If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a glass-half-full kind of person. That said, however, finishing the first third of the season with only four points (especially considering how close we’ve been to getting more) is mentally and emotionally exhausting—you really start to question yourself, your team, etc. and nobody’s got time for that.

So to help keep the self-doubt at bay, this week is about my teammates (and for my teammates)—because everyone, including them, needs a reminder of what they are made of and what they bring to the table, on and off the pitch.

This week I offer to you the things which I value about each member of our organization and all of the reasons why I remain convinced (and you should, too) that the wins will come. So without further ado:

1. Ella Masar – Holy cow, that first home goal celebration? Epic. Totally worth the yellow card that followed and truly reflective of Ella as a person and player. She doesn’t know anything other than 110% and isn’t afraid to hold others accountable to that standard.

2. Erin Mcleod – Unbelievable character and a true professional. Clips her own game film, always taking notes, well read on the mental side of the game. She’s the Peyton Manning of the NWSL. The unreal saves she’s made this season offer only a glimpse into how special she is.

3. Britt Bock – I have never met someone so dedicated to the sport, her team, and her fans. Even though she’s been sidelined with an ACL tear, she is a constant presence and we are all beyond blessed to have her around.

4. Becky Edwards – One and two-touch aficionado and she’s less than a year out of an ACL tear herself. Beck is a quiet leader with a relentless passion for the game and her experience brings a calming effect to our midfield. She’s only going to get stronger as the season progresses.

Becky Edwards sporting a Dash shirt with BBVA Compass sponsorship. Mandatory credit: Hal Kaiser

5. Kika Toulouse – For starters, those first half crosses against DC on Monday? Ah-may-zing. Kika is someone you can always rely on for scrappy one-on-one defending and even a goal or two or three in practice. She’s also really, really good at expressing facts—like which university has the best soccer stadium in the NCAA (and it’s not the Seminole Soccer Complex, Tiff).

6. Tiffany McCarty – Always staying after practice to get in extra touches and strikes on the ball. She brings composure to the front line and is capable of scoring in all sorts of tight situations. I know because she does it, on me, all of the time.

7. Steph Ochs – Having made the move to outside back, she’s owning it. Certainly one of the fittest players in the league and has zero problem covering 18-to-18 like it’s a walk in the park. She brings a mellow So Cal outlook with her and it’s refreshing in nearly every situation.

8. Bianca Henninger – Best attitude (especially if she’s had good coffee), best dancer, best hair on the team. Seriously, the hair deserves its own twitter handle (I need to get on that, B). She steps up in clutch situations and can always be counted on to make some sick saves. She also isn’t afraid to tell a former Marine to pay attention if/when she loses focus.

9. Teresa Noyola – T is a thinker who knows how to outsmart defenses and is capable of incredibly complex touches and cuts on the ball. She will school you on the dribble, create space for herself out of nothing, and curve it back post before you can bat an eyelash. Just ask Boston.

10. Ari Romero – Our jumping bean. Quick on the ball, killer free kicks, creative defending style. Ari is a younger player but her energy and work ethic are going to take her places. As an aside, she has one of the coolest host families ever—you’ll see them sporting the #2 jersey and sombreros at our home games. Their support in and of itself is a reason we’re going to start getting points at home.

11. Marissa Diggs – She’s the yin to my yang and I can always count on her for honest feedback and a good laugh. She may not be the biggest defender but she’s not afraid to get physical and she relishes the opportunity to get matched up against the best forward line a team can throw at her.

12. Kealia Ohai – She’s one strike away from opening the flood gates and will eventually find a place in this league as a prolific goal scorer. Kealia isn’t afraid to turn and attack the goal or have a go at world class defenders. Unfortunately for her, she thinks that goalkeepers are terrible in the field and therefore (despite how true it might be), has eliminated herself in the running for my favorite forward of all time.

13. Kelly McFarland – First professional start almost two weeks after being signed and having missed part of the season to finish school. Scholar and an athlete! Kelly reminds me quite a bit of Carin (Jennings) Gabarra in the early 90s. Very technical, tall and lean, penchant for finding seams. Can’t wait to see more of her on the field.

14. Jordan Jackson – Jordan is deceptively amazing. Really amazing. She’s tough on the ball and will catch you off guard when you least expect it. Our team really missed her presence against Washington this weekend. Her poise is well beyond her age and experience and we are so lucky to have picked her up.

15. Rafa Souza – Another scholar athlete! Did you know she’s an engineer? Aside from being wicked smart, Rafa is crafty on the ball and has consistently impacted big games as soon as she steps on. In front of goal in a one-on-one and she will find the back of the net—it’s only a matter of setting her up.

16. Kaylyn Kyle – She’s beautiful, has 30,000 followers on Twitter, and wears pastel pink pre-wrap in her hair. But don’t kid yourself; she does not mess around. There is nothing light hearted about how she plays and her outspoken passion for winning is what I love most about her.

17. Nina Burger and Osi Ohale – These two do everything together. They live together, score goals together, and sit next to each other in the locker room. Nina scored her first NWSL goal this week and Osi fulfilled her promise to score on a corner in the same game. They both came in as incredibly hyped players and they’ve lived up to the expectations and done so in a humble and grateful manner. Nothing but amazing things to come from them.

18. Holly Hein, Lindsay Elston, Domi Richardson, Tori McCombs, Megan Kinneman – District 12. These five girls are the very best friends that anyone could have. They’ve got the best sense of humor, know how to ball, and almost make me wish I was in my early-20s again (almost). Each with their own special spark, all of them do what it takes to better themselves and each other. They’re unbelievably coachable and always put the team first.

19. Lauren Sesselmann, Whitney Engen, Meghan Klingenberg – Ok, get here already guys. Seriously.

20. Nicole Levins, Aly Beck, Kristy Chavez – Best support system ever. Nicole runs front office functions, Aly keeps us in the proper attire with perfectly pumped balls, and Kristy keeps us as healthy as possible. This team literally wouldn’t function without these three. You’d be hard pressed to find better support personnel anywhere in the league.

21. Leigh Cullip and Steve Branz – Obviously capable to take the reign at any point. Leigh is incredibly knowledgeable of the women’s game and keeps us on our toes with his crazy British humor. Steve can place perfectly volleyed strikes upper 90 any time he wants to. Nothing better than a goalkeeper coach who can consistently school you in any shot across the box (Money Round!). They are the perfect compliments to the Randy Waldrum experience.

22. Randy Waldrum – Brilliant. Puts more faith in us than anyone and that faith is absolutely reciprocated. Period.

I don’t know when it will happen for us, but it will. With the frustration factor peaking a bit, it will only make overcoming the growing pains that much sweeter. I have faith in every single one of us and I have faith in our team as a whole. Keep your heads up, girls! We are so close!