Games are a direct reflection of the practice philosophy the coaches and team take on.
Great athletes do not just “show up” for a game when they haven’t dedicated themselves to
hours of practice each day. Games are a product of practice.
There may be times throughout every game where one’s will is tested. Leaders are born
for a reason. This is the time when true leadership and teamwork steps up. Every player
wearing a Yorkville jersey will be a leader in his/her own way; however, certain
individuals will possess a greater sense of responsibility to navigate the team through a
journey of missed plays, honest mistakes, and miscommunication. Giving up is not an
option.
Players are expected to take the guidance and knowledge of a coach in order to succeed on
the field, but they are also given the freedom to display their skills in a way that will
benefit the team as a whole, within the system laid out in every practice. If a player, at any
time and in any way, shows he or she does not want to be on the field with his or her
teammates, that player will be substituted immediately and will have to earn a spot back
in the lineup.
Fans, parents, and coaches will always be there for an athlete, but the team is who each
player will be playing for from the time the referee blows the first whistle until the time
the last one is heard. Focus, respect, and desire will guide our players through victories
and help us learn from losses. Within that game focus, captains will be there to build on a
team’s momentum while also keeping spirits high during the grinds of a high school
season.
Players will understand that we won’t ‘hope’ for wins – hopes are based on expecting a
chance of luck. Players will understand what it means to ‘believe’ in earning victories.