We played with confidence when it counted.

A lot of these guys are used to playing with more time and space. They played the game a lot slower in their native country. They are not accustomed to the high pressure, the voracity of the Americans. When players accustomed to more time on the ball don't get it, they sometimes feel the referee isn't protecting them the way he should. He gets frustrated because he isn't performing the way he is accustomed to, and he lashes out, often at the referee.

Most importantly, the players want to be shown respect. They don't want to have cards waved in their faces, or scolded like children. 'Show us respect and we'll show you respect,' was basically what they were saying.

One of the things we are really working on is player-referee communication. It's not like they all can go to the bar after the game and talk. Referees and players need to be able to discuss the issues they see in the game so they can be addressed.

I think our team is gaining more and more confidence with every win, particularly playoff wins. I think that confidence is evident in how they play.

We are taking baby steps. . . . It has been hard to get their confidence back. We were a damaged team after last Friday night and we needed to get our feet back under us. It wasn't pretty tonight, but Southeast Polk will make you play a game that is slow and rugged, and I thought we responded pretty well in the second half.