Donny & Taylor

Yesterday, Olentangy Liberty defeated Dublin Coffman in overtime by a score of 2-1. Donny Deep scored Liberty’s first and Taylor the second. The entire team played solid against a very competent, competitive, and confident Coffman club. The end result – another good win.

Here’s the rest of the story and a reminder of sorts for you to kinda chew on…

When Donny arrived for the post game party at the Scott house yesterday, he came bearing gifts. His Mom, Nina, made cookies and cupcakes as fast as he gets to a ball in the air to aid the celebration. Very thoughtful and very cool. Donny took off his shoes, handed me the goodies, and headed to the basement. “Tell me your story about the final goal,” I blurted out. All smiles he told me a tale…

He began by confirming that Taylor had indeed struck the game winner with his right foot. Devin had played the free kick into the box and after a bit of a scrum, Austin put a shot on frame that Coffman’s goalie deflected back into the middle. Donny made a quick decision as the ball floated over the heads of the first wave of players and made it a few yards beyond toward him. He quickly realized he couldn’t get his head on it, nor could he strike it accurately with authority.

Instead of attempting the miracle shot that most likely sails high and or wide, he just lightly tapped it with his extended right leg – he kept it in play. He didn’t go for glory. He played with his head. He played within himself. He played like a teammate. He trusted his teammates. He decided all this in the heat of battle. Actually, he decided this long ago didn’t he…

Tay was positioned just in front of Donny and as the ball bounded his way he turned his body goalside and caught a glimpse of the goalie scrambling to get back into the middle. Tay struck the ball, he told me, and sent it right where the goalie had been. He made the decision on his redirect direction based on processing a blur of information in the moment of truth. Most would just kick it. Goal scorers see things most shooters miss. Goal scorers see more. Goal scorers don’t guess right. Goal scorers play right. They simply play the right shot more often than most.

After Donny told me this tale I asked him to tell me more about his goal. He began describing it very specifically. He told me how the right ball was played his way. “Taylor could have headed it at the goal,” he began. “He directed his header to me because he saw my angle was better,” he continued. I hadn’t seen any of this from where Miss and I were seated but Donny recalled it with crystal clarity. Donny took Tay’s ball out of the air, brought it down, took one touch to his right beating the goalie to the second ball and struck it in the back of the net.

Two goals. Two teammates in reverse kinda roles. Both played the right ball. Both trusted each other. Both played within themselves. And that brings this tale to its end. The Liberty Patriots soccer team is a team that is learning to trust. They are learning to play the right ball to the right player whether in the first minute or eighty sixth minute. They are beginning to taste some chemistry that can only come when they’ve been tested in the crucible together. They are beginning to believe that they don’t have to do it on their own. They are beginning to become ONE.

Every team, remember, is a house divided. All it takes is a few playing the right way to turn a would be crisis into a magical moment of chemistry. All it takes is a few. Thanks Liberty soccer for another solid effort, another team win yesterday. The next test is tougher but you already know that. The good news is your opponent’s next test is tougher too…

Thanks Donny & Taylor for telling me your tale. Thanks for giving me so much to process in so little time. Thanks for your example. Thanks…