Soccer: Stops and Scores!

Both P and C play on soccer teams; though there shirts are both the same color, C is on a team in the U8 division and P in the U6 division.

This is P's second season playing. He has been eligible for 3 seasons but didn't want to play the first one (he gets very, very nervous starting new things). Last season he had a great experience when we were able to get him on his friend Mitchell's team; Mitchell's dad is an AWESOME coach. P was timid and frequently asked to come out but he enjoyed being on the team.

Now this season, well, he LOVES it!!! Same team and same coach but wow, P has totally no longer timid, apprehensive, or unfocused. His self confidence has grown so much since starting kindergarten and it is obvious in everything he does lately. P's strength is his ability to clear the ball away from the goal consistently (not allowed to have goalies at this level and there are only 5 players on each team at a time but I would say he is a sweeper... always the last stand against those ready to score) . I think he loves hearing his name being cheered and it has been cheered. He has not come close to scoring based on his "assignment" but he has kept many others from scoring and I think he understands how important that is.

C is in his 6th season though he hasn't played the last two springs, choosing to play baseball instead. C is cautious and tends to hold back in soccer, though he gets more aggressive each year (like his mom did when she played soccer; I just ran out of high school years before I became a decent player!) C's talent in soccer has always been in knowing where he should be and when... once a coach tells him a strategy that works well in a situation, C remembers it and applies it from there on out. Well it paid off Saturday. He knew to be right in front of the goal as his teammate kicked a corner kick and after a bit of a fight to keep it from the other team, C kicked it in! GOAL!!! And though I know he was so excited, and I was so excited for him, I was also so proud that he didn't make a big deal of it (though it doesn't happen often with young kids, it totally irks me when the players in hs, college, and pros . ask for cheers and show-off when they make a big play... ugh!). C just took care of business and got ready for the next kick-off.

I am not very competitive and all that matters to me is that they are having a great time but it is sure extra fun to see the boys getting high fives for great plays!

Kate