Waking up a champion is one of the greatest feelings an athlete or coach can experience but when its with this team on this journey, it’s arguably the happiest and most rewarding moment I’ve had in sports. Only those close to this team (Belmont Women’s Soccer) can even begin to understand the lows & highs and trials this group weathered not only this year but in previous years. But this year they “bought in’ and embodied everything the mental game represents.
The year started without a win in the 1st month and only 1 in a span of 21 days. Then they dropped the first 3 conference matches. Not many teams stay emotionally committed at this point. Then October hit and they only lost 1 more match.
There were so many times this team could have folded but they faced their fears together, they refused to give into the woe is me mentality and they stayed in the moment and believed. They believed in themselves and in each other and gave themselves a chance.
One by one they knocked off higher ranked foes in the conference tournament. They entered the championship game as the lowest seed ever and found themselves in double OT with the previously dreaded PKs looming in the immediate future. You see their previous 2 seasons had ended in PKs. Many would think that the ghosts of the past might rear their heads just enough to plant a little doubt. But not this team.
This team had prepared since day one. They had continued to speak existence into their vision. They visualized daily. They remained selfless and full of genuine love for each other. They stayed in the moment and then they were ready for their moment. They didn’t run from it, they embraced it and knew this moment brought everything full circle.
Syd Cason, after missing the past 4 games due to surgery on a broken thumb comes in off the bench without having played a minute and hits the 5th PK to give Belmont the lead. Sarah Doyle after not playing in goal all game and only 15 minutes the entire season comes in during PKs and saves 3 to help crown the Bruins as OVC champs. These were just 2 examples of the toughness and belief of this team. As I watched it unfold, my heart swelled with love for these ladies, these ladies that trusted the process and just decided to win the moment.