When writing my project 5 I had to make some adjustments to just highlight all the positives I saw when involving sports. The role that I took was personal as i explained my great appreciation and love for sports in my project 4. I saw this project working because of passionate I am about this topic. I knew that there would be other people who shared a similar opinion to me in the sense that sports can mean a lot to some people. They can help shape you into the person you are and make friends and memories along the way. I saw the potential of this project not working because like I explained in my project 4, some people don’t share this personal connection like I do. It’s hard for people to grasp something that don’t share any correlation to. I had a lot of enjoyment making this project something I am passionate about is always a fun topic to write about.

For my project 5 my target audience will be to people who love sports. As i spoke in my project 4 sports mean a lot to me and a lot of the people around me. I will try to demonstrate the importance using a power point. Trying to make sure I go over the specific things I believe to be the most true and relevant about this topic. I know sports effect some peoples lives differently but for this I would like to capture only the good.

What I like most about my lyrical essay is this a topic I am truly passionate about. Its something that I enjoyed gathering information for, speaking to different people about and also writing it. I struggled mostly with trying to relate to the people who’s opinions were opposite of mine. Like I say in the article sports meant a lot to me and when people have mixed opinions I just can’t really seem to relate. I am most proud of the different opinions I got with each of the topics I discussed. With a topic like this everyones opinion is so different from each other. One person reasoning can be totally different from another even if they share the same opinion. What surprised me the most was the people I asked who didn’t care for sports actually giving me the reason why. They didn’t just brush off my question they answered me and actually told me why they felt the way they did. I wouldn’t say this writing made me uncomfortable I like to be able to argue my opinion with some who feels the opposite in a healthy way. I like the challenge of trying to understand an opinion that is the polar opposite of mine. I really enjoyed writing this I feel that sports are an amazing part of life but others don’t agree and thats what I tried to figure out.

I am finding out what I expected and sought out to find. There are many different opinions to my main question of how sports affect people differently. I want as many people and reasonings with facts to back up why their beliefs are they way they are. I am getting really good information in person which I feel is better because I’m able to ask the questions that I may not be able to find online. The research and information I have gathered isn’t necessarily re-shaping my story. Its more so making it broader and I am sort of restructuring it in to something more than it was. I am enjoying this project and the research that comes because I am a huge fan of sports.

• What did growing up playing soccer mean to you?

“Soccer for me was something special, I made a lot of really great connections along the way. I feel like I learned very valuable lessons and I think it helped to shape me into the person that I am today. It was more than a game to me it was something that drove me to want to become better at each and every day I enjoyed the challenges that came with it.”

• Did you feel that after your soccer career was over you still needed something to fuel that competitive drive?

“I wouldn’t say I needed something to fuel my competitive drive, I’ve always been a pretty competitive person my whole life. Once you hit a certain age that drive kind of goes away. I would say that I wanted something that would keep me young, so running around still getting exercise is a nice added bonus but for the competitive side I would say no. Obviously I want to win just like any other coach but it was not my intention or desire to do just for competition.”

• I know that your kids didn’t attend this school because you started coaching when I was a sophomore, I know you played here all 4 years but why choose high school over club soccer?

“The reason behind choosing high school like you said was I went here so the choice for me was easy. I had some of the best memories of my life on this field and the group of guys I played with made it even more special. Also, most student athletes playing for their high school have been playing together for a long time so there’s already a lot of chemistry between players they just need a little more direction and that’s what I am here for.”

• Did you feel like you could be more than a coach? Someone who helped to inspire us to be better and do better in life.

“Yeah you know being a student athlete the word student comes before it for a reason. School is most important because soccer can only take you so far, everyone wants to play professional but it’s very hard to do. There is a reason why you need to maintain a certain GPA to continue playing. I always try to strive and preach the importance of education because that’s the real key and the game of soccer is just an added bonus for the hard work put in.”

• Has coaching shown you this can be a good way for the youth to learn discipline and respect, a way for kids to learn more than just a sport?

“Absolutely like I said earlier soccer helped to shape me in to the person I am today. At a young age when you first start playing sports you are taught and coached on the fundamentals of the game. Depending on who your coach is and the level of team you play on the discipline only goes up. I was taught to show respect to my teammates and coaches throughout all the teams I played for. To have the discipline to work out on my own, wake up early for runs, and stay late after practice. Being disciplined is a hard concept for people to learn most people want to just coast by but that’s not the way I was taught to play this game.”

• What has coaching here the last 7 years taught you?

“It has taught me a lot of things; some student athletes aren’t really as interested as others. Some players lack that discipline that others show at high level. Every group I have coached has been different from the last. Different players step up in big ways to help guide their peers and doing so they are rewarded as captains. It all so different the main thing I would say I have learned is each team and each player is different from the last and when they come in for their freshman year they leave I think better off their senior year. I think they learn a lot and create valuable connections and memories that can last a life time.”

• Do you feel that your coaching style is better or worse than the coaching you received here in your days of playing?

“I would like to think my style is better, the coaching I received was very direct and straight forward. I try to do the same thing I don’t beat around the bush I say it as I see it, I like to give everyone a fair chance and see who is more capable of becoming a student of the game.”

• I am looking forward to the opportunity of coaching my children whenever that day comes. I understand your kids are very young and as of right now soccer to them is just way for them to use up all their energy. Was coaching your kids ever a dream? If so would it be more for pleasure, or to help them learn and watch them grow from it.

“Coaching my kids was never really on my radar like you said my kids are young so as of right now I feel better watching from the parent’s side. I like to coach at a high level and my kids are still young enough for there to still be plenty of time before that day comes. I think that it would be more for pleasure just to watch them enjoy themselves and to have fun with it rather than to push them. Unless they think they want to try and get to that next level then I think that’s where my expertise can kind of come in to play and I can be the one to help guide them.”

• What has coaching different students meant to you as far as seeing them all come and go? Every team is different from the last would you say they teach you as much as you teach them?

“It’s really cool to be able to coach so many different types of players. I really enjoy the time I get to spend with them and I like to think I’m part of the reason they leave this school more of man than when they started as a boy. As far as the players teaching me I would say I have learned some good lessons throughout my time here. Some students stick out more than others but all together through my 7 years I would say the wisdom I have installed in students is given right back to me and that’s part of the reason why I’m still here today.”

• Is the best part of your job being able to stay connected to a game you love so much or being able to watch a group of boys turn into a group of men?

“Both of these are just as rewarding as the other, being able to stay connected to game that means a lot to me is amazing. Being able to teach it the way that I was taught to a new group of players is refreshing.  I enjoy staying connected sometimes participating in the drills and showing someone the correct way of doing something or just slightly tweaking something I think they could do better.”

• Has coaching been everything you thought it would be?

“Yes, it has been, it’s been a challenge it’s been long days and still it’s something that I enjoy to do. Like I said I love this game and love teaching it, being around it so yes coaching has been what I thought it would be.”

• If you could change one thing or try to help student athletes have a better understanding of something what would it be?

“Like I said earlier that school and classes is the most important thing. Trying to stay focused on school and having soccer to help keep you on track. If your grades start to slip you can’t play the game that you love its great motivation for young people to be more focused on the task at hand. Which is doing good in school and getting your degree so you can go to college and start a new chapter of your life.”

• What is it about coaching that poses the biggest challenge to you.

“My biggest challenge I get from coaching is probably getting certain students who may not have a good living situation and are very talented at the game to focus on the task at hand. Meaning that they need to focus on school so that soccer can help to keep their mind off of what’s happening at home. This isn’t really that common only a few students have had this but it’s very tough to watch a young person go through this and I try to do whatever I can to help.”

• What is the most rewarding or satisfying thing for a coach to have? Maybe from a student, the whole team, a single season, just something that sticks out.

“As a coach, what sticks out to me a team playing like a team. Being unselfish and trusting one another. Soccer is a team game it’s not meant to be an individual player doing all the work. There is 11 people on both sides of the field so it requires everyone to work together. So being able to see a team with great chemistry and trust one another is almost something you can’t coach that takes hard work and a lot of time prior to high school. It’s a great thing to watch it makes my job a whole easier and its really enjoyable to watch.”

• Does this job ever get hard to show up to? Maybe the team isn’t what you thought they would or they don’t have the discipline to learn?

“Every job some days is hard to show up to, it never has to do with our record or the team that we have. But yes, I can say after a long day I have struggled to make it to practice and games. It’s not about me though, some of these kids have been looking forward to this practice or game all day. It would be wrong of me to take that away from them so I always try my best to make it to every practice or game we have because this game means a lot to the players.”

• Last question, soccer meant everything to me, it was what shaped me into the man I am today. Do you enjoy the satisfaction of coaching more than you do playing the game? We both played at a very high level but I wonder personally if I’ll get the same satisfaction I did playing as I will be coaching.

“So, like you said we both played at a high level and when you’re at that age where you want to win and you want to keep practicing and getting better. It’s hard once that door closes, coaching doesn’t give you that exact same feeling that playing does. I would say personally that playing was more satisfying then coaching. With that being said my preference may not be the same as yours. I think you would make a great coach you were fantastic on the field and off the field with your teammates. I think if your half as good at playing as you at coaching I don’t think you’ll have any regrets it’s been very rewarding for me.

For my project four I decided to interview my high school soccer coach. Wanting to know what the sport meant to him growing up and his preference on playing versus coaching. I think I want to incorporate how sports can affect people differently and the significance they have on someones life. In Susan Griffin “Our Secret” I want to try to incorporate how sports can have an impact on a persons life that may be polar opposite of someone else. Trying to use her writing style to show the different perspectives one may have on sports and the love or hate they have for the game. Some of the resources I will include will be members of my family because some of us are huge sports fans also my friends and co-workers whom some have different opinions on. I just want a clear depiction on the feeling a simple game can have for someone. The more opinions and reasons I can get the better off my Project four will go.

Struggles: I don’t see too many struggles in my way as far as getting the information I want and asking the right people. I know ahead of time who does and doesn’t like sports. I’m not so sure of the reasoning behind it and that’s what I’m looking for most why they like it or why they don’t.

For my project two I discussed a lot about sports and what they can mean to a person. How they affect them and the type of joy they can bring. If you’re the one playing, coaching, or spectating. I think my project four will try to focus on the impact sports have around the world. It doesn’t matter your race, gender, or financial situation they all effect people in different ways. I think I’ll dive into how important they are for people I know speaking from experience that I miss my days of playing and those are days I’ll never get back.

What I see emerging in these patterns and themes is a a continuing comparison between the writer and Hemmler. Both faced many hardships in live even though they were on the opposite sides of the war. I saw the Hemmler was always belittled and talked down to making his childhood extremely difficult. Always having a constant need or desire to impress his father which seemed impossible. Susan Griffin’s childhood was no picnic she experienced hardships more so that were out of her control. The war was something that each of them had a similar interest in because it had different effects on them, their friends, and family.