I’m officially a soccer Mom – an obnoxious one at that. :)

Sunday was Kamryn’s first day as a bona fide soccer player. She was very excited but probably not as excited as me. All day she kept asking if “Coach Stefano” was going to be there. He was the coach she had last fall when she took an indoor soccer class. Notably we didn’t continue the class into the winter because she didn’t seem to be getting much out of it. She just wouldn’t listen. Coach Stefano was good though – her coach in this league – not so much. Ah well. The idea is that the kids have fun and fun they did have. Although who in their right mine puts a 3 ½ year old in goal for a whole game! Poor kid (not mine thank heavens!) was just standing there. She wasn’t really goal keeping because the “coach” told her not to move so she wasn’t going to. Finally her mother went over and pulled her out of goal so that she to could have a little fun.

Kamryn had a great time and was actually quite good for the first part of the “game.” She ball handled well and was aggressive enough to get in the pack and actually kick the ball. Now she wasn’t perfect – at one point I heard her narrating to their coach as she ran down the field how she had new soccer shoes. Still I was very proud of her. She played MUCH better than I expected she would. Then her friend (the aforementioned goal keeper) was put into the actual game and the wheels kind of fell off at that point. They were holding hands, comparing ponytails and generally socializing instead of actually playing. I have to admit it was cute if somewhat maddening. Their team, Team Italy, got completely creamed by Team Trinidad who somehow seemed older (they really aren’t although it is conceivable that our team is 3 ½ year old “heavy”) and decidedly more talented. I’m hoping that next Sunday they will play Team Poland because I took a look at Team Poland and while cute (what 3 or 4 year old in huge soccer gear isn’t?) looked decidedly “less athletic” than Team Italy. Lol One can only hope.

I did notice that a good portion of Team Italy (at least 5 kids out of maybe 15) spent a great deal of time on the sidelines crying while the same didn’t seem true for Team Trinidad. I don’t really understand but maybe it’s because I don’t have a kid with separation anxiety. I’ve never been in that situation (things may change when Sam starts doing things where I’m not RIGHT there). Parents were on the sidelines; they weren’t all that far away. * shrug * Hopefully they will get more into it. One little girl was just breaking hearts. I think she sobbed from the warm-up right through to the final whistle. I kept thinking that her parents should just pull her but I guess that wouldn’t have helped her any. Poor kid.

Kamryn must have been completely exhausted by the end of the night. I don’t think she ever stopped running. Sam was quite put out that he could play to; he though had a pretty good time running along with Kamryn, Jordan and Braeden (little boy across the who lives across the street) before and after the game. During the game he was COMPLETELY miserable. I can’t blame him but I don’t know what I can do – I can’t leave him at home and I can’t tie him up and gag him. Drugs… perhaps…drugs (just kidding!) This time I tried food; plying him with cookies whenever he got restless. Oie can that boy put away cookies so that didn’t work for very long. I will have to be more creative next weekend, although hopefully Daniel will be off work so I won’t be on my own with him. He tends to listen to Daniel MUCH better than me.

Anyway, while getting Kamryn ready for bed she kept proclaiming how much she enjoyed soccer and how she was going to dream about it that night. I think we have a winner here. She likes it AND she’s actually good at it (for a not quite 4 year old anyways). Hopefully she will continue to enjoy it; of all the sports she could play soccer is the one I really hoped she would get into – equipment is cheap and I don’t have to sit in a freezing rink at 6 am on a Saturday morning. Before you say anything, I am prepared to sit on a sopping field in November.

Some Photos:

My soccer star:



My soccer star and her amazing teammates. Her "best mate" Jordan and the little boy who lives across the street. It was his birthday Sunday. When he was born 4 years ago we didn't even know Kamryn was going to exist. They are seven weeks apart in age.