I have mixed feelings about our family soccer experience. Personally, I love to play the sport. The kids love to play it as well. I was completely impressed with Olivia's interest to do something she had never done before. "Who knows. I may like it," she says. She spent the first four practices with either her hair or her fingers in her mouth, insecurity. Then, come to find out goalie is her favorite position. Granted, she swatted at the ball from about 3 feet away initially, but look at her by the end of the season! This is not an aggressive girl...well, not athletically aggressive. I was proud to see her put some umph into it.
That's Coach Kelly walking in behind. She made it a great season.
Soccer parents and coaches can indeed be as crazy as the rumors attest. Sadly, I must include myself. Now, I'm not bad mouthing other players or demeaning the kids when they make mistakes. However, I am a bit excitable and, "Run. Run! RUN, JOSEPH! YOU HAVE TO RUN FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" might have come out of my mouth. Maybe. And I may have once (or twice) bemoaned (out loud) the fact that the coach never pulled his own kid. Everyone sat on the bench but him and I thought that was unfair. But, like my patient husband, I should have kept my mouth shut and waited for a truly important issue to open my mouth about - like the coaches harassing the teenage umpires...umpires, that's not right...refs! during the tournament. A patient, private, but extraordinarily firm word changed behavior and maintained a friendship. The unbelievable Providence is that that coach's son is now on our baseball team - and Mike is coaching!
I was reading an article recently that bemoaned the fact that all kids get trophies nowadays and I have to say I agree. Due to our out of balance fear of damaging their self-esteem, we choose to lie to them instead and damage their trust of us. Everyone, believe it or not, is not the best. We just watched a herd of Olympic cross country skiers ski for about 100 miles (exaggeration mine) and the guy who led almost the entire race did not win. Not first, not second, not third. He got no trophy. He got an Olympic experience for which I hope he is profoundly grateful. And he got our family's (and hopefully hundreds of others') profound admiration...I cannot even walk 100 miles. But he did not get a trophy. I am okay with my kids not always getting a trophy. Especially if it is their first year and they actually sorta stink at the sport. For what do they have to strive now? Already got the trophy.
However, they were awfully cute waiting in line and cheering for one another.
The fan
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