreviated warm up, USA and France square off.

By now, I know the strengths and weakness of each of our players. I ask Tom to coach from the water again and ask him to look for specific areas of performance of three players.  Tom's assessment will help me to establish a game plan for our knockout round match.

With John Meisenheimer injured, our team is weaker, particularly in size and speed at the forward position.  I bring the team in and ?"tell the backs to set the forwards up with longer passes in order to open up breakaway opportunities.  Peter and Quantum have great flicks and it's time we upped our passing game.  We cheer and curl out to "ready position" on the wall.

Buzzer sounds, game on.  The French score but our boys put up a good fight.  They score again.     Quantum, Peter and Tristan courageously defend our goal but the French score again.  It's not a rollover, the boys fight hard on each and every point.  I shout encouragement from the deck and watch the subbing out of the box.  I look to see who is not subbing out and make a mental note.
I'm not concerned with the score. I want the team to look for more passing opportunities and to condition our goal defense intensity.

Everyone contributes to goal defense.  Eric and Jake attack the big French forwards.  A Penalty shot is awarded to the French.  Tristan defends but they score the penalty shot.  Tristan will learn from these failures and emerge a stronger player as he is destined for future USA Elite Men's Teams. The second half is very much like the first.  Final score: USA 0 France 10.

We gather off deck and team cheer.  Then I use an old school tactic and lay into them. I tell them  with the knockout round coming, if we don't win the next game, we will come in last and I want them to feel my intensity.  I tell them that it's time to toughen up and find the "fire in their belly" which is missing.  We march to the locker room and I whisper to Tom, how'd I do?  Tom goes "whew!"  The boys know me too well to think that I don't care about them, but it makes them understand that I need to increase their competitive fire which is necessary to win at the highest level.

Tomorrow is a break in the competition. We'll take the train to Valencia.  We go sightseeing.

We arrive at the pool for our game against Italy.  As usual, we stretch on the second level deck and look for the Italian team.  Nowhere to be found. We finish and march down the stairs to the locker room and they're already in there.  We take the opposite side of the locker room and everyone sizes each other up.  The coach comes over and shakes my hand and wishes us good luck.  I like him immediately.  Sincere smile and the guy is young and his body is slim and cut.

The officials tell us there's an eight minute backup.  Two teams, coaches, managers, standing side by side in a cramped locker room and we can't leave.  The boys are antsy.  They have their game face on.  I've put them in a mean mood all afternoon and they want to go.

Finally, we march out.  USA goes first.  After five days of marching, we have it down.  I lead, as required since I have to sign the roster sheet to identify the players who are sitting out.  We continue single file, bags shouldered and walk into our designated staging area.  We look up into the stands and see the crowds.  The screaming cheers, buzzers and gongs blaring, the sound is deafening.  My ears ache but there is no escape.

We're ready to slip into our warmup lanes and after a few laps, the Ref walks up for a gear check.  I tell the team to stop and every player hops out sits on the deck and has his glove, stick, snorkel and fins checked.  Everyone is wearing the exact same snorkel but he checks each one anyway.  Raymond's stick fails inspection."Exposed and frayed wood".  Team Manager Samuel Sr. supplies a backup Elite stick but Raymond prefers his wooden stick.  Can you play with it?  Ok he says.  Sticks are an immensely personal choice, but you get used to any stick if you use it long enough.

We bring it in.  I'm in the water for this game so I join the circle and link arms with the boys.  "This is it.  We can do this." "Play it clean and hard",  I look each player in the eye to gauge their intensity.  Only Che looks away. "I want the whole pool to hear us!"  "Tristan are you ready?"  TEAM! USA!!!  TEAM! USA!!! TEAM! USA!!!  It echoes and is as loud as we have ever cheered.  We're ready.  Buzzer, strike, furious play, foul, warning, furious play. John Meisenheimer sprains his ankle pushing off the wall.  He's hurt and out for the game.  We're now playing nine against ten

The game is intensely fought.  It goes back and forth until a breakaway gives Italy the first score.  Just before the half ends, the refs give Italy a penalty shot.  They score and I can see the disappointment in Tristan's eyes from his failed defense.  The Italian cheering section goes wild.  It's  2-0 Italy and in the second half, they score again. The boys don't give up.  They fight and power their way through and Che Shimizu Castellanos scores for the USA.

We get close to their goal again and as we approach, the buzzer sounds.  I look up. Deck ref signals a tee.  The game is over.  USA 1 ITALY 3.  I shout "3 cheers for the Italians. Hip, Hip, Hooray!  It's the cheer my hockey mentor started using in 1967 and continues to this day.  Few people know how the hip hip hooray started.  Now you do.

We shake hands and on deck, we give the Italians pins and patch souvenirs. They apologize that they don't have anything to return the favor but I say it's ok.  The Italian coach shakes my hand again, then pulls me close and wraps his arms around me.  He feels my pain as much as I feel his joy.  He tells me how much he respects our team and how amazing the young kids are.  Everyone knows about our kids.

I hug our boys and we bring it in for a final team cheer.  They see my sadness and try to cheer me up.  It's the boys that are lifting me up now and I love them for it.  We march out with our heads up but my heart aches.

Just before we get to the locker room,  Pieter van der Woude who reffed our game stops me and tells me: "We let your boys play".  I tell him "I know". "Thank you".  He goes on, "there were quite a few stick fouls that we could have called and didn't".  He explains what the refs are looking for and I make a mental note.  The Italians won the game because tonight, they were just a little better.  I have no issues.  They let us play and the best team won.  I still like the Italians and I still hurt.

Australia and France tomorrow.

At breakfast, Sarah Hewawitharana came and sat at the USA coach & staff table.  Sarah is a ref here at Worlds and played hockey with us back in San Francisco.  She gives us counsel on some rules and lets me know that she has read my updates, and so have many of the tournament staff here at Worlds.

I'm not sure how everyone is accessing my updates, but now I'm concerned if I can write freely about Team USA's experience.  Especially when Tournament Director, International Chief Judge and Head Czar Tristan Reynard happens by and mentions that I misspelled his name in my previous updates.

The team is loose for our game with Great Britain. I tell them to go out, play hard and have fun.  I sit our third best player on the team for this game and I wonder if I'm doing the right thing.  Am I letting the USA down in doing so?  But I think to myself, this was always a developmental team from the beginning.  I brought two 14-year olds and two 15-year olds to this tournament. They have worked hard to be here, and have proven that they belong.

Many of the opposing coaches have pointed them out.  "Who is the young player with cap #4?"  I tell them "that's Quantum Zhuo". "He's 14 years old" I say.  The coach says he will be quite a player in a couple of years.  Quantum is 5' 3" and 118 lbs. and having the tournament of his life.

I shake off my doubts and start my weaker team against the Brits.  They come at us without mercy.  Without my second best back, we can't stop them.  They score, and score, and score.  I don't call time out.  I want the clock to run and I call "free subbing!"  The boys know that it means everyone subs at will, and takes their turn in the water. The top players come out as frequently as the weaker players.  It allows the Brits to run up the score, but I don't care. Our subbing is smooth and fast.  In, out, at the right time, and always four heads popping up.  We are in sync with our sub rotation, and I make a mental note of this.

Surprisingly, at halftime, the boys are good.  Their eyes are clear and they show no signs of panic or frustration as they listen calmly to me and Tom.  We finish coaching and I say "everyone good?"  Tristan says "I'm having fun". I respond, "you oughta be. You made some miraculous defensive stops".  Conrad smiles his mischievous smile and says "yeah cool!"  The buzzer goes off and they race off to complete the second half.  Final Score: USA 0 GB 14.

During our debrief, I share a message from Amy Cannon back home. "Remind them that it is easy to go and stomp on the weaker team 15-0, but the true athlete never gives up, rather they continue to give 110% in every play. Be relentless and that will show through, just not always in the score." The boys nod, and I know they understand, because they have never given up.

The mood back to the hotel is upbeat.  We'll have lunch and watch recently downloaded video of Italy vs Canada, and Italy vs France.  Our next game is with Italy and I tell them to gear up and get intense for this game.  Italy will be tough, but if the reffing doesn't go against us, and they let us play, we have a chance to win.

My concern for reffing is that Quantum has a spectacular flick, and he's afraid to use it because every time he makes a pass, he thinks the refs will call him out for a dangerous shot.  It's as if the refs have been told to err on the penalty side on flicks.  Quantum is a sweet kid who would never take a shot at anyone and I feel that over reffing has affected him and in turn, his ability to play to his potential.

I feel there is such a thing as over reffing which affects the true outcome of the game.  It hurts me to see Quantum shut down like this.  I know there is much Ref training and structure development going on here at Worlds.  It's impressive and should be applauded by all.  But I don't want to be the alpha team that pays the price for scared referees who will call game affecting penalties because they think that's what their supervisors want.

We will bring it against Italy at 5:15 pm this afternoon.  We're loose now but I'm going to put the pressure on for the Italy Game.  Wish us luck.

Holland Y. Ja
Coach, Team USA U19

Only one game today scheduled for 1:30 pm.  We told the boys they can sleep in.  "Breakfast at 9:30 am, team meeting at 10:15 am".  We meet in the mezzanine.  I share photos and letters from home.  The support we're receiving is heartwarming and appreciated.

We discuss our game plan for the Dutch team.  We know they're a big, strong team, but the intelligence is that they are slower, with weak stick skills. Our game plan is to open up and run.

Once again, I discuss players sitting out.  I tell the team that coaches have to make tough calls for the good of the team.  I tell the team that there are coaches who put their best team forward for every single game and only play weaker players in the event of an injury.

For this team, I am not in that camp.  I will sit good players so that weaker players can play in games I know I cannot win.  Of course that can hurt us in point differentials but I accept that. The boys listen as intently as they ever have and I know how much everyone wants to play.

The Dutch are Huge.  I can't believe they're under 19.  They all look 30.  They play hard hockey and the reffing doesn't go our way.  Eric is tossed early in the game for two minutes.  Tristan gets tossed.  Quantum is tossed for two minutes.  No warnings.  The Dutch get four warnings but no one is tossed. Finally, a Dutch player gets a minute.  We can't hold them off and they steamroll us.  By halftime, the Dutch lead is 4 - 0. We fight back and our little guys altogether slam the puck in and score.

Players are identified and given credit for scoring a goal.  Since they couldn't identify the scorer in the mass of little USA players piling into the goal, they credit the coach with the goal. So Holland scored on Holland. Easiest goal of my hockey career.  Final score: USA 1, Netherlands 6.

Of course, it's easy to criticize reffing.  It's a hockey tradition.  When I played in my first USA Nationals in 1979,  the Refs were the coaches of the Minnesota team. During my game the refs threw me out, and two more of my players out, and then went over to coach the Minnesota team.

I digress. Yes, I thought the reffing for this game was one-sided, and our players complained to me but I said to let it go.  There were games we played that I thought the reffing went our way, so it evens out.  It's a luxury to have qualified refs who run the game efficiently.

We have Great Britain tomorrow morning.  I sit one of my best players for that game, so the score may be discouraging.  We have Italy in the afternoon game and our best team will be in the water.  We aim to win.