Tag: soccer

When your children cry

So Madi tried out for the travel soccer team.  She is young so we tried to prepare her that she may not make it. She did great at the try outs fast, alert and on the ball.  There were not too many girl so we fully expected her to make a team.  Technically she was better than many of the girls who were there.

The announcements are made on-line, delayed several times by well over a week making the waiting a real headache.They finally posted Saturday night.  She did not make the team along with 3 other girls.  I had to tell her the news.  She was so upset.  We had tears for a few minutes, we laid on her bed and I held onto her.  There was nothing I could do but hug her tight.  Mommy could not fix this one, for as much as I try sometimes the reality sets in that I am not a super hero. :-(.

Yesterday we were having some friends over for a BBQ.  As I was running around getting things ready she asked for a special request.  Could I read her our “special” book.  We have had a book since they were babies that I love to read to them and they have always loved to hear.  I still read it each year the night before the first day of school.  Of course I could stop what I was doing so Madison and I settled in on the sofa  The title of the book is “Oh My Baby, Little One”.  images

Although I was not sending her off to school for the first time, I guess since we have made this book such an important part of our lives it helped her process.

“But still this love is with you, like the leaves are with the trees,                                               like the sand is with the sandbox, like the kite is with the breeze.”

It was not to long after that our friends arrived and the kids were happily splashing around in a rather cold pool.  The weather was not what we would have hoped for to kick off pool season but for the young it is never to chilly to swim.  The disappointment of the soccer team was gone in its place a young girl with not a care in the world, as it should be!

And all was right with the world!
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Determination and Pride

Tomorrow Megan’s soccer team is playing in a soccer tournament.  Our township is hosting this one which is nice, short ride to the field and the ability to stop home between games if we want.  The tournament itself started tonight but her team has all 3 games tomorrow.

After an awful fall with no wins a tie and the rest losses, the coach made some changes.  First he brought on an assistant to help him to work more closely with the girls in practice.  The practices are definitely more high impact and the girls are more focused.  He also pointed out something that we all saw very clearly, our little girls were in terrible shape.  They would come onto the field full of steam to play but within a few minutes were out of gas.  By the second half our girls were flat-footed to put it nicely.

Do not misunderstand me, none of us parents cared about the losses but seeing 7-8 year olds unable to play for the full-time was concerning.  Twice a week in practice they now start and finish with a half mile run for a total of 1 mile.  The first time Megan had to complete the run we had tears, lots of them!  Before she even started she told me she would never be able to finish. It was tough for me to watch, I even went out and jogged part of the last lap with her to try to get her through.

It has been 4 weeks now and the results are showing.  The team’s record is 2-1-1 and they play much stronger.  With the tournament this weekend all of the fields have been closed in preparation.  Coach wanted to make sure the girls were focused so he had them show up at the park Thursday night for a run.  When we arrived we were informed that the distance would be 2 miles.  No timers, no winners just finish and NO walking.  Wow…I will admit I was worried.  I whispered in Megan’s ear a reminder, breath, pace yourself and do not worry about what anyone else is doing or where you are in the group just stay focused and finish.

I stood with the father of another girl from the team and we watched the girls pass us, (each lap is a half mile).  After the first mile I gave her a small drink and told her how great she was doing.  After the next lap she was struggling but on ward she went.  At the end of the fourth lap the coach patted each girl on the back as they came across told them to grab a water and walk one more for cool down.  I walked with her with pride.  My baby who literally almost collapsed the first run had just completed twice the distance with no tear and told me that although her legs felt like jelly she felt great!

I will admit that at first I thought the coach was a bit rough.  He was asking too much from little kids.  Sometimes it takes events like this to remind me, although I want to protect them from every ouch, every pain, I can not wrap them in bubble wrap.  The best way to protect them is to ensure that they are strong, healthy and confident.  I don’t know what the results of the games will be but I am sure that the girls will play hard and with confidence, and in the end that is all we could ever hope.

Spring time snow

What a crazy day. It has been snowing since first thing this morning and the news called for 2-5 inches of snow. The spring so far has been less than exciting. Freezing temperatures, wind,grey skies and now snow.

Saturday we sat for a soccer game in 25+mph winds and cold. The calendar may say spring but someone seems to have forgotten to tell the sun! At least the snow started early today so by 9 am I knew that soccer practice would be cancelled for the night. Instead I am sitting at karate watching the rain fall. Thankfully it has been too warm for the snow to lay on the roads. We probably have gotten over 3-4 inches on the grass before it changed to rain about an hour ago.dancing_snow_miser

As I sit here waiting for the kids, the snow miser song is running through my head. (Year without a Santa Claus). Maybe the brothers are battling and snowy refuses to give up. I am not sure what is going on but it would sure be nice if Mother Nature would have someone take a look at the calendar and turn on the sun.  I have really had enough of cold dreary days.

Megan’s soccer team is in a tournament this weekend. We were lucky to have all 3 games scheduled for Saturday. The news is calling for mid 50’s, light breeze and sun. My fingers are crossed. The bunny will arrive later that night,we would not want to see the little guy freeze!