If you had the opportunity to schedule a playoff game at a date and time that would knowingly keep 2 two-way athletes and the coaches from having the ability to show up to the game to play against you, would you jump at that opportunity, or would you take the high road and schedule the game when all of those entities could be involved even though you would have a decreased chance of winning the game? Well, if you are the Tyreso Royal Crowns of the Swedish Super Series you would choose the low road. At least that’s what they did when they altered their Stockholm home game’s kickoff time for their under 19 semi-final competing against the Carlstad Crusaders so that it matched perfectly with that of the already scheduled Crusaders senior semi-final match in Carlstad, 4 hours away. What’s more, they were unwilling to change after having had multiple offers to play this game on another day or time in order to resolve the situation.One could imagine the fear that must have been the groundwork of making that decision. Coaches Eli Cranor and myself along with the best U19 player in the Super Series in WR Robin Juhlin, and recently voted All-Europe MLB Christian Kuylenstjerna stayed in Carlstad to ensure the victory of the Senior team while the rest of our teammates who had devoted countless hours of physical and mental preparation that spanned the whole summer, from May until this month, headed to Stockholm and fought valiantly in a 25-6 defeat. What difference would 2 players and 2 coaches make… maybe none, maybe a lot, what will forever be unknown cannot be dwelled upon. However, when making decisions that could possibly add an asterisk onto a victory, or worse an asterisk onto a championship; I for one would like to avoid that at all cost.
