But while it was nice to have two podium finishes, Coach Lomax emphasized the road trip wasn’t all about bringing home the gold.

“These weekends represent a truly great opportunity for the players to connect off the field, to find commonality and respect differences in order to foster true team spirit and growth,” Coach Lomax said. “Our message always remains the same: we have to be authentic to our style of play, irrespective of the conditions that we cannot control (opponent, weather etc.). We are a process orientated program with the knowledge and belief that results are a by-product of that consistency over time.”

The young athletes from Sting Black clearly picked up on their coach’s message and left in all on the field in the Tarheel State battling both the wind and the rain.

“I loved our determination to dominate the ball in really tough game conditions,” Lomax continued. “We held ourselves to a high standard of bravery knowing the risk & reward balance of that approach.”

The consistent messaging, ability to overcome adversity and preparation for everything the beautiful game can throw at you are key pillars to the Sting Soccer Club’s recipe for success across all teams.

“We have an outstanding staff of coaches including Tomás Boyle & Adrian Cabado who have worked with the girls to develop their individual and team identity,” Lomax said. “The opportunity to compete, the sacrifices of the parents, the opposition to challenge us – we have to appreciate the game, to learn and grow from every opportunity as soccer doesn’t give many chances to be validated.”