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Liberty soccer coach praises team

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Contributed by: Mike Goyden on 11/16/2006

As I thought about what to write after Liberty won its Class 4A record-setting 5th state boys soccer championship on Nov. 7, the following came to mind which was a key aspect to our upset over nationally-ranked Broomfield.

"Believe in yourself, trust your teammates, and put the team before yourself."

Easier said then done.

Broomfield came into the state championship game as the No. 1 ranked team in the state, nationally-ranked No. 27. It was also the defending state 4A championship that defeated our team 2-0 in the 2005 state finals.

Broomfield was 37-1-1 over the past two years entering the state championship game. We have the highest respect for Broomfield knowing they were the best team in the state. Broomfield has been the biggest challenge to us in playoff competition going back to 1997. We were 1-2 against them in state championship games. They have won three state titles since 1999 and we have won two since 2001. We recognized that they are the best team in the state based on their overall performance. We are aware that if we had played them 10 games this year, they could very well have won or tied nine of those games.

Was it just coincidence that we chose to watch the movie "Miracle" the evening before the state championship game as a team family? The coach in the movie made a statement saying, "It is not the best team that wins the game, but the team that plays the best that night."

This was in reference to the 1980 USA Olympic gold medal winning hockey team that were the heavily rated underdogs against the defending Olympic champions, the Soviet Union. In hindsight, that movie's theme paralleled what happened to the Liberty team that defeated Broomfield 4-0 for the 2006 state championship.

Our players needed to believe, trust, and put the team first for all 80 minutes of the game to have any shot at winning the title. Anything less would result in a Broomfield victory given the outstanding quality of their program. For the first time this season, the Lancers played 80 minutes of high-performance, quality soccer. As we requested in the locker room before the game, "Go out there and play the game of your life."

And they did.

It is hard to explain how everyone can reach their peak performance at the right time. If I knew the answer to that question, I would bottle it for every season.

I credit Broomfield's excellence and competitive success as much as a factor in bringing out the urgency in our team. What I can say is there is something special about high school sports that can not be matched. It is the emotional energy that a collective group of individuals can develop to overcome all odds. The school support for the team and the family bonding that goes on between the players is what makes a championship team. The tradition of a program is established by the family of friends that precedes the current team.
Liberty has players and parents that date back to the 1990, 1996, 2001, and 2004 state championship teams that were at Englewood High School to watch this state final game. It is that extended family that instills the tradition of excellence in our program.

I would encourage all high school athletes to believe they can reach their goal.

There are no limits.

I would encourage all athletes to not forego their high school sport season to play a more competitive club program. Yes, you may develop more individual skill on the competitive side, but you cannot match the emotional energy that comes with school pride and the family bonding that takes place within a high school sports team.

I just feel blessed that Liberty High School has a spirited student body environment, supportive staff, and a set of parents throughout the history of the soccer program to inspire our athletes to have a sense of purpose that puts the team first.

(Mike Goyden has led Liberty to three Class 4A state soccer titles. He also is the coach of the Liberty's girls soccer team)

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