Birmingham Seaholm High School’s girls soccer team is turning heads in Michigan, not just for their impressive on-field performance but for a unique challenge they face: fully believing in their own capabilities. Despite a rock-solid defense and notable victories, coach Manuel Rodrigues is on a mission to instill unwavering confidence in his players.

The Maples, with a current record of 5-2-2 (3-2-1 in their league), have allowed a mere four goals through their first five weeks of play, a testament to their defensive strength. This includes an impressive scoreless tie against third-ranked Troy High School, a team considered a Division 1 powerhouse by the michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association.

Overcoming Doubt

The challenge isn’t a lack of skill, but a lingering doubt that Rodrigues is determined to dispel. He illustrated this point with a post-game exercise following the tie against Troy.

“Who before this game against Troy thought we’d get smoked?” he asked them.

The response was telling: “Several hands went up.”

Then he posed a more optimistic question: “And who thought we could win this game?”

The outcome: “Two hands went up for that one — *his* and only one player’s.”

Rodrigues sees this lack of collective belief as the primary obstacle holding the team back. “That’s all that’