Teamwork, Please!

From Steve Moreland, President of SMI

As I remember back to my first two years coaching my son Kyle’s AYSO soccer team, I am reminded of the vast differences in outcomes between those two seasons. The first year we were 0 – 16 and you guessed it, I was not nominated for “Coach of the Year.” Ironically, with some of the same players and a few new ones, one year later our team was 16 – 0!

What was the difference? Teamwork! Our first team had some players with skill and major attitudes so getting everyone to play like a team and share the ball was very difficult. Pride and egos got in the way. So in spite of some good talent, we got clobbered. The next year we had skilled players minus the “attitude.” Each week we played, our guys developed more and more respect for each other and began passing and sharing the ball very well. The result was amazing teamwork and success.

I don’t know about you, but as I look at the elected leaders in Washington, D.C. these days, I think they are in desperate need of teamwork! Washington politicians are looking more and more like my first AYSO soccer team; because of their gridlock, we in America are getting clobbered. There are too many huge egos and personal agendas. Our elected officials do not see themselves playing on the same team; they behave like they are on opposite teams and as a result America is suffering.

We have some huge ideological differences at work. Those on the left are aggressively pushing an agenda of higher taxes, higher costs, more giveaways and more government control. Meanwhile, those on the right are trying hard to stand firm to protect an agenda of lower taxes, lower costs, fewer giveaways and less government control.

Although these ideological differences have always existed in America, over the past several years the positions have become even more polarized. Personally, I believe it reflects a lack of leadership from the White House. What Washington needs now is teamwork, compromise, mutual respect and an unwavering focus on what is good for our country.

It is time we Americans stand up and demand that our elected officials start behaving in the true best interest of America and not in the best interest
of their own party agendas. We need a spirit of teamwork, compromise, and rational analysis of what is best for our country. Then we need our elected officials to act and act decisively before it is too late, before we become the next Greece and disappear into economic ruin.

I hope you enjoy the articles and insights offered in this issue of Springs. The absolute future of our country hinges on the ability of our elected officials to wake up and realize we are all on the same team. For the sake of our children, Washington, Teamwork please!

Steve Moreland
President, Automatic Spring Products
stevemoreland@automaticspring.com