Girls: Sportsmanship at its finest
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- October
- 31
I hope every had a chance to see what Bryan Horn, the coach of Byram Hills, wrote about the ending of the Rye-Byram game.
Here it is again for your convenience:
“Rye played a wonderful game against our team today. They played great team defense and Alex Rimmer, as a senior, put the team on her back when she needed to. After the game, the Rye team was as classy as can be by cheering our team as we had our last talk on the field as an active team. I am forever grateful for the class that Rich Savage and his girls displayed this afternoon.”
At Byram Hills on Friday, two teams played with the expected intensity and tenacity that one would expect in a sectional semifinal. The play was high quality, the effort was constant and the desire was relentless. The emotion was there from both teams after the game, not just from Byram Hills players who were trying to come to grips with the end of their season/high school career for seniors.
It was there from Rye too, a team that had the utmost respect for its opponent and was genuinely thrilled to win a game that had been such a battle from the opening whistle to the final one 80 minutes later.
Forget inane cliches like “Who wants it more?” Both teams wanted it…badly, equally. The results of the game had zero to do with Rye “wanting it more” and I’ve yet to figure out how that can even be determined. Rather, Rye won because it executed better than Byram Hills at a few key moments, and that led to two goals and preventing one.
That’s what all these soccer games come down to between even teams that are familiar with each other and can’t really pull any tricks: executing well and being opportunistic.
This entry was posted
on Friday, October 31st, 2008 at 11:41 pm by Jeff Gold. 
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As the coach of the Byram Hills Men’s soccer team and observer of yesterday’s fine contest, it please me to see that this blog has taken this positive stance towards the match. The game between Rye and Byram was an incredible up and down game to watch where both teams gave their hearts for victory. Belizzi and Rimmer are not only good soccer players but great leaders as well. They put their team on their shoulders and celebrated as equals after the game. The Byram teams heart is something that cannot be measured. Senior Liza Falk is such a gamer on the field that she could be the most underrated soccer player on the field and can play for me anytime. Marin, Hasselgren, Riggs….all these ladies from Byram will be back and this experience will only help.
But what happened after the game was where learning, sportsmanship and the passion for the purity of the game came out. As the Byram Girls were on the turf consoling each other, Coach Horn picked up his girls and took them through the line to shake hands. He then gathered in his team for a talk where he echoed to the team the importance of learning from this and that being a champion is how you react from setbacks when Rich Savage of Rye had his girls cross midfield and applaud the girls from Byram. It was a great scene. To me, this is what sports and great coaching is all about but we at Byram expect nothing less from Rich Savage. He has been that way for the last ten years. The Rye soccer program is under great hands as the sportsmanship displayed by Jared Small’s team is remarkable as well watching some of their players chat it up with some of mine during the girls game.
While we are on the topic of sportsmanship and great class, the Harrison boys soccer team was another group of men that are well coached and humble on the field. I wish Coach Loughran the best today in the finals as his team completely deserves to be in that moment in taking out Lakeland, Rye and Us in consecutive games. Three teams in last years Semifinals. Another coach that simply gets it.
Lastly, because I know my boys read the blogs, you are and always will be champions and I would go to war with you anytime. The last three years has been a magical ride with 63 wins, 3 losses and 3 ties. All losses to state champs! However, the record is irrelevant. How you boys have handled yourself throughout the ride with class, dignity and a love for your school is what I will always remember. You have made soccer a major piece of fabric in our community. Be proud of your accomplishments as you have in my eyes become great men. The fact that most of you have already been talking about next year only makes me want to coach more.
Thanks for the Forum.