Tuesday, July 21, 2009:

The dream has ended, but the journey was special! Today, we lost in the Bronze Medal game to Brazil, 0:1. That meant we finished 4th in the entire tournament. It also meant we were the only men's team to play for a medal out of our open and youth teams. That in itself was an accomplishment for this team. The game started a lot like the semi-final game with Argentina...very flat emotionally, with poor decisions. We gave up a very sloppy goal about 10 minutes into the game. It was a bad defensive mistake and compounded by not being goalside of the man that scored. At that point, we started playing very good soccer, only to lose one of our starting strikers to a fractured nose from a deliberate elbow right in front of the referee, I will get into that in a bit. We also lost our starting goalkeeper to a hip injury on a collision with a striker from Brazil.

At the half, we re-grouped and began playing really well. We actually controlled the game the entire second half, but could not finish any goals. We had plenty of chances, but it was just not to be.

With about 10 minutes remaining, I was ejected from the game for arguing with the referee. Suffice it to say, it was some choice vocabulary by me. He was absolutely horrible and we got no calls at all. I lost it when 2 of the Brazilian players pulled our player down in the box and there was no call. We also had a player get his second yellow, so he was also ejected a few minutes after me. After my ejection, we had about 6 straight corners and 2 good shots on goal, but their keeper was good and stopped both attempts. We kept fighting until the final whistle.

We were extremely proud of our team for their showing in this tournament. They can certainly be very proud of all they accomplished. They went undefeated in group play, beat Israel for the first time ever and finished first in the group, with the second most goals scored and fewest goals allowed. No one ever thought we would have any chance in this tournament, but we fooled them all. We were great over achievers! I can't began to explain just how proud Sean and I are of this great group of young men. They came together as a team in just over 3 weeks of training and playing together. Only a few actually knew each other before we came and to do what they did as a group of strangers was remarkable! Brazil, Argentina, Great Britain and Israel all train as a team for long periods of time, way before they come here. Most of them play on the same club teams and those that don't, get together with them for their Maccabi training in their respective countries. We don't have that luxury. We come together for the first time while we are in Israel.
I only mention this, just to show how far we all came in accomplishing what we did. No one should ever feel more proud of their accomplishment, medal or not, than these young men!

Like I said in the beginning, the dream is over, but the journey will continue for these young men....they will remain great friends for life, always remembering this wonderful experience they all shared together in Israel in July of 2009!

But before I end, my daughter Aly, informed me she was asked to run the Women's Half Marathon tonight, so the USA would have enough runners to have a team. I am so proud of her for always putting the team first in everything she does. It certainly will be an eventful night for her. Keep your fingers crossed for her!

Tomorrow, the team will go be an Israeli soldier for a day, complete with uniform. I know this will be a memorable experience for them all.

So, this will be my final blog from Israel. I will write my final overview and perspective once I return to my office next Monday. I hope each of you has enjoyed these blogs and my candid comments. I found it a most rewarding venture!

We will have the closing ceremony on Thursday evening and then depart for the airport for our return home! I can not wait to get back in the good old USA and especially to my home and my wonderful wife and family in Birmingham, Alabama!

So until my final thoughts on Monday, I will say good bye from Israel.

Take care, stay well and best regards,

Preston and Sean from Israel