Soccer Games!

It is official.  I am a soccer mom.  My daughter is playing soccer for the first time this year.  I fully support any sport programs for young children.  I know that it kept me out of trouble through most of my childhood because I was always busy.  I played little league baseball, softball, basketball, cheer leading, dance, volleyball, and numerous other extra curricular activities.  You will likely notice that soccer is missing from that list.  I think it is the one sport that I honestly know little to nothing about.  That didn't stop me from jumping up and down with my daughter and running all over to get her signed up at the last minute on the last day, just like everything else in my life. 
Now we are learning together how to play.  I couldn't be more proud.  She is really dedicated and picking up the skills quickly.  She is a very loud outgoing girl.  I thought she would be all over soccer, and she is, in an odd timid sort of way.  She attacks everything in her life, except the soccer ball.  We spent the whole first game on Saturday cheering our heads off and yelling at her to take the ball.  It was so great to see the support coming from her dad, me, and grandma and papa who came to watch too.

This undertaking has not, however, come without frustrations.  Her team was very close to not having a coach, or more likely having a coach (me) who didn't know what in the world was going on.  They got a last minute volunteer and they are off.  We got a bit of a late start and we definitely need some practice, but we will get there.  The key to this is going to be organization and we need to work on that a little, but I think it will all come. 
The neatest thing I have observed in this is how dedicated people can be to kids.  I am not talking about their own kids, but all kids, other peoples kids, random kids they don't know.  The wonderful volunteers who coach these teams are amazing.  I watched a larger than average man jump up and down cheering on his little second graders.  I watched him high five every player that came off the field.  I watched him take his whole team down on one knee when one little girl fell and got hurt and then all clap her off the field.  The lessons that are being taught on that team are the important ones.  They are learning sportsmanship, friendship, encouragement, and teamwork.
So I leave you with the reminder when you see these great volunteers helping our future leaders these important skills make sure you say thank you and shake their hand.  It really is a great service they are doing us all.