Thank you for your interest – and all the way from France! I will take all the responsibility for the "brutal" past few seasons, as I've been coach at JICHS since 2004. I have to admit, however, I don't feel very brutalized. Most of the kids I have coached have been great kids and a pleasure to work with and be around. Some have come with more soccer experience than others. Most have learned something and developed during our time together, and if nothing else, learned to love soccer - real soccer, the most important ingredients being teamwork and selflessness. There is room for disagreement of course (and I’m not suggesting you feel otherwise) but I believe those lessons will serve them much more than winning or losing a few games in high school. The experience of doing something you love, and to feel a real part of something where you are special, is something that is hard to do in the "real world." Don't get me wrong, we try to win all our games (and anyone who knows me can tell you I hate to lose) but I don't want to compromise that over my greater principles. We try to achieve selflessness and teamwork first, and win games from there.
Also, a real question might be asked: what has happened to James Island's opponents? Parity in the low country is greater than ever, and that’s good for soccer. Soccer teams like Goose Creek and Berkeley are improving dramatically each season. Sean Agnew and now Alister Delong have done fantastic work at Stratford; Jon Greenlee and Lateef Turral have done the same at Beaufort as well as Anthony Pelton and Ricky Nobbs at Fort Dorchester. Stephen Jackson and Ed Carson, at West Ashley and Summerville respectively, continue to build and develop quality sides. And of course there is the great behemoth, Wando, we all have to contend with! These coaches and their players deserve full credit for their accomplishments. Rather than take away from all the hard work they’ve done, I congratulate them. In the meantime, we’ll strive at James Island to rise to the challenge.
Thanks for your concern.
