Our first game of the tournament is against South Africa. The pool has transformed into a secure complex. Areas sealed off, credentials checked. Rules enforced. Swimmers are marching in unison and looking serious.
I shake hands with the South African coach. Our teams warm up in the same tight area. We size each other up. First strike! They score a quick goal then a long hard battle. Our boys hold them for the rest of the half until the last two minutes and they score two goals in that short period on cheap breakaways. It's 3 - 0 at the half. We huddle up and regroup. The boys are up. They want to go. In the second half, we attack the SA goal repeatedly. We have them on the defensive and twice the puck is inches from a goal, but we fail to finish it. Final Score: South Africa 4 USA 0.
In the debrief, there is an air of excitement. We belong here. We could have beat the South Africans. I tell the boys "you have arrived". "You got mean". Raymond, Samuel and Che got nasty. Peter Derrick said they "Manned Up". And we did it clean. The South Africans pulled dirty tricks, grabbing arms and free hand fouls. We didn't and we took it to them.
We hold no grudges and the South African Coach gives me a pin with a printed USA and RSA flag. I return the favor with a commemorative patch and we shake hands one more time. The boys line up again on land and each SA. Player gives our boys a pin. Class. This is how it's done. Another memory for the boys on sportsmanship and tradition.
Next up Columbia.
I shake hands with the South African coach. Our teams warm up in the same tight area. We size each other up. First strike! They score a quick goal then a long hard battle. Our boys hold them for the rest of the half until the last two minutes and they score two goals in that short period on cheap breakaways. It's 3 - 0 at the half. We huddle up and regroup. The boys are up. They want to go. In the second half, we attack the SA goal repeatedly. We have them on the defensive and twice the puck is inches from a goal, but we fail to finish it. Final Score: South Africa 4 USA 0.
In the debrief, there is an air of excitement. We belong here. We could have beat the South Africans. I tell the boys "you have arrived". "You got mean". Raymond, Samuel and Che got nasty. Peter Derrick said they "Manned Up". And we did it clean. The South Africans pulled dirty tricks, grabbing arms and free hand fouls. We didn't and we took it to them.
We hold no grudges and the South African Coach gives me a pin with a printed USA and RSA flag. I return the favor with a commemorative patch and we shake hands one more time. The boys line up again on land and each SA. Player gives our boys a pin. Class. This is how it's done. Another memory for the boys on sportsmanship and tradition.
Next up Columbia.