Making of a Player
It takes all of this…
to “create” this….
Archive for Soccer
The Crew
This weeked was a soccer family dream. Saturday afternoon we watched the 14 yr old and his friends (13-18) play two games against another local school. The Junior Varsity game was SUPER rough with several yellow cards being tossed and players taken out with injuries (most very minor). Normally Varsity games are rougher than the JV, so I was concerned.
For no reason. It was a great game (even though we didn’t win).
Sunday, we headed to Columbus, Ohio to see The Crew play. It is the closest MLS team to us and luckily the best in the MLS right now.
GO CREW!
Look at these boys. Most of them were born when I was in high school and college.
Damn, how did I get old?
I am not a fan of the Dynamo keeper. He did a really good job, but he is one of the oldest players in the league, earlier in the season my son dubbed him “hitler head” because he shaved the sides of his head where he was turning grey.
Embrace your age baby, embrace it!
If I were your age (oh hell, I am) and I could kick a ball like that I would be a happy fox.
Happy.
But, when these are the boys you have to defend against. I can see why you would be scared.
Oh, Frankie.
I am Flexible
Really!
Ok, me, not so much.
But the 14 yr old is. His middle name is flexible, just no one ever told me. I always thought it was something more traditional. This season marks the 9th year my son has played soccer. By now, I would have thought I had seen it all-and done it all in the realm of soccer parentage.
Guess not!
Because this season, my baby, my one and only child spawn is a keeper for the HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM. It pains me to even type it.
He is a fantastic player (if I do say so myself) and he will do anything coach asks of him on the field, which is how my son got me into this mess (this mess of parental sideline tums addiction). Something like “so coach, I will play keep until you get someone to do it full time!” so he is.
Did I mention he hasn’t done this since he was 9. Do I need to mention there is a world of difference between playing keeper when you are NINE and when you are in the NINTH grade? Well, there is!
Many keepers are over six feet tall, my 14 yr old is 5′7″.
His first game was earlier this week. He did not get scored on once.
Not Once.
I am proud of him.
He is really pretty good at this gig.
Maybe at tomorrows game I can watch it with my hands in my lap instead of over my eyes.
(ok, not really, I take pictures of the whole game…so that was a small fib)
Ever Drawing Near…
I only had a good month off soccer.
Last Friday marked the “official” begining of the 14 yr olds high school soccer career. We found out which team, if any, he made. He was honestly suprised that he made both the Freshman Team AND the Junior Varsity Team.
Mama is so very proud.
I also realize that mama is so very exhausted.
This school does not mess around, from now until school starts in August we have practice twice a day Monday-Friday and from 8-10 on Saturday. And when I say WE, I mean the both of us, because the practices are only 2 hours long, that is hardly enough time to get anything done other than a quick trip to the grocery.
I have designated the first practice of the day as my “work out” and walk the track while the kids are on the field. Hopefully, I can plan for blog posts and other life stuff during the second.
School starts in 3 weeks!
My boys, The soccer play(ers)
Everyone knows that the 14 yr old plays…
Now the spouselet does too!
(he is the one playing keep).
I was on the sidelines planning blog posts, like this one 
Not Soon Enough
Originally Posted on MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2008
Yesterday at about 11:00AM our soccer season ended. If you asked my son how he felt about it, the title of this post would have been his reply. It was a hard season.
With a record of 0-1-6 (not counting the 6 games we lost in tournament play) it was not pretty.
It was however an opportunity for extreme growth for the team, their parents and the players. I know I learned alot about myself and my son.
I learned that:
- my kid has a slight anger management issue and there is a very fine line between using that energy to play harder and better-and totally blowing his stack.
- my kid will do whatever the team needs him to do to help the team
- my kid is an encourager of other players on his team
- my kid is a protector (doesn’t matter if the kid in need of protection is 6 inches taller than him or not)
- my kid has quiet the colorful vocabulary and my pointing it out doesn’t improve the sitauation
- my kid wants to play soccer-it isn’t just about winning-although that is nice
- I am extremely proud of my son and the season he had
- I am proud of how he plays the game even if it isn’t always pretty
- I am busting at the seams with pride over seeing him embrace players who struggling with their skills or position and pointing out their strengths (he doesn’t know I see this stuff, but I do)
- I am glad (and thankful) that we moved to a more organized team
Stuff like this…makes me happy to be a soccer mama!
8 Reasons to Volunteer for Your Child’s Sport
Originally posted FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2009
- It is expected. Part of being a parent of a player for any team is working for the team. Some clubs and sports require more time and energy than others. Do your part. And seriously, if your club has a “pay to not volunteer” option, only be that parent if you are the President of the United States or Superman. They need the man hours MORE than the money.
- Your kid secretly likes it. They may never tell you that, but I see the look on their faces with their mom is in the concession stand or their dad is helping direct traffic. Your kid knows you helping out means you care about their sport AND them!
- Fresh Perspective. You gain a better understanding of the game when you are around the fields and your child is not playing. There is something about having your kid on the field that makes parents (or maybe just mom’s) hyper focus on their child.
- Teaches a Spirit of Service. I hope I am teaching my child that this is not only one of the responsibilities of parenting, but one of the joys as well. Helping and serving others is something we take very seriously in our household.
- Keeping up. I do love volunteering, but even if I didn’t I would do it for this reason alone. You can find out a lot about your child and their friends working the games. You see things that they don’t know you see or are aware of (especially if they are teenagers, and they forget anyone else exists!)
- Relationships are Formed. I have met some of the coolest people volunteering for various jobs and not all of them are adults-children can enrich or life experience as well you know.
- Networking. I know I am reaching for the bottom of the barrel here, but sometimes parents don’t do what is best for their kid and their development, they are all about the career, if (I pray not) this is you and your situation, think of the contacts you can make! Keep a stash of business cards in your pants pocket and market the fire out of yourself.*
- Looks good on a Resume’. Again for the me-me generation, you can put it under “community service” in case you are looking for a job and someone in the company actually sees value in this sort of thing.*
Are there any I missed?
What is your number one reason for helping during your childs sport?
What is your number one reason for helping during your childs sport?
*yeah, I can be a little sarcastic. I really don’t think EITHER is a good reason to volunteer, but it can be a benifit, if you aren’t a Jerk about it.
Have a great weekend!
One of “Those” Parents
Originally posted on FRIDAY, JULY 4, 2008
embarrassment .
that is what the picture to the left represents. that is me in all my shameful (non)glory.
Less than one month ago I deleted this blog in a fit. I should have thought about it first-you know never make a rash choice in the heat of the moment or whatever. But I did and the next day regretted it…slightly.
So, here’s the skinny.
My son tried out for a competitive team. I thought I was prepared. I talked to a lot of people. His coaches thought he would do fine in the tryout. “no need to worry.” He knew a lot of kids who already played on that team (from school) and they told him they thought he would be fine.
What I didn’t count on was what the coach who picked the team thought. How his brain works and the type of kid he is looking for.
The days we had to wait for the numbers to be posted on the site were excruciating. My son was extremely confident based on what his friends said. I didn’t realize until later that I was more nervous than I should be.Sunday night came and the numbers were posted. My son’s number was NOT on the page.
PANIC-
maybe we are looking at the wrong age group.
Click. nope. click. nope.
maybe they accidentally reversed the boys numbers with the girls.
Click. nope. click. nope.
oh holy heck.
My precious son did not make the team.
NOW.What.???
Much crying and screaming ensued.
Not from him.
From me.
This is the part that just makes me want to hide under the sofa for a about 22 days-which is what I did, when I deleted the blog.
I felt like it was the end of the world. I never took risks as a child. I only tried out for things that I KNEW I could make. I did the same thing with my son.
“I would have NEVER allowed you to do this if I WAS NOT certain that you would make it.”
-Came out of my own mouth. It was several days before I realized I had become one of “those parents”.
Somewhere in the process I had lost sight of the spirit of the game and that it really was all about the fun. I was vicariously living through my son and his soccer achievements because I am about as athletic as his socks.
I also forgot that boys are much more resilient than their mothers. He was ready to build a soccer equipment bonfire Sunday and cancelling his trip to camp. Heck he even mentioned playing football (gasp). And by the time I got back from the store with the lighter fluid-he had packed his bags for camp.
He told me that he doesn’t care what team he is on. He loves the game. He will do whatever it takes.
I could learn a lot from my kid.
I need to pay more attention.
Club Tryouts and Expectations
Originally Posted on May 27th 2008.
I don’t know when other area’s have tryout for their Competitive Youth Soccer Progams but in my area they all fall on the same days of the same week. Parents are torn because if their kid doesn’t make team A he doesn’t make a team and recreational soccer is his only option until the next year or season. However, from a club perspective, this does prevent a bit of team shopping.
I have heard from countless parents who have been so unhappy with the league for which thier child plays. I have heard more than one coach discuss his discontent with parents. I am by no means perfect, but I think that some of the conflict could be avoided with clear expectations and boundaries.
The KY Youth Soccer Blog has a good article on tryouts from a club perspective, but that is
only part of the equation. Parents have got to do their research as well.
- Talk to other parents who have kids who play for that organization.
- Talk to parents who have kids who play for a particular coach.
- Check out the league and team websites. You can determine alot about a group by the information presented.
- Research the fees involved-there is more to playing soccer than uniforms, balls and cleats.
- Discover if the team is part of a state/local league or a regional league, that can bump up the travel costs fast.
- Talk to your son or daughter and see how they really feel. I know sometimes we have these ideas that OUR precious child will be the next Donovan or Beckham and they might have their hearts set on being a Gates or Jobs.
Good luck and don’t take the process or yourself to seriously at this stage of the game.
Afterall, most of it is about having fun!
Get the Ball Rollin’
Originally posted May 3th, 2008.
I have considered writing a soccer type blog for months and every time thought better of it because it was generally on the heels of a huge rant about another soccer parent. Or a “what not do to” as a soccer parent, friend or loved one…and that honestly doesn’t help anyone.
Lastnight I was laying in bed and I thought of about 5 things to blog on before I feel asleep-and trust me, I fall asleep fast-and if you don’t believe me, ask my husband!
Why do I think I can write a blog for families of soccer players? Well, for a few reasons:
- My son has played soccer since he was 4 starting with the local YMCA.
- I have been a Team Manager for a semi-competitive league.
- I am currently the team mom for the school team my son currently attends.
- I dated soccer players in high school and college (ok, that doesn’t count for anything other than to show that I have enjoyed soccer for a REALLY LONG time)
- I have made my share of mistakes in the above listed roles and would like to help other people from doing what I have done.
- One of my favorite quotes lends perfectly to reason #5:
“If you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to serve as a
horriblewarning.”~Catherine Aird
So, here is to a great adventure!And Let’s get the ball rolling.
