Marquette University Athletics
Soccer Mom Camp -- Week 2
5/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
May 7, 2007
MILWAUKEE -
Week 1 Photo Gallery | Week 2 Photo Gallery | Week 5 Photo Gallery
Week 1 Blog | Week 2 Blog | Week 3 Blog | Week 4 Blog | Week 5 Blog
Clip from WTMJ's The Morning Blend | Clip from WITI's Fox 6 News
OK, at some point this love-fest will probably end. In the meantime, I'm just going to enjoy it and ride it out.
Everywhere I have been over the last week I have run into women who were either at the first or second Soccer Mom Camp or who have talked to someone that was there. The noticeable limps or nursing of sore muscles makes those of us who participated stand out in our communities. We proudly display our bumps and bruises explaining to those interested that we were just fighting the war against breast cancer. The reach of this event is broader than those that attended those nights for sure.
The overwhelming comments have been about the student-athletes and the coaches. Every single person, without exception, has said how unbelievably impressed they were with the men's and women's teams. They were so encouraging, fun, enthusiastic and totally put together. I'm not sure your players even realize that their participation in this and other similar events really separates them from the average person. At a young age they are giving to others when most of the world is focused on what's in it for them.
Athletic participation has the unique ability of creating leaders through competition, team building and personal challenges. The most important part of being a leader is being a servant. Authentic leadership means sacrifice, giving of yourself for the sake of your teammates and the team goal or in this case for a group of women trying a game that many had never played while trying to raise money to fight this hideous disease.
Thank you Coach A and Khaled for modeling this commitment to serving others. The time you spent coming up with the idea, organizing it, getting prizes and on and on is awesome. Your energy and your belief in us was so evident from the beginning of the first night through the end of week two. I've often shaken my head in amazement wondering where in the world did you two come from and damn am I and many other women lucky you actually care.
Week one began after the arrival of participants in a limo. Week two roared in with a group of soccer moms from Racine driving in on the backs of Harley Davidson motorcycles. The combination of black leather and pink bandannas was so tough! I have to give my vote to the Harley girls! What will week 3 bring who knows? So far five women will be nursing their sore muscles at Spa Roma and five more participants will be dining at Mo's all compliments of the MU Soccer Mom Camp and E.C. Miracles! There will be much more fun ahead.
Thank you to Jesse Rosen and the student-athletes for their bravery in taking on my kids and the children of other participants in week 2. Bring your kids next week and make sure they go to the bathroom before we start since the turf field has already been watered this spring!
Mark your calendar for May 25 which is the last night of Soccer Mom Camp. If you came the first night only or any of the nights please plan on coming back for this special ending. We will continue to laugh, have fun and by then your muscles won't be sore anymore. Hope to see you next Friday!
