Last weekend my team, the Baltimore Blast, had two games back-to-back.

We played at home against Rockford on Friday and won 9-4 and then went to Massachusetts on Saturday and came out with a win 23-9.

As we roll into the latter stages of the season with a 10-2 record, we still have lots of work to do with our game and need to be more consistent with our play. This is the important part of the season and all mistakes have to be to a minimum.

Now, one could sit back and say that we as coaches should relax a little with a 10-2 record, but if we do, that is when the complacency would set in.

We must continue to keep a high standard for our players, because every team have the same goal of winning the championship. This weekend we will be travelling to Mexico to play Monterrey La Raza. Monterrey are the same team we played in the championship last season, they will be tough to beat at home, so this is one game that we have to make sure we are ready for.

The atmosphere is always great in Mexico. The fans appreciation for the game is amazing. Even if their team is not playing well they appreciate the game no matter what the outcome may be.

As you all know my team have set a task to win another championship. We know this will be a tough challenge if we cannot maintain a high level of respect, work rate and trust for each other. There are so many of us that have varying tasks, and so many of us find it tough to maintain the high energy level from the start to finish.

It is often great at the start and then gradually or all of a sudden, we lose interest and our minds tend to stray in another direction that causes us to fall behind from completing what we started out to do.

As a coach you may have tasks that you set for the season, if it is winning a league cup or any other trophy. Your players would generally start this task with high enthusiasm, upbeat and commence performing at a high level.

Then things often get stale and they have a tendency to lose their edge as things progress, eventually falling short of what they originally intended. The truth is they have lost their focus and the drive that they had at the beginning of the season. Coaches, we must be aware if they do not get it back, winning or completing the task will be no more than a mere dream – a nightmare.

This loss of drive may be due to stress, fatigue, mental weakness, complacency or pure boredom.

The key to getting your players back on track and finding their drive again is to revisit why they got involved in the first place, reassess their goals, restore their minds to achieve to the best of their ability and get them to recognise that hurdles do get higher as they near the end.

One lesson I have learned, one that has helped me immensely both on and off the field, and which I will never forget is to remain focused and committed at all times to my team and to myself. As Abraham Lincoln said: "A house divided against itself cannot stand".

Until next time!