Both of my kids played varsity as freshman for a pretty good private school, Cretin Derham.  I say that as a proud father, and I note that I only coached one of them for one season.  (Maybe cause and effect.)  Their school was always competitive and went to state almost every other year.

One of the teams they played was an inner city school, Como.   Many of the kids at Como couldn’t afford good soccer equipment and often showed up in tennis shoes.  The first time they played Cretin, they lost eight to nothing.  The Cretin coach used subs, and made everyone pass three times, and shoot with their off foot.

In order to remain competitive, Cretin often played schools outside their conference.  But the schedule allowed at least two games with each school within the conference.

The second time Cretin played Como, it was a different story.  To say it was the same Como team would be an understatement.  Some of the kids still wore tennis shoes.  But on the field they played great soccer.  In the end, Como lost to Cretin two to one.  Cretin used no subs.  There were no off foot shots.   To my mind, beyond all odds, Como had essentially won.

I was impressed enough that I apprenticed myself to their coach for a season.  I learned more in that season about what motivates and develops a team than in any other three seasons in my career.  Lesson nine… look at managing sales and marketing teams as a privilege. Managing successful teams is not as easy as it looks. Find someone to teach or mentor you. If you’re not taking advantage of learning how to be better, then you should relinquish your position to someone else.

Do Great Things.

Lee Stocking
Prairie Sky Group
Making Sales Cry With Qualified Leads
lee.stocking@gmail.com
615-357-0110 (Cell24x7)

We played a better team to a two-two draw at the end of regulation during a state semifinal game.  It was a tough game.  At the end of the first overtime, the other team scored on us, and they celebrated like they had won the championship.  During the one-minute break before the second overtime, my U14 team came in dejected.

I asked them, “What’s the matter?”

“They scored on us,” one kid said.

“So what’s your point?” I asked.

“Like the game is over…” another answered.

“Really?  There’s another ten-minute overtime.  You’ve already scored on them twice.  It’s easy.  Just go score on them again.  Let’s go.”

I had some doubts.  But within five minutes Meredith took the ball down their right side on a pass from Ester, and crossed a beautiful ball over their goalie.  I thought the team had missed the opportunity because the ball was too high.  But then Kelly headed the ball into the net.  I turned to my assistant and asked, “Did she really just head the ball?”  We hadn’t practiced heading much, and it was our first goal that season with a header.  The kids won in a shootout.

With a lot of things in sales and marketing, sometimes good is good enough.  But, Lesson eight… it’s often the last ten percent that differentiates a good team.  Striving to complete even the small details helps.

Do Great Things.

Lee Stocking
Prairie Sky Group
Making Sales Cry With Qualified Leads
lee.stocking@gmail.com
651-357-0110 (Cell 24×7)