Today was the inaguration of our latest family insanity: two kids on soccer teams.
The logistics of game attendance, snack duty and banner toting are dizzying. Today, the two of them had games that started half an hour apart on fields half a mile from each other. Michael's division, Under-5 boys, is comprised of five person teams that play three players at a time, and spend half of the "game" time in practice mode with a master coach on the field. The actual gameplay then follows for a short while, on a tiny field with little goals and no goalies. By all accounts, a fine time was had by all, especially since Michael's best friend was added to the team today.
Kelly is in her second year of the Under 10, so she is now one of the big kids on the team. You may recall that her team went pretty far in the playoffs last year, but that she didn't see much of the field other than her own goal box. This year, she is off to quite a different start. She played center forward the entire game and had a good (if tiring) time doing it. Unfortunately, the other team had the next iteration of Mia Hamm, who scored on our inexperienced defense three times within the first five minutes. Much cringing among the parents.
Then, Kelly scored our first goal of the season on a breakaway, following up her own shot that had bounded away from the keeper. That seemed to inspire everyone. We put in our "star" player for the second quarter, and she scored three more goals, at least one of which off an assist from Kelly. The star for the other team also scored two more, though, and the 5-4 score at halftime held through the second half. The girls started to figure out how to play as a team by the fourth quarter. Our defenders became more tenacious, our goalies became very aggressive, and our forwards started passing the ball instead of swarming to it. We had a great opportunity to tie the game late when one of our wingers sent a ball forward through the defense to an open area off the corner of the penalty box. Kelly outran the defense to it and attacked the goal. Unfortunately, her sharp angle approach to the goal caused her shot to bounce off the far post. She followed up her shot (as dear old Dad had coached her to), but missed on the rebound. As is often the case at the beginning of the season, the girls were all a bit timid, but there is reason to believe that they will do just fine this year. The parents also seem to be a friendly, cohesive group, which makes the year much more fun for us sideline dwellers.
After watching Kelly trudge to the goal quarter after quarter last year, it was thrilling to see her break free into the opposition's zone a dozen times. She is soaking this stuff up and having a great time. That's what it is all about.
Well, that and winning a whole bunch of games.
No! Kidding! Winning is just secondary!
(Kind of...)
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