One hurdle we run into in the soccer scene is that sometimes the people involved really do take themselves a little bit TOO seriously--they forget that even in the midst of the pursuit of excellence, sometimes you need to be able to relax, have some fun, and yes, even laugh. I think a significant number of young players get a little "burnt out" sometimes by constant pressure that isn't always balanced by an element of just plain enjoyment. I think players are at their best when they enjoy what they do and are able to take a moment to laugh--not when it's just a job and a duty.
Not taking a poke at SCKicker with this, please understand...just that scsoccer's comment put me in mind of this, and it's something I've observed in multiple places in both club and high school soccer.
