The U.S. Women's Soccer Team won the 2015 World Cup, uniting the country (at least for a few moments) on a tickertape parade in New York City. But here's an interesting fact you may not know about this team: six players couldn't even make their youth soccer league team. At the age of 12, Morgan Brian, the youngest player on the U.S. national team, didn't make Florida's Olympic Developmental team. She says about that time, "I definitely cried. I was so upset, so embarrassed—I remember just feeling like I must be the worst player on my team." But she continues, "It ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me. It was the hardest I'd ever worked in my life." Then there's Carli Lloyd, the star of the final game who scored a hat trick (three goals). Lloyd's Under-21 national team cut her from the squad. The article noted, "[She] believes getting cut from the U-21 team was the wakeup call that allowed for her success."

Possible Preaching Angles:

For a follower of Christ, failure and defeat are never the end. They may provide a door opening to a bright new beginning.

Source:

Gwendolyn Oxenham, “These Six U.S. Stars Were Rejected From Youth Teams. It Made Them Great,” Slate (7-3-15)