To the Intercontinental Cup

Is The Intercontinental Cup An Impossible Dream?

Atletico Lenca Is Adopting The Samurai Mentality

It was 5 am in the morning in the stronghold of the Minamota Clan in June of 1170 south of Kyoto, Japan. The 50 samurai and 250 warrior monks were already making preparation for the day. They bathed carefully, prepared their samurai hairdos, dressed carefully, shined their armor and shined their long handmade samurai swords. Then they donned light armor and left the stronghold on one side of the Uji River. They then began to run in formation across the bridge to reach the other side which was the stronghold of the Taira Clan.

Since the bridge was narrow, only a few of them could run abreast. So those who were behind, eagerly climbed over those in front to be first to engage the enemy. These 300 warriors eagerly ran toward the waiting Taira warriors. They could see dimly through the fog the 20,000 Taira warriors waiting for them. Of course they died to a man.

Were they afraid? Did they tremble in their armor, were they terrified at the sure death that waited them over the river? No one knows. But afraid or not, they advanced towards their destiny.

Who were these samurai? And what gave them the innerness to run toward their death? They followed the code of bushido. Bushido means duty. Whatever they have given their loyalty to, whatever they have chosen as their life dream is everything they are dedicated to.

I heard Anthony Robbins talking last week. He said that it is about focusing and concentration. Robbins says, focus on what you want and keep on focusing on that.

The Japanese samurai knew the most important truth - The one thing you focus on is the thing that is your duty. No one in history has ever understood duty the way the Japanese have.

Most of the young soccer players in the world dream of playing on a team that goes to the Intercontinental Cup. The Intercontinental Cup defines the number one soccer team in the world. Remember, 200,000,000 people play soccer every day on a team. The dream of the Intercontinental Cup seems totally out of reach, Chances are the dream of playing and winning the Intercontinental Cup is a dream in their heart they have hidden? What is the dream hidden in the heart of your soccer players worldwide? The dream they have been afraid to reach for. What are they afraid of?

The Dream of Atletico Lenca For The Intercontinental Cup May End In Failure

What if we fail? What will people do? What will people say? We have already looked at the worst possible result. Imagine that we tried to get to the Intercontinental Cup and someone killed you. That is very unlikely to happen. So if it is not life threatening, why not reach for our dream?

Our players could say they have an excuse. We are a team in a small village in the mountains of Honduras. Our players didn’t have the right upbringing. Our players didn’t go to the right schools. Our players didn’t have the right soccer training. Don’t have the right soccer training facilities. Don’t have the money...don’t have the right car to travel to games...Don't have soccer moms taking us on travel teams..etc.

We will Work With What We Have

If your sword is broken, said Hyobi Oki of the Saga clan, strike with your hands. If your hands are cut off, press the enemy with your shoulders. If your shoulders are cut away fight with your head by tearing out their neck with your teeth.

So what if you head is cut off? Do you know that the greatest Japanese warrior was fighting and his head was cut off by his enemy. In spite of having his head cut off, he proceeded forward and killed his enemy.

Does this sound gruesome, talking about death. What is death? Death is not the end of everything. Death is merely a transformation. The end of one way of life the beginning of another. Why do we fear death. Because on the other side of death, we do not know what is going to happen. That is what we fear. That all the things we value, the people who matter will no longer be ours .

What are we really afraid of in death. Isn't it fear of loss of control? We all seek to control as many aspects of our life as possible. We hold on to our past hurts, our pains, our angers. If we release those, these things die. We don’t want to put bad experiences behind us. We want to hold on to our angers, our fears and our pain. That way we are in control of how we feel about it. When we let go our pain, our anger, our fears we let the negative experience die. It becomes as though it never happens when we stop responding to it, stop living our lives based on it.

There are some youth in developing countries who resent the kids in the USA who have so much. The players of Atletico Lenca see it differently. They see their team as an opportunity to demonstrate the power of desire and passion. They don't have anger at what they do not have. They have great desire to achieve what they can reach for. They have forgotten the pain of walking 15 miles to town up and down the hillsides. They see that as an asset for the development of their stamina and endurance. They focus on the potential of the future. They have decided to reach for that hidden dream?

What Will Atletico Lenca Do To Reach For Their Dream?

First of all, we are choosing to bond together as a team and dedicate our life to achieving the dream of the Intercontinental Cup.

Secondly we are focusing on what we have. We live in the high mountains of Intibuca which means our childhood is spent walking up and down steep hills. That has resulted in strong leg development and lung development.

Thirdly, we realize that our fellow players share the same dream. We recognize that we have that in common - that we are very much alike. So the players are seeking out that hidden dream in our fellows and team members share our energy, our self esteem building skills in helping them believe they can reach their dreams. We can help them reach the dream hidden in their hearts as a member of this team.

Martin Luther King's speech about having a dream can still change people lives.- Though his body is dead, his dream lives on and still inspires many people.

Winston Churchill said " I have nothing to offer you but blood, sweat and tears. yet he saved he world by standing against Hitler when the rest of the world waffled.

Mahatma Gandhi refused to hate - used the power of non-violence to change the continent of India and still inspires us by his words. He was killed while trying to make peace between Indian and Pakistan.

Rachel Carson spoke and changed the world forever. She died or her body died but she lives on.

No one can kill you is you truly reach for your goal. No one can kill you if you truly do what the 300 Minamoto did. They may have been afraid. They might have known that was the day they would die. But the samurai philosophy was that every morning you should get up and "freshen your mind" with the idea that today would be the day of your death.

The players of Atletico Lenca come from peasant stock. What does it mean to be a peasant? A peasant is very fatalistic. He plants his corn and beans with a dream of success. At the same time, the peasant knows that a hurricane can come, a flood can come, an earthquake can come. Death is always lurking. So they live always knowing this could be their last day.

Think about it right now. If you were going to die tomorrow morning at 6 am, what would you do today. What would you like to work on? What legacy would you life to leave for your children. What would you like to leave the world?. What words would you give to the world as your legacy so you too would live on? Whatever that is, whatever it would be, whatever you would say, I challenge you right now to write it down. And when you leave here, write a speech that shares your legacy with the world. Write that speech, rehearse that speech and deliver it.

Freshen your mind with the thought that tomorrow morning you will die. Who will you call that you haven’t seen for years. Who will you ask for forgiveness?. Who will you forgive? Who will you try to see to share love? What dream have you buried that you would decide to devote your last day too. Whatever that dream for your last day is what you should pursue for your life.

Footballers! Do You Want To Share Our Dream Of The Intercontinental Cup? Your whole life must change. You must give up Mind Clonish ideas about race and tribe. You must change your inner beliefs about who you really are. You must no longer think of yourself as Nigerian or Lenca or any race, color or ethnic group. You must begin to think of yourself as a Soccer Master.

Pursuing the Dream of The Intercontinental Cup Will Lead To The Death To Your Present Way Of Life

If our team does what we really seek to do in our life, we will die. We will die to the old life we have lived. But we have decided to do it. We are throwing ourselves into it, focusing on it and making it work, Our lives will be changed. But the lives of many people will be changed. Each players life will be changed. The lives of our players families will be changed. Our children will begins to believe in the things we say about the potential of soccer. To pursue this dream with Atletico Lenca will mean you will become a new person, a Soccer Master.

Walk With Us As We Develop Our Intercontinental Cup Dream

What would your life be like if you were a member or sponsor of Atletico Lenca as it travels it path to the Intercontinental Cup? I challenge each and every one of you to reach into your heart and face up to that lost dream. Leap into action with the same alacrity that the 250 samurai warrior did on the Uji River. Reach for your dream with the same eagerness as they did when they climbed over the top of their fellows to be first to get to the destiny.

Leap into action like the samurai. Realize that life must be lived to the fullest or it is not worth living at all. Realize that you have a legacy to leave this world. You have a unique set of dreams, desires, education, experience, ideals, goals and desires all given to you by God. Each of us is unique. We are unique and the weaving of the world is based on each thread being strong, well made and actively engage in the tapestry. If your thread is slack, the whole weaving may be weakened.

I challenge you to day to

look into your heart

find the dream you have abandoned

decide you will reach for your dream

declare you are afraid of death - of being transformed

Then leap into action

the more fear you have, the stronger , faster and better should be your leap

Act every day as though it is your last day

Let the pain, the anger, the fear die

reach out your hand, open your heart to others and help them reach their dreams

then enlist them in your own dream

I leave you with one more course of action. I ask you every morning to rise up and face the day as though it will be your last. Say this to yourself as you look in the mirror.

I fairly sizzle with zeal and enthusiasm and I leap into action today to reach my bushido, my destiny and I will live today as though it is my last day to live.

Then go out today, reach out to others, find their hidden dream, build their self esteem, share yourself, help them reach your dream and you will find yourself surrounded by friends, those who seek to help you reach yours. Walk with us to the Intercontinental Cup.

Our goals are ambitious:

1.Win The Liga Mayor title in Intibuca

2.Win the Liga Mayor title in Honduras

3.Enter the Second Division

4.Win the Second Division

5.Enter the Liga Nacional

6.Win the Liga Nacional

7.Play in the Copa Toyota Liberatadores

8.Win the Copa Toyota Liberatadores

9.Play in the Intercontinental Cup

10.Win the Intercontinental Cup

Can we achieve this. There is a Nigerian Proverb. "beginning is half done".

We have begun.

Dr. Carol Cross or Dr. Ramon Dario Argueta

CODET, S de R L

Barrio El Morera, Frente Bazar Reyna

La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras

Telephone 504-783-0054

2005-2006 Honduras Soccer Team Membership & Sponsorship Available For Enrollment June 1, 2005. Make Sure You Don't Lose Your Chance. Send In Your Deposit Now! Belong To The Team As A Member Or Sponsor The Team As A Marketing Partner. We Promise To Show You A Good Time!

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Mailing Addresses after July 1, 2005 - Dr. Carol Cross, C/O Doña Aleja de Valdivieso, Barrio El Centro, La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras exportfacs@aol.com or honducopa@yahoo.com Telephone 504 - 783 - 0421

You May Also Contact Dr. Cross Through Doña Silvia Palencia y Hijos, Hotel La Esperanza, La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras Telephone 504 - 783-0068

Through Dr. Ramon Dario Argueta, CODET, Barrio El Morera, Frente Bazar Reyna, La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras, Telephone 504-783-0054 Email honducopa@yahoo.com

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ISAI Contact Information

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Supporting Soccer Based Development Through Soccer Tourism, Honduras Soccer Camps, Intibuca International Youth Tournament, AfroCarib International Youth Tournament, the Copa Weshemisphere Friendlies and the LigaAmericás Soccer Mastery Academy. AfroHeritage Soccer Players - Join the RED de AfroHeritage Footballers. AfroHeritage Soccer Players - Play in the African/Caribbean Youth Soccer Tournament in November 2005. Learn to Play World Class soccer in the La Ceiba Football Academy for Elite Players Opening in June 2005 in Honduras. Email to exportfacs@aol.com

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