Soccer Mom

We can now call it Fall because the craziness of soccer season has begun!

 

This year, Ethan moved up a division, to the U16 boys team. There are only two teams in his division in the league which we play in (Northwest Christian Sports League), so they will play each other every week.  I volunteered to be the Team Mom again this year, crazy me.  I love it, though.  I love getting to watch these boys grow and develop over the season, getting more confident in their skills and stronger in their stamina.  I also love taking pictures of all the players.  Every year for the last three seasons I have put together a slide show with kickin' music, showcasing the boys and making them all look like rock stars.  The boys eat it up, and I love watching their reactions as they see themselves blown up larger than life on the screen.

 

New for this year, Erica has started her first season of soccer!  She has loved kicking the ball around and running around the field with all her new friends.  I couldn't believe that she let me put all the gear on her: the shin guards, long socks, shorts, and cleats.  My little princess, who refuses to wear anything other than a dress and pretty shoes, was so excited to play, that she let the no-skirt policy slide.  I think the sweetest part has been watching Ethan teach her a few moves.  Even before practices began, he had set up his goal and was running drills, showing her how to kick the ball into the net.  I love that boy!  I think that all the attention he gave her was the main driving force behind how excited Erica was to play!

 

On Wednesday night, Ethan's team played a special Parent vs. Boys scrimmage.  Since Eric was out of town, I got roped into playing.  I have never played a game of soccer in my life.  Sure, I've kicked a ball around a little, but never an actual game, with thirteen-year-old boys pounding down the field at you, their dangerous cleat-covered feet slipping around your unprotected shins, a look of maniacal determination in their eyes.

 

Yes, I screamed...a few times.

 

The line from "A League of Their Own," where Tom Hanks bellows to the all-girls team: "There's no crying in baseball!!!" kept ringing in my ears.

 

Despite the fact that I completely embarrassed myself with my inability to play any sort of sport whatsoever, I had a really great time.  The boys clobbered us 5-3, and Ethan scored three of their goals!  That's my boy!  He must get it from his dad....My score was: 0.

 

The highlight of the evening was rushing to my meeting scheduled at the church right after the game.  I went running into the church, sweat drenching the back of my hair enough that I could wring it out.  I wrapped myself up in a jacket to hide the stink, and pretended that I was a super cool mom, because I was playing so hard with our soccer boys.

 

Of course, super cool soccer moms probably wouldn't even break a sweat.

 

After all, there's no crying in soccer!