Soccer

Both Connor and Helen are playing soccer this year, and as part of that effort, Connor has taken to coaching Helen in the backyard. It's super awesome, because we can run around outside after dinner until it gets dark, sweating, laughing, and passing the ball. Helen's coach constantly tells me how great and aggressive Helen is, and I suspect part of the reason Helen is willing to chase down the ball is because she's used to doing it with Connor. Second grade girls are less intimidating than fifth grade boys.

Helen typically plays hard, from the moment she steps onto the field until the moment she steps off. In the rare moment when she starts to sag, I yell the only thing I will say to her when she plays soccer - "no quits". She instantly pops out of her sag and keeps going. She is finally starting to believe how strong she is, which is a great joy for me to see.

Connor has turned it up a notch on the field. He plays hard, he can keep up with most of the kids, and rather than shying away from the ball, he's getting right in the middle of the action. He's had a few nice kicks, which have made him feel pretty good.

During the first game of the season, he answered his coach's call to play goalie. I thought he was crazy to do this, but figured I should stay out of it (which I did). However, when I saw him in front of that huge goal, in a game that was tied 0 - 0, I was terrified for him.

He played all right, but then let a goal in. This clearly disturbed him greatly, and he looked a bit ill. Ninety percent of me wanted to tell the coach "just put us all out of our misery - take him out", but I did not. I sat on my hands and reminded myself that Connor doesn't need his mama to save him. In fact, he needs to be up against the wall, feeling stress, and realizing that he can get through it. (And perhaps I need this, too.)

In the end, he made a couple of stops, kept the ball out of the goal, and rejoiced when his friend Sam got a goal evening up the score. After the game, he reported how stressful playing goalie was, and let me know he never plans to do it again.

I was secretly happy about that.

Elaine

Save time for fun...end of year soccer

Playing soccer is hard work - and the practices can be pretty hard as well. The field size increases each year, so the children playing need to be able to run farther, faster, and generally have more endurance.

Connor has been gifted with some wonderful soccer coaches - who have figured out how to work the boys hard, but also how to have fun. Yesterday, the boys capped off the season by settling a bet with their head coach.

Connor's team played one game on our "home turf" (the elementary school most of the boys on the team attend and where they practice). The head coach told them that if they won the game, they could dump Gatorade on him at a future game or practice. We've had some very cold and windy games and practices since then, but the coach wanted to honor the bet. So yesterday, during the time slot that would've been practice had there been another game and some daylight, the coach told the boys to meet at the school.

He provided a bunch of stadium cups, a huge cooler of water, and stepped in front of the firing squad.

The guy wins best natured coach in the universe for this, and for everything else he does throughout the season. It's a special gift to be able to motivate kids and still have them adore you.

Thanks, coach!

Elaine

Play Ball!

My parents came to visit last weekend, which means we were going full tilt. They came to watch Connor play baseball and soccer and Helen play softball. Although Connor's Thursday game was cancelled to rain, the back-to-back-to-back weekend lineup held up, and my parents trotted from field to field, praising their higher power more than once that this was a weekend event for them, and not their regular life.

The last time my parents came to watch Connor play baseball, he made a crazy play in the outfield, catching the ball and then getting it back to the first baseman cleanly and quickly. It was great to watch. This time, he turned on his bat with a 3 for 4 performance (something he's been working on) which resulted in a few huge grins. The team ended the regular season undefeated and head to the play-offs tomorrow. Go team!

Soccer was hot - as were the games Connor played yesterday and today.

After the game, Connor and I chatted and then he had a huge grin for my parents. Somehow, he looks so old in the photo with me. He really has become a pleasant person to chat with.

Helen had more of her awesome game-day looks, and hit the ball to the outfield! It wasn't in the air that whole distance, but it eventually meandered its way out there, rolling lazily by the girls on the other team.

Helen played her last game yesterday. I accompanied Connor to his game (Ed and I generally trade off who we watch) and then Connor and I dashed over to see Helen's last at-bat of the year. It was a great season. I suspect about half of the girls on the team understand the general concept of the game, which puts them squarely in the running for tops in their league.

And now...on to summer sports!

Elaine

Another season...

Connor's soccer team used to be terrible. Some shuffling of players, combining of various squads, and general improvement seem to be paying off. Last fall, they made it to the play-offs and were third. But the team typically struggles in spring because most of the boys choose to play baseball instead. Only a few of the boys play both. Connor is one of those boys. It likely stems from Ed and I loving baseball, but Connor really enjoys soccer.

I missed most of today's game. I had attended an impromptu baseball practice in the morning in lieu of a canceled game. Then I went to Helen's first softball game (more on that, next). After lunch, I went on a 6 mile run to take down signs I had posted for a sale that took place earlier in the day. By the time I got to soccer, there wasn't a ton of time left.

But timing is everything, because as soon as I was in view of the field, Connor got right in the middle of the action and launched the ball away from the goal his team was defending, toward another member of his team. "Bravo! I shouted." And several of the moms applauded my very timely entrance.

And then the moms went on to tell me that Connor had actually been good that day. Now, none of these women would ever say anything negative about Connor's play, but there's no doubt he is not the star of the team. What he lacks in talent, he makes up for in enthusiasm though, and this is a pretty important characteristic for Connor - since typically he doesn't get that excited about anything that's not in a Minecraft video game.

I have often said what I love about soccer is that there are enough levels of play - that everyone should end up where they belong. The very best boys go play on travel soccer teams. They are truly awesome. We had a boy bound for travel soccer on our team once, and it seemed as if any time his foot touched the ball it went into the goal. It was amazing. He was singlehandedly (or signlefootedly, as the case may be) beating other teams. The coach had to implement rules like "no scoring - just passing" for this guy. By the time you get to rec league, you basically have a team of school friends that just want to play.

Today, though, it seems that Connor wasn't just the captain of cheer for the team. Instead, he chased down another player who was heading for a goal, stole the ball, and got it turned around. I saw several clean passes he made. One of the moms came and asked Connor if he had drunk "soccer juice" for breakfast.

It was really fun to watch. The coaches each made a point of telling Connor about some nice play he had made.

The best moment of the game was when a boy on our team managed to in-bounds a ball, get it straight to the open player, who kicked the ball hard - and right into the goal. A last-second goal which tied the game. No, Connor was not either of those players, but the whole game was filled with boys kicking the ball to their teammates in a timely manner and really playing with joy.

I hope it's the start of a really fun season.

Elaine

NaBloPoMo: Thirty Acts of Love: Day 3.For the Love of the Game

Coaching children's sports can be a thankless task. You have little to no choice in who you work with and you're destined to work with them twice a week - at a practice and at a game. In Fall, practices tend to be at 5:00 or 5:30, so you can easily wind up with a group full of children that are hungry and ready for dinner or a group of children that are fatigued from the day. Neither of these conditions are optimal for teaching.

Dads coached both of Connor's teams. Together, these seven men showed up week in and week out, brought their best selves every time, and they were all incredibly kind to Connor.

You want to play goalie? Tell me when.

You want to try catching? Take the gear home for a week and test it out.

These dads pay so much attention to the game that they can deliver a sincere compliment about a play that meant something to Connor after every game. That's a special gift, because there's a lot of chaos going on around them throughout the game.

They are always trying to move the team forward.

I can only guess their motivation. My best guesses? They do it for the love of their kids. They do it for the love of the game.  I appreciate them. Along the way, they have taught Connor a lot.

NaBloPoMo: Thirty Acts of Love

Day 1. The All Night Sewing Spree
Day 2. Package from a Friend

Soccer - an Update

A few days ago, I was riffing on Connor's terrible soccer team and pronouncing my expertise at rooting for terrible teams. Well, apparently my snark is all the team needed. Last Saturday's score? 6 - 5 - with Connor's team in the lead. That 5 for the other team includes one goal scored by Connor's team. That 6 for Connor's team lacks a goal that Connor came within inches of making (DOH!). The other teams 5 also excludes a second goal that Connor's team almost scored on itself - on a breakaway, no less. At the last moment, a team member caught up to the runaway team member and kicked the ball to the side, avoiding the almost certain goal.

Here is what my untrained eye noticed.

1. It's easier to not have 15 goals scored against your team if you focus on kicking the ball to the side of the field when you're not on your goal side, rather than always playing in the center. The boys seem all over executing that lesson.

2. Even when your kid's team wins a very exciting game, soccer is still very boring to someone who grew up rooting for baseball. I suspect the inverse is true for people who grew up rooting for a soccer team, and now find themselves watching little league.

3. Popcorn is a great, nut-free, post-game snack. It was our turn to bring snack, and it was a huge hit.

4. If you leave the jug of lemonade you made for the game in the refrigerator, it is very difficult to serve at the end of the game. Luckily, I noticed the missing jug at halftime, and Ed saved the day by running to a nearby grocery store and snagging new lemonade. We now have A LOT of lemonade in our home. This pleases Connor.

5. Maybe, just maybe, having grandparents in town is what we need for all of Spring, since Connor's baseball and soccer team won. Coincidence? I don't think so. Clearly, my parents are the lucky talon.

Action shot!

I have no idea what's going on, either.

So...same time next week, Mom and Dad?

Elaine

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