The Wide Wide World of Sports

This past weekend we entered into the right of passage known as Saturday sports. As I've said before, we're newbies to alot of these kid things. Only as Kate is growing up are we navigating the road of all the social interaction that comes with your kids having a life.

My college friend hooked me up with the soccer thing and we got our kids on the same team. Then she says they need someone to coach (I can totally envision her laughing a bit evilly and knowingly while recounting this conversation to her other friends with older kids). Me, new parent with innocent fresh naivete to the world of kid's sports says - Jeff will do it! I did imagine beautiful moments as Jeff passes on his love of soccer to his daughter and other young eager proteges on early crisp fall mornings. Little ones in their tiny cleats and shin guards running with the ball at their feet.

Here is the reality: We're down one man from the get go because of flu. (We are the only ones without an older child interestingly.) One doesn't make it into his t shirt or out of his Dad's arms. There is much indecision as to what the team name should be. The boys like the Tigers, the girls do not. The girls are okay however if they are 'spotted' tigers (maybe they are envisioning pink polka dotted tigers?) Spotted Tigers it is.

They have a few minutes of practice. Mostly they look at Jeff in bewilderment as he tries to explain a throw in or the concept of passing the ball to a teammate (I am mentally trying to will him advice to just let the kids run around kicking the ball instead of all this rule stuff.)

Then comes the scrimmage against the other little team. 4 on 4, no goalies. Right off the bat we find out that if you are thirsty, apparently you just leave the field. And that when the ball goes out of bounds and down the hill your team and the other team will find it more fun to roll down the hill again and again as opposed to returning to the soccer field. (This was really funny to watch however. ) Also, if you are the really fast kid who has been groomed to play soccer since you were 6 months old, you already know how to throw in the ball towards the goal then run to it and score before any of your own team or the Spotted Tiger team has even looked up from the field. His shirt number was very fittingly Number 1.

Kate did really great. Much better than I thought. I was prepared for her to be messing around in the back field. Or crying because someone stepped on her foot or need a "fix" for her band aid addiction. None of that happened. Instead she was out there in the middle of the pack that follows the ball. Made a steal. Even created a play for our team to score (thanks Cody!) I was impressed! Maybe some of our good genes did get passed on. Even though Daddy says Mommy doesn't even know how to kick a soccer ball. Whatever Daddy.

Go Spotted Tigers!