Positive Motivation in ACS Athens Middle School Sports
Sunday, February 6, 2011 at 9:47AM
By Maria Louisa Pelidis
I have to say that this years Girls Junior Varsity soccer team, has never been better! As a team we worked well together, we learned how to communicate amongst each other and I believe we really learned the true meaning of the word TEAM. Last season we basically went over the fundamentals, and freshened up old skills but also improved our endurance, speed, and foot work. With our amazing coaches, Ms. Klimou, and Mr. Naoum, the season went by extremely fast, thanks to their fun techniques of teaching us the game of soccer.
Our practices took place every Tuesday and Thursday, and those days we would all get together and train. We all attended most practices, and most of the times we had our whole team present. Coach Klimou and Coach Nick, put most emphasis on speed, and endurance, but they also put a lot of effort to improve our personal skills. On the actual tournament although we didn’t actually win, I believe we presented our team, wonderfully and we played our best games! As a team that day, we achieved our three major goals: (1) We learned how to be a team, act like a team, and show spirit like a team (2) We learned to play our very best; and learned to force our selves to play a little better then our individual 100% when, we’re almost ready to give up. (3) We learned how to loose with dignity and sportsmanship.
I personally believe the factor that helped us reach those goals was Ms. Klimou’s constant positive energy; even when we lost, and when we all felt like playing soccer was a waste, she made us feel like we were the best! I recall Ms. Klimou saying “We’re going to WIN!! WE ARE GOING TO WIN!!!!” After a speech like that, everything seemed to be in the touch of our fingertips, like we were unstoppable.