Everyone wants to be the best and talk the talk, walk the walk , make it happen  and what every other iwise.com quote you want to pull out and splatter the air with. Facts are its not true and you know what …… that’s okay not a problem. We have pushed this club a long way  and made  great achievements and it looks like we have found our place.

A solid club with  potentially two teams and surviving on the low end of the d1 scale, potentially returning to d2.  This is the highest level  of competition the club has ever had  and it has taken a  lot of commitment  from players , coaches and administrators.  It will still take effort  this season from all to maintain that level and we need players to  be ready to play, come march 26th. It is not a negative to be  where the club is and an enjoyable season can be had by all. Just be realistic of your expectations.
 
I stated at the banquet, that to move forward it was going to require commitment and effort this spring by everyone. That is not happening, again, that is okay. The club has provided the players with the resources to continue to develop, the club is looking into reorganizing  its structure to make sure it is able to work at the next level. I asked for feedback on training as I have the last three years and received little input, now we are  no longer playing touch , attendance at training has dissolved to ten players. Jeff Hoffman has spent his time arranging additional fitness training and as we get closer to the season , instead of the numbers attending increasing , they have dropped to below the minimum needed to run a session.  Remarks and comments I have had repeated to me  confirm this apathy towards the indoor training.
 
Comments indicating  players will just wait til we get outside  to train , that they only want to play touch at the moment and again that is okay. In my  position as coach. I have only one regret, that you obviously felt like you could not tell me. I looked at this season with the understanding of our goal for the club and planned accordingly. Those plans have driven some of you away from training, it must not have been shared by you and those who did  not attended, the majority of the club.
With that in mind , I ask what are you after? Be truthful. The club needs to understand  what its members are looking for.
 
I applaud  the players I have seen work hard and driving themselves. Some looking to step up a level in play, some showing why they have been so good for so long and others showing that redemption and comeback can bring peace and not be empty words. All of them I am proud of and I hope I have helped in that development in their game and their person. I believe  the club has the potential to move up another level, I do not believe  it will happen with  such low level of commitment.  The Chicago lions have been training longer this season and will have an internal squad scrimmage next Friday. Did I mention the game will be at 10 pm- 1 am Friday night? That is the commitment needed to have a chance to compete at RSL.
 
Be in the now and be honest with the only person that counts, yourself. Again I ask for you to tell the club what you are looking for and we have the structure to help. We have been asking for additional coaching help and The club again is asking. I will help the club over the coming weeks  until we have heard from the players  about the direction they wish us to proceed. I am prepared to Coach a club  that is committed to the next step, that is the challenge I am looking for , to see the continued development of the program I have helped develop here with the assistance of Ray , Sharpo and many others. If the majority of the club is looking   elsewhere  I will step down and be pride of my coaching effort.
 
As of now I will say training is cancelled on Thursday and the time reserved by the club can used  for touch, enjoy.
 
Mike Loader  
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