Gators Gain from Thoughtful Thank-Yous
Friday, November 21, 2014 | Soccer, Chris Harry
GAINESVILLE, Florida -- The Florida soccer team was just a couple days removed from being unceremoniously eliminated by the bottom-seeded team in the Southeastern Conference Tournament, the Tennessee Volunteers, when players convened at their practice complex for practice. When they showed up at their lockers, the customary piece of paper awaited.
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| 2014 NCAA Second & Third Round Information | |
| Gainesville, Fla. Site: Donald R. Dizney Stadium | |
| Friday, Nov. 21 – NCAA Second Round | |
| 3 p.m. - No. 3 regional seed Texas Tech versus Auburn | |
| 7 p.m. - No. 2 regional seed Florida versus California | |
| Sunday, Nov. 23 – NCAA Third Round | |
| 2 p.m. – Friday's winners | |
| Stadium: | |
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| Tickets: | $7.00 adults |
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| $3.00 children 12 & under, students and senior citizens |
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| First 200 UF students with identification (Gator1 ID card) are admitted free |
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| For more information, contact the UAA Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683, ext. 6800 or 1-800-34GATOR, ext. 6800 (state of Florida only) |
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| Internet: | Live stats available on www.NCAASports.com; live audio & video for UF-UC match available at www.GatorZone.com |
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| Streaming video: | TTU vs AU: SEC Network+ |
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| UF vs UC: SEC Network+ |
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| Florida NCAA History: | |
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| NCAA Field: | |
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Each Gator, still a little chapped (some maybe seething) following the 5-4 loss in the penalty-kick session, took a seat and commenced writing.
Their finished works basically said this:
Dear Tennessee,
Thank you for beating us.
No, seriously.
“On the face of it, yes, it seems weird to thank the other team for doing something that may have been bad; for scoring on you, for giving you a loss,” senior goalkeeper Taylor Burke said. “But I think it's kind of cool. It makes us realize, 'OK, this may have been a down point for us, but let's make it better from here.' It's about taking something away from that experience.”
The psychology of sports is an ever-expanding field that delves into all kinds of self-evaluation, soul-searching and team bonding. Coaches everywhere are looking for means to give their players an edge; in some cases, put them on edge. The exercise UF coach Becky Burleigh chose over the summer to help navigate her team through the 2014 season was the use of “thank-you cards.”
Mis-direction plays oftentimes work wonderfully in sports and this one is intended to use the previous opponent as a device to measure how the experience of facing that team -- win or lose -- impacted her players by writing a note to that opponent and literally thanking them for whatever each individual took away from the match.
The Gators have written such letters after every game; whether the team wins or loses; whether a player even enters the game. Burleigh has not only used the individual texts to measure players' psyche, but also charged the team's leadership committee with summarizing the squad's overall tenor with one all-encompassing letter representative of what UF, as a whole, got out of the match.
“I just think that when you do this, it's pretty hard not to appreciate what every game brings you, whether that's good or bad. Then you start to see it differently,” Burleigh said. “Ultimately, maybe you see it as the bad isn't as bad anymore and is something that's going to make you grow.”
The Gators did a lot of thanking after that second-round loss to the Vols in the SEC Tournament. UF, the No. 2 seed, had a bye through the first round and was eliminated by a penalty kicks loss to a UT team that had eight losses going in and finished 10th in the league standings.
The humbling Florida absorbed from that defeat was articulated in those numerous thank-yous to Tennessee that were repackaged by the leadership committee into a single letter to the Vols (below) and used for rejuvenation heading into NCAA play.
Neither this one nor the others are ever mailed. The message, however, is always delivered.
“Thank you for bringing emotion and energy that we know we must match in the future. Thank you for being physical and showing us the importance of protecting our teammates. Also, thank you for scoring first and making us face adversity. Taking us into PKs will help with experience in later situations. Lastly, though a loss is something nobody wanted, thank you for the much needed rest.”
-- Gator Soccer
Florida next went out and defeated Mercer 3-0 in opening-round play of the NCAA Tournament last week and advanced UF into Friday's second-round action where the second-seeded Gators (15-4-1) face California (14-5-2) at Dizney Stadium.
How much the previous defeat or packaging the lessons in the letter actually fueled the ensuing performance is an intangible that cannot be measured. But there's no denying that putting pen to thoughts is a way to confront any issues or shortcomings that reared over the course of the match -- or even the events leading up to after it.
“I think they're good and I think they've helped because they force you to reflect over the game,” junior midfielder Claire Falknor said. “Becky has been saying that it's all about the process; the wins, the losses, the preparation, everything in a game. If you're going to make a mistake, you want to make a new mistake and correct the one you made last time, so that you're constantly developing and growing.”
Below is junior midfielder Christen's Westphal's note to Tennessee after the Vols, the No. 10 seed in the tournament, ousted the second-seeded Gators, who had a bye through the first round. In that game, UF did something it's done far too often this season in surrendering an early goal, then eventually came up short on penalty kicks.
“Thank you for giving us the ultimate adversity: multiple stops, scoring first & PKs. I think this game brought us together as a team. Made me realize that we love each other & play for each other. Really proud of how our team came together as one & supported everyone after the game.”
Westphal's take was a far cry from, say, senior forward Tessa Andujar's recap.
“Thanks for making me feel completely awful to test my positivity going forward.”
But what Burleigh picked up from Andujar's succinctness was that one of her best player's optimism had been challenged. That was something the coach could address head on.
“It's all good insight,” Burleigh said. “It gives me access to people's thought process and a springboard to discussion.”
Sophomore forward Savannah Jordan is one of the best offensive players in the country, but she was one of two Gators not to successfully convert their penalty kicks and UF came up one PK short.
“Thank you for scoring on us early. Thank you for causing commotion and disrupting the game. Thank you for being physical. Thank you for showing us our weaknesses. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to miss my PK. Thank you for making me more resilient. Thank you for showing me how much my teammates trust in me and that they will be there to pick me up/have my back. Thank you for giving us another bit of adversity that will make us stronger.”
Against Mercer, the Gators were clinging to a 1-0 lead after 80 minutes until Jordan slammed home a pair of late goals to put the game way.
Wonder what her “thank-you” to the Bears said?
“It's a good way to reflect,” Burke said. “Obviously, we watch video and all that, but to write it down, it's just a different way to put an emphasis on our goals and evaluate our performance; as team and individuals.”
In this win-or-go-home time of year, the Gators hope there's lots of thank-yous to be written.
