Challenges should not be a barrier to success but merely a learning opportunity that hard work will help you overcome. Three years ago, I observed our league, MYSL, and the Valley continuing to encourage mediocrity within club soccer. Our own program was doing okay but that was like saying a B- is good enough. Many obstacles existed from operational to logistics that made it very difficult to raise the club program to a Premier level. Despite that, I knew that this was no reason to give up.
Over the past few years, the Board and I have worked countless hours to research and accomplish what was once thought by many parents to be impossible, a high caliber soccer league in this Valley. Several key personnel were hired, including a former MSL coach. Thousands of dollars were invested to upgrade the coaches and program. Partnerships were created with the back-to-back MSL Champion LA Galaxy.
This season, all those weeks of working 40 hours on the league while still holding down my full time job and being a parent finally produced substantial results. One parent wrote me a letter stating, “Murrieta needed a higher caliber soccer club readily available to develop the potential of our talented youth. Now we have it.” Our league had four teams come out of the State Cup pool with two even reaching the semifinals.
As a person goes through life, they experience many challenges. You can sit and relax figuring it is too tough or you could work hard and bring about what was once thought inconceivable. The joy of seeing all these young adults developing into superior soccer players in such a premier league has made all those nights of frustration and hours working worth it.
The light isn’t always easy to see when a challenge is in front of you, but don’t be afraid to put the hours in. Work hard, keep your head up and success will follow.
Should you have any questions about the impact of working hard or want to find out more details about soccer, feel free to contact me at president@myslsoccer.org”>president@myslsoccer.org.
Steve Haubrick is the MYSL/Murrieta Surf Soccer Club President.