The last of the six seasons I served as head coach of a high school boys sub-varsity soccer team was by anyone’s yardstick an unqualified success. Composed primarily of ninth- and 10th-graders, the squad won all 13 games they played, 10 by shutout. We averaged nearly four goals per match, a number that would have been far greater had I not substituted frequently and creatively during one-sided games in order to limit our final margin of victory over earnest but outclassed opponents. Several players went on to become integral parts of a varsity squad that won state championships in each of the two seasons that followed. And lest anyone think those 14, 15, and 16-year old booters were a bunch of one-dimensional jocks, quick internet research reveals they’ve become, among other things, a civil engineer, a vice-president of internet marketing, a published author and internationally-renowned artist, a securities trader, a holder of a Ph.D. in medical anthropology, a social media manager for a ski resort, and yes, a high school soccer coach.

Last month, I completed what was probably my last season as a head soccer coach. Our U-14 boys travel team played a total of 21 games. We won our opener, and later managed three ties. Every other contest ended with our side on the losing end of a score, which in many cases, would have been far worse had the coaches of our opposition not shown the same courtesy I had to our weaker foes back when my crew was the dominant one.

But despite our less-than-glossy win-loss record, the just-completed season was a successful one. Each of the 22 boys on our roster participated in every regular-season match he dressed for; no able-bodied team member spent an entire game glued to the bench. The team improved immensely as the season progressed, both collectively and individually, and even as the losses piled up attendance at practices was almost always 100-percent. Lesser young people might have found other things to do as daylight faded and temperatures dropped, but their enthusiastic efforts never waned; if anything, they increased in intensity. More importantly, the players never forgot that first and foremost they were friends who supported each other unconditionally, no matter how difficult or disheartening the situation(s) they faced together were. Everyone – coaches included – rejoiced at our successes, encouraged one another in the face of adversity, and took his share of responsibility for our collective shortcomings.

The members of the Cumberland U-14 boys soccer team are fortunate; each has great parents who see the “big picture,” which is that sports is just one element – albeit a significant one – of their son’s overall development. Unqualified support from family and friends isn’t just invaluable; in the long run it’s far more significant than victories, medals, trophies, and championships. Years – and probably weeks – from now none of the boys will remember the score of the Waterville game, but they’ll remember the fun they had, and that they consistently valued, assisted and respected one another.

Organized competitive athletic competition ends by age 18 for all but a select few. But if done right, involvement with youth sports can provide lessons, values, and memories that will serve all involved well for the remainder of their lives. And young people aren’t the only ones who can be positively impacted. My three assistant coaches and I all despise losing, but like the young men entrusted to us, we too learned to savor small triumphs while at the same time absorbing setbacks with grace and dignity. In the process of being outscored 71-14, our players taught the adults running the team, three-quarters of whom are at least three times their age, a bit about keeping things in their proper perspective.

In a truly perfect world, everyone involved in competitive athletics would get the opportunity to play for and/or coach a championship-caliber team, but also experience being a member of a squad that regularly struggles to compete against consistently superior foes.

There’s no doubt that winning every game is, at least in the short run, far more pleasant than habitually losing. But learning through facing adversity, dealing with it, and ultimately surmounting setbacks together is every bit as impactful, if not more so.

So was it more rewarding coaching an undefeated, untied team in 1990, or mentoring a squad of great kids 24 years later that finished with a record of 1-17-3?

The answer to that question is obvious.

Yes.

— When he isn’t coaching successful soccer teams, Andy Young teaches writing and literacy skills at a York County High School.

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