If I had to pick a moment that shifted everything this season, as odd as it may sound, it would be a game we didn’t win.
We’d fought hard. The team had shown real grit and togetherness. But in the final seconds, the opposition broke through and scored. The whistle blew. The loss stung – not just because of the result, but because of how close we came. You could see it in the girls’ faces: heads down, shoulders dropped, some tears. It was a heartbreak.
But in hindsight, that match was the spark. The players felt what it was like to come together and nearly do something special. They’d pushed a strong team to the edge. And even though the result didn’t go our way, it gave them something to believe in – a glimpse of what might be possible if they kept growing.
At training the following week, there was a different kind of energy. It wasn’t just about trying hard, it was about believing they could get over the line. That shift – from hoping to believing – is hard to measure, but you can feel it.
And then it happened. We got that first win. It wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t need to be. The confidence boost was instant. The players walked taller. They celebrated together. They started to back themselves and each other. Skills we’d been working on for weeks started to click – because now, they believed they could execute them under pressure.
As coaches, we talk about mindset all the time. But this season was a reminder that belief isn’t something you can hand out – it’s something players build, through experiences, setbacks, support and moments of progress. Our job is to help them stay in the game long enough to feel it for themselves.
Watching this group find belief – real, earned belief – has been one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.
Question for reflection:
How do we help young players bounce back from heartbreak and find belief in themselves and their team?
Patrick Hickman 