Paul
Here are your statements and my responses:
You run a for-profit business and call it a soccer "club."
Teachers get paid. Teachers can put in 40-50 hours per week and learn to be experts at what they do because they are "for profit". Isn't it a wonderful thing that teachers can get paid and help young people enjoy the benefit of all that study and experience.
Our coaches love kids and soccer. They are purist. They get paid for doing a great job. Our parents would vote with their feet and walk away from our club if it wasn't for a combination of great coaching, a great philosophy and great training facilities. It is the "for profit" part that makes all three things possible.
In my humble opinion there are few opportunities in society (outside of needs) better than what we do for children. This would not be possible if the many good people who make all or part of their living from teaching soccer within our organization were forced to reject their passion and do something they don't believe in as much as purist education for life through soccer.
You frequently post what can only be viewed by a rational person as advertisements for your business on these discussion boards.
I receive emails from all over the world thanking me for the different educational perspective most of my posts provide. I know unequivocally that for the majority of children what our wonderful coaches teach will make them braver, more creative leaders in life and on the soccer field. I firmly believe that by comparison we have a much better program than the vast majority of more traditional programs. I have great reason to believe this because hundreds of our ex-players and their parents have shared their appreciation for what our unique methods have done for their children.
You may see this as an advert while I see this as a proven fact. This is why I suggest strongly to intelligent parents that they consider having their child enjoy the same unique benefits that other children have enjoyed by training and playing with the Legends. I see it as my responsibility to spread this message no matter how unpopular it makes me with coaches and parents from other clubs.
You see it as an ad' while I see it as a vision and mission delivered with incredible passion.
We see children that I believe are suffering the destruction of their dreams because traditional coaches don't understand the importance of process based education and reinforcement. We see the "Enron" culture of "talent is everything" result in team hopping, recruiting and many other short-term, instant gratification ways for the coach to get his name in lights. We see children sit on the bench and told to "take one for the team" while the reality is they are being value judged and subjected to conditional rejection.
There's a whole book of answers to your perception that I'm “advertising” when what I'm really doing is offering children a chance to join a purist club that will value and respect them as an individual with immense potential to be something very special in life.
You commonly engage in negative advertising against others and (this part is admittedly beyond fact) seemingly so instinctively you may not even know you're doing it half the time.
You won't find one negative reference to any individual on this forum. In many instances I know the identity of people who attack me (like you). However, I have chosen to respect your desire and the desire of every other anonymous poster to remain so. To the best of my memory it’s been a very long time since I have mentioned any individual or club in a negative light. Any recent connection made by you, (or others), to an individual or club, is of your own making.
One of the main challenges of living a controversial philosophy in such a brutally competitive environment is retaining self-control and class when others aren't. I strive to achieve this and though on occasion I may come up a little short do my best under difficult circumstances.
I welcome the opportunity to discourse with people who choose to be anonymous. I know that those who think they can remain anonymous often say what they really feel not the antiseptic version they don’t have the guts to say face to face or with their real name.
The reasons why I take the time to communicate in this manner include the following:
1) It allows me to understand the greatest criticisms of me and our philosophy which creates an opportunity for self-analysis in order to improve what we do for children.
2) It affords me a chance to educate those who are open minded enough to take something good from the unique Legends perspective and use it with children.
3) It affords children who play for those who change as a result of these posts, a greater opportunity to optimize their potential.
4) It gives those who understand what their kids are missing the knowledge that there is a better option.
If any of these aren't in the best interest of the kids please let me know.
Please keep the feedback coming! It's fun crossing swords with you even if you are boycotting the "Legends For Life" thread.
Andy
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