Below is an email from the fifth-grade Head Coach Cantu thanking the parents, coaches and the community for their support throughout the year.

 

Parents,

Well it’s Monday and I am realizing that there is no more football, what do I do with myself? I’m sure I have many chores around the house that I have been putting off for months and months so now the real work begins. Haha

I am so proud of all the boys, I just don’t know how to describe the way I feel and what this meant to our organization putting Gig harbor on the map in the GPSYFL. This is my 4^th season coaching with the Bulldogs and it has been filled with its share of ups and downs. I feel in this long season that I learned just as much about myself as the kids did about themselves. We are all winners when we put our minds and hearts into something and that is what these kids did after our disappointing 2-2 start. They could have just given up but instead they came back the next week by pulling out an incredible win over Enumclaw 28-26. After that game our kids never looked back rolling off 6 more victories in a row to win it all. I remember standing on the field last year after our disappointing loss in the semi-finals realizing after a great season it was all over and I felt so bad for all my kids and felt like I had let the whole organization down. The following week I had to help the league pass out the championship trophies and I sat back and watch as team after team celebrated there wins and held up their championship trophy wondering if we would ever make it to that day. Well not only did we make it but we crushed the Central Hornets 26-0, I was afraid to tell the boys earlier in the week that they were the only team in my 4 years of coaching that I had never beat, that just made it even sweeter!!

I want to thank Mike Cosper for giving me a chance to coach the Bulldogs and be a part of this awesome organization and to all my Assistant Coaches (Brian, Craig, Sunia and Matt) for all their hard work and dedication to the team, they all play key roles to making this team successful. I want to give a special thanks to my Assistant Head Coach Jones for taking my crap all year, for those of you who do not know I can be a little difficult during the games. Working with Rick for so long he understands what I am trying to tell him and just ignores the rest but he always stays focused which is why he turned our offense into to the powerhouse you saw on Saturday. It only took him 3 years to talk me into using the Statue of Liberty play that you see Trenton score on so much, I think I’m started to like that play now? Rick always lead us out on the field with a team prayer and finished the games with another to give thanks, I always thought we could use all the help we could get against some of these teams so I always prayed just a little extra myself. Thanks buddy!

I believe that sports can teach us valuable life lessons: As a Bulldog I think these kids learned about teamwork, getting along with others, doing your best, not to be afraid no matter who you’re up against and the value of winning and losing. Every one of them can take with them the understanding that to be the best every play matters, every team member counts, the ability to deal with uncontrollable circumstances, how to maintain focus, and the realization that nothing shows your character more than how you react to pressure and adversity. Let me tell you what, our kids my not have been the most experienced, fastest, biggest or even the most talented team on the field but we were a TEAM and a family and we had more heart and courage then anybody in this league, these kids the last couple of weeks felt like they could beat anybody anywhere and that is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives and it’s something I will always remember as a coach and a father. As a coach you can talk to the kids, make them work their butts off and give them all the tools to win the game but unless they want it deep down inside it doesn’t matter what I say or do as a coach, these kids just wanted it more then anybody and that is why we are the 2009 GPSYFL Champions.

Thank you for letting me be a small part of your child’s life, I know as coaches we all had a blast!

Coach Cantu

5^th Grade Bulldogs