I just realized that we got through another soccer season and we have very few pictures. Did we finally just get smart and realize that we need not bother? It is not like they will look that different NEXT year in the same green/white/black uniforms!
This year was interesting - figuring out who "got Luke" while they coached and who would be taking/picking up Anna from her game. It was amazing how many weekends we had games scheduled for the SAME time or directly after another. I didn't get to see all of Anna's games and that was disappointing as last year I was so much more involved. Plus at her level the games are intense and fun to watch. (vs. watching 5 year olds!)
Brett coached Joshua again - for his 2nd un-defeated season. Joshua really loves the game and LOVES Brett as his coach. They had a "phe-nom" player on their team this year and between him and Josh we lost track of how many times they would score in a game. One coach was completely upset with Brett and telling him to hold the guys back. Brett was having them play in all sorts of odd positions, but wasn't going to tell them not to play.
Another coach was complaining to Brett that he always got the straggler kids who registered late, who couldn't speak English or play soccer. Then he saw Brett's team and changed his tune to, "I always get the kids from Smith (upperclass school) who just play video games!" It was funny as Brett's team was definitely the straggler team, the very last team to be put together and many of them did not speak English very well. Everyone was pretty average in abilities, but together (with Brett's coaching :)they were awesome! Plus, they were just the NICEST group of kids you could ever want to coach. Brett said that there wasn't one team that gave them real competition.
Here was at the end of year party. The picture only shows a few of the teammates/kids, but they had a blast playing soccer and football on the front lawn together. LIke I said, our team photographer was absent at the games and the parties!
I coached Claire and Eliza this year and we only lost our 1st two games. (Yes, I was thrilled about finally winning some as last year it was just the opposite!) This was Claire and Eliza's first year playing. Some girls their age were on their 3rd year playing. Once Eliza realized which way to go we were un-stoppable :) Claire was a little fireball and would steal the ball from the best of them. If she didn't get at least 2 goals she was pouting. We were definitely working on teaching her some sportsmanship on the field. "Don't lose the fire Claire - just don't start crying every time the other team scores!"
Eliza would consistently score 2-3 times a game. I seriously don't know how that happened. She has no sense of direction when she kicks. Sometimes she would fall over after kicking. She would skip past me smiling and saying, "Did you see me run?" She tended to get a little distracted when she would be playing a friend from school. "Focus Eliza! You've already said 'Hi' to her 3 times!"
Anna's team took a while to warm up. They lost all their games until the last 3. I was noticing that it was almost seeming like habit for them to not win and not score. Anna would have the ball, right next to the goal, and then let the goaly get it. Or she would kick it to someone else. All the girls on her team seemed to be playing "Miss Manners Soccer" - "Oh! did you want that ball, go ahead then!" It was really frustrating to see Anna get the ball and then just hand it off because she was afraid or didn't know what to do. So one day we practiced at home and I made her do 100 of the same thing to get her legs/brain realizing they could work together. The next game she scored 3 goals! She had never done that before. Her whole soccer life (2 years) she has only scored once. The thing that was so fun to see was the fact that SHE SAW that just changing her mental picture/attitude changed everything. I was SO happy that I was able to see her do that. That was a game I was late to and had to leave early from. So I was thrilled for her. It was her "aha" moment (and mine!).
At the end of the season, Anna got picked to play on the all-star team or "World Cup". Each team (once they hit 8 yrs) has 2 players nominated by the opposing team coaches who get to play at "World Cup". Another surprise for Anna (and us!) when she was picked. She was so thrilled and it was such a good experience. They get to work with expert coaches to get ready for this. With Anna, soccer has not come naturally. She started out looking like a newborn colt, but has learned so much. It has been such a joy for me to see her work hard and improve - even more rewarding seeing her grown than watching some of our other kids who haven't had to try so hard.
Soccer season - a very intense few months for us. I say "for us" as I have a sister who coaches 2 teams with 6 games each weekend between her kids and a brother-in-law who coaches all 5 of his girls! We are just the spring chicks in this area, I guess, so it is still hard for us :) I love it.
This year was interesting - figuring out who "got Luke" while they coached and who would be taking/picking up Anna from her game. It was amazing how many weekends we had games scheduled for the SAME time or directly after another. I didn't get to see all of Anna's games and that was disappointing as last year I was so much more involved. Plus at her level the games are intense and fun to watch. (vs. watching 5 year olds!)
Brett coached Joshua again - for his 2nd un-defeated season. Joshua really loves the game and LOVES Brett as his coach. They had a "phe-nom" player on their team this year and between him and Josh we lost track of how many times they would score in a game. One coach was completely upset with Brett and telling him to hold the guys back. Brett was having them play in all sorts of odd positions, but wasn't going to tell them not to play.
Another coach was complaining to Brett that he always got the straggler kids who registered late, who couldn't speak English or play soccer. Then he saw Brett's team and changed his tune to, "I always get the kids from Smith (upperclass school) who just play video games!" It was funny as Brett's team was definitely the straggler team, the very last team to be put together and many of them did not speak English very well. Everyone was pretty average in abilities, but together (with Brett's coaching :)they were awesome! Plus, they were just the NICEST group of kids you could ever want to coach. Brett said that there wasn't one team that gave them real competition.
Here was at the end of year party. The picture only shows a few of the teammates/kids, but they had a blast playing soccer and football on the front lawn together. LIke I said, our team photographer was absent at the games and the parties!
I coached Claire and Eliza this year and we only lost our 1st two games. (Yes, I was thrilled about finally winning some as last year it was just the opposite!) This was Claire and Eliza's first year playing. Some girls their age were on their 3rd year playing. Once Eliza realized which way to go we were un-stoppable :) Claire was a little fireball and would steal the ball from the best of them. If she didn't get at least 2 goals she was pouting. We were definitely working on teaching her some sportsmanship on the field. "Don't lose the fire Claire - just don't start crying every time the other team scores!"
Eliza would consistently score 2-3 times a game. I seriously don't know how that happened. She has no sense of direction when she kicks. Sometimes she would fall over after kicking. She would skip past me smiling and saying, "Did you see me run?" She tended to get a little distracted when she would be playing a friend from school. "Focus Eliza! You've already said 'Hi' to her 3 times!"
Anna's team took a while to warm up. They lost all their games until the last 3. I was noticing that it was almost seeming like habit for them to not win and not score. Anna would have the ball, right next to the goal, and then let the goaly get it. Or she would kick it to someone else. All the girls on her team seemed to be playing "Miss Manners Soccer" - "Oh! did you want that ball, go ahead then!" It was really frustrating to see Anna get the ball and then just hand it off because she was afraid or didn't know what to do. So one day we practiced at home and I made her do 100 of the same thing to get her legs/brain realizing they could work together. The next game she scored 3 goals! She had never done that before. Her whole soccer life (2 years) she has only scored once. The thing that was so fun to see was the fact that SHE SAW that just changing her mental picture/attitude changed everything. I was SO happy that I was able to see her do that. That was a game I was late to and had to leave early from. So I was thrilled for her. It was her "aha" moment (and mine!).
At the end of the season, Anna got picked to play on the all-star team or "World Cup". Each team (once they hit 8 yrs) has 2 players nominated by the opposing team coaches who get to play at "World Cup". Another surprise for Anna (and us!) when she was picked. She was so thrilled and it was such a good experience. They get to work with expert coaches to get ready for this. With Anna, soccer has not come naturally. She started out looking like a newborn colt, but has learned so much. It has been such a joy for me to see her work hard and improve - even more rewarding seeing her grown than watching some of our other kids who haven't had to try so hard.
Soccer season - a very intense few months for us. I say "for us" as I have a sister who coaches 2 teams with 6 games each weekend between her kids and a brother-in-law who coaches all 5 of his girls! We are just the spring chicks in this area, I guess, so it is still hard for us :) I love it.
1 comment:
Way to go, Baileys!!!
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