IT'S ALL ABOUT TRUST

Although I hated to see some of you hurting like you were last night, it gave me comfort in knowing that it was a hurt caused by being such die-hard competitors.  

Playing with the heart of a warrior is something few athletes do.  I couldn’t ask for a better team.  I would rather have a team that hates losing more than they love winning any day.  

We’ve had a rough month, but in order to put the past six or eight games into proper perspective, I think it’s important to look at what we were accomplishing in the process.

Look at eight of the last 10 teams we have played.  These were not ‘cupcake’ teams.

Rutherford (5A school – beat them by 23 points)

RF Munroe (2A)

Pike (ranked No. 6 in Alabama – lost by 10 points)

Bethlehem (2A)

Providence (ranked No. 7 in Alabama – lost 14 points)

Rocky Bayou 

Crisp (ranked No. 184 overall in Georgia – beat them by 9 points)

Lakeside (ranked No. 4 in Alabama – lost by 1 point)

We’ve probably played the most difficult schedule in the 8 or 9 year history of the girls program at Covenant (in just the first half of our season).  Think about what we have gained as a result of those games and how that will benefit us in the second half of our season as we reach for another Conference Championship and how those games will have prepared us for a chance at a National Championship in March.

Scrimmaging in the gym and playing teams like Maranatha, Central or Grace cannot possibly prepare us for a serious run at a National Championship like the past six or eight games have done.  What you have accomplished over the past 10 games is huge.  Don’t shrug it off.

MaxPreps finally released the State Rankings this week.  They have the Lady Lions ranked at No. 266 overall (in the State of Florida).  As a point of comparison, we finished the season at 401 last season.

2008-09 FLORIDA (overall State)

Mosley 206

Covenant 266

Baker 309

Freeport 348

Port St. Joe 380

Now…think about us losing to the No. 4 ranked team in Alabama (in their gym) by only 1 point. Now try and wrap your mind around these numbers:  we had 28 TO’s, only 27 Rebs and only shot 2 of 12 from the FT line (missed 5 in the final 47 seconds)

This team is far more talented than most of you realize and these games have just made you that much better and prepared you for what will be an incredible season.  Like the blindfold game, you may not be able to see where you are going, or the bumps along the way, but I see it.  Trust each other and know that we will get there together.

4:13