Soccer Mom Musings

I tell Braden every week that it doesn’t matter if his team wins or loses, all that matters is that they have fun. I was so proud at his game today to hear him repeating that to some of his teammates. But I have to admit, winning is fun too! Braden’s and Lydia’s teams both won their first games today.

Lydia was so cute on the field. Sometimes I catch her out there sucking her thumb or attempting to do cartwheels. Today, though, she really hustled up and down the field. Every time she passed me she would wave and yell, “I almost kicked the ball, Mommy!” She gets really close to the ball, but doesn’t usually work up the courage to actually hit it. Their team won 2-1.

I am so proud of Braden. When I think of the timid little boy who was nervous to get too near the ball last year, I am amazed at the progress he has made. His coach played him hard today. He played forward in the first quarter, goalie helper in the second, and mid-field in the third. He sat out during the fourth because he was exhausted. He is really turning into a very good player. It is such a joy to watch the expression on his face as he runs up and down the field with his team. It is a mixture of pure joy and determination. At one point today he was bumped into by an opponent and took a hard fall, but he got right back up and continued to play. His coaches were very impressed with his playing today, as was I. His team won 3-1.

I can see both of the kids really benefiting from playing team sports. They feel confident, needed, and part of something. They make good friendships, and understand the meaning of teamwork. Today we discussed that although they didn’t kick the ball through the goal, they helped make it possible for their teammates to do so. We are having a wonderful soccer season.