The Backstory

In 2003, in my first true club season (Playing with a coed team in the Midwest in 02 doesn't count-- Most of our team didn't meet until Regionals though we were a game away from Nationals), I tried out for Pike. I don't know why they took me, but they did. I mean, I'm not tall (5'9") I'm not fast (two torn ACLs) and I don't jump that high (ibid, your honor). We qualified for nationals and I saw a few garbage time points on our way to a sorry-ass finish. 12th? 13th?

In 2004, we qualified again. I again saw garbage time as our team rode waves of excellence and some very timely wins to a loss in the Semis to Sockeye. That was a great game and a better overall experience.

In 2005, we qualified again with an almost identical roster. Hopes were high, but we got run off of the field against Jam in the quarters. Again I played a bit part. With an O-team full of stars like that, how do you crack the rotation, exactly? Then the team almost disappeared with mass exodus and a couple "retirements."

In 2006 we had a whole new crop of players (more new, 16, than old, 9), a new offense, new captains, new roles on the field, new everything. We lost in the game-to-go at Regionals to Truck Stop. TS was a particularly painful team to lose to as we lost at least one returner to them as well as a host of younger players with potential.

Finally, the failure to go to Nationals was particularly tough for me because

1. I finally earned a full on-field role and I couldn't do enough to get us there as a leader or as a player.
2. My brother made the team in 06, just out of UCSC, and I told him that I would get him to "The Show."
3. I had one turnover at Regionals while playing nearly every O-point. It came late in the game-to-go against Truck Stop. In our own endzone. Ouch.
   

So now, the journey begins. I'll take most of November and December off with some light workouts, basketball and the occasional pickup game or goofy tourney. I'll spend a good deal of that time crafting a training plan, deciding what to focus on as areas of improvement in 07 and getting over the loss from 06.