Soccer

A few weeks ago, I reported to my dad that Connor had started soccer. Without missing a beat, he told me I had finally become "a soccer mom". Indeed. It's all it's cracked up to be, I assure you. A friend of mine and I considered the merits of bringing mimosas, but as her husband is the coach, this seemed like poor form. So instead, I sink into the stereotype.

Judging from the scores, Connor's team is awful. Every game they have been in, they've had the league "mercy rule" imposed on them, sometimes by the end of the first quarter. This rule dictates that if one team scores at least 6 more points than the other, the losing team may invoke an extra player.

To be fair, once it's 5 on 4, the team can occasionally score, or at least keep the other team from racking up a ton of points. And the boys seem to be having fun, although last weekend, frustrations on the field started to become apparent. At one point, Connor fell to the ground and ripped some grass out of the field. I suppose I'm glad he took his frustrations out on an inanimate object.

At first, Connor was undecided about soccer. He thought soccer practice might interfere with his plans to become a professional baseball player. Ed assured him he could probably skip Fall ball with few consequences.

What Connor lacks in soccer skills, he makes up for in enthusiasm. The little dude runs onto the field excitedly, chomps oranges and apples like a champion eater during breaks, and he stands right beside his coach to let the coach know he's available to go in, should the need arise. What's more, he had a blast with a recent soccer playdate that looks like it will become a standing date in the near future.

One of Helen's classmates has a brother on Connor's team, which means she has her classmate and his younger sister to play with during games. Their mom reports she's never seen so much soccer. Helen loves having her classmate to herself on Saturday mornings, rather than having to share him with the rest of the class.

Me? I'm enjoying trying to photograph soccer, though I've learned my lens is inept for the job in many ways. A better lens will find me, I'm sure, and in the meantime, I'll keep clicking away because I'm having so much fun!

Elaine