something special about these boys

one thing i love about our boys in the academy is how they don't shy away from hard work.  its why, for our opponents, we're such a tough team to play.  we may be small and not as talented as the city boys... but no one likes playing us because of our style of play.  we don't get tired.  we hold our ground.  we body-check.  the words "hustle" and "scrappy" and "heart" define us.

i'll never forget, when we were a few months into the academy, and mynor said to me "dude, i will take this all day long over what i was coaching before."  mynor came from an elite private missionary school in the city, where he coached american missionary kids, and wealthier guatemalans who enrolled their kids in the school.  while there was more talent for sure, mynor said the difference was that none of the boys here in the village complain about anything.  "no one says they are tired.  no one quits.  i can run them and work them all day - all they want is more.  i can definitely work with this!"

the picture is jhoni and denilson.  last week, they overheard me telling mynor and paul that i needed to find or hire someone to help with a construction project on campus - someone to mix concrete.  a couple minutes later, jhoni and denilson asked me if they could do it.  they said they'll stay after class and work until 5.

a couple weeks ago, all the boys got a new pair of cleats to take home - a donation from some friends.  i noticed after jhoni and nicho finished working, that they were both wearing their new cleats.  filthy and covered in wet concrete, they didn't even care. 

i thought to myself how most kids would have never done that.  there is definitely something special in the hearts of these boys.