High School Class Motto Inspires Team USA

(Rustenburg, South Africa) - Hours after the United States dramatic victory over Algeria in the 2010 World Cup, which propelled them into the elimination rounds for the first time since 2002, the truth started to unfold about what the team used as motivation.

“When I was a senior at St. Thomas Aquinas-Mercy High School in St. Louis, we had a class motto, which I helped conceive,” explained U.S. Assistant Coach Mike Sorber as he patted himself on the back.  “And it was:  ‘We Believe, We Achieve.’  I came up with the ‘We’ part.”

Coach Sorber went on to describe how much the motto meant to him throughout his career, specifically when he was the lone gringo playing for UNAM Pumas in the Mexican League prior to the formation of Major League Soccer.

“After being in Mexico for an extended period of time, I was almost tempted to switch allegiances to ‘Si Se Puede,’ but after suffering some personal disappointments, I came back to ‘We Believe, We Achieve,’” offered Bob Bradley’s right-hand man.  “It has and always will be my guiding light.”

He continued speaking about all the instances when he leaned on the motto to keep him upright during his darkest days and then finally, after a few hours, referenced why he hadn’t shared it with the U.S. team and its players until now.

“They are a highly motivated bunch of guys, which makes my job incredibly easy,” said the substitution card specialist, who has the best handwriting on the coaching staff.  “But I could sense that we needed a lift following the Jekyll and Hyde performance against Slovenia so I looked at myself in the mirror and decided to let it go.  It was time to share my motto with the world.”

And we’re glad you did.  Go USA!

Umberto Zappia is a freelance writer, who was crafted pieces for many upstanding publications like Time, The Wall Street Journal, and Hustler.  He is in South Africa following the U.S. team for the duration of their run in the 2010 World Cup.