Tradition

Captain of our souls!

The mood of GD boys soccer is wisely and rightly averse from every form of shallow or premature exultation. This is no time for boasts or glowing prophecies, but there is this—a year ago our position looked forlorn, and well nigh desperate, to all eyes but our own. Today we may say aloud before an awe-struck world, 'We are still masters of our fate. We are still captain of our souls.'

Tradition

Tonight you find yourself surrounded by those who have gone before you. These Men have defined this program and this winning tradition. Their sacrifices have made it possible for you to be here, for this program to exist. They played the game with heart, passion, and purpose. They played through pain, through adverse conditions, and when they were over-matched. They played when they were hurt, when they were tired, and when others counted them out. They continued the winning tradition that was handed down from those who went before them. They are here to support you. They know your sacrifice; they know what you are facing tonight. And, they know that you can succeed. They know, because they succeeded before you! You are walking in the same footsteps that they walked in.

You owe it to them to continue this winning tradition! You owe it to them to protect and enhance this winning tradition! Just like them - you know that you can succeed! And you will! Tonight, the winning tradition continues! You all know how important traditions are in families and in communities. The traditions that get passed down through the generations are the traditions that everyone enjoys. The traditions that have a place in our hearts and we look forward to them each year. That is the way it is with this program's winning tradition! We enjoy it! We look forward to it! Some of us live for it! Like the saying goes... "Tradition never graduates!" Tradition lives within each and every one of you. You are born into it, you continue it, and when the time comes, you hand it down to the next generation!