The South American Athletic Tournament (SAAC) is just around the corner, and the emotion is running through the whole teams veins. You can see it in the face of every player and even on the coaches.
After two years in a row of loosing the final this has to be our year, we can’t let it slip again.
I had the honor to go play to Ecuador when I made the team as a freshman, where we lost the final. Nevertheless, I barely played that tournament I instead spent most of my time sitting on the bench; so my memories of that tournament are not that fond. Last year we hosted the tournament at FDR and this time I was a starter and played 330/360 possible minutes during the tournament. However, a lack of concentration caused as to concede and in a quick blink of an eye we had lost yet another final.
Devastated I fell to the floor and my eyes were covered in tears. I felt as if my whole world had collapsed.
We had trained four months for this moment and in the final 30 minutes we had let our whole school down and lost the final.
After previous heartbrakes this year my body feels different. I feel as a more mature player, a more complete player, I feel as if this year it has to be.
This is the year where we take FDR and put its name back among the stars.
Our mission: FDR’s name written next to champions 2014.
Although all of the odds are against us we believe in ourselves and we know we can make it all the way. Being considered underdogs motivates me even more to go an play my heart out and turn out champions.
In four days when I step out to the field I will be ready to lead my team to battle and hopefully they too will be ready to go and take glory back home.
As the old Spanish saying says “la tercera es la vencida” this year is our year. Two years of failure are crumbled up inside me and I will use them to let the fire in my body start burning and play like never before.
Champions of South America the only possible outcome.