Green Gators

I just love watching little kids learn to play soccer. There is always a pack of kids running around the field after the ball. Our favorite laughs this year were when a parent yelled to their kid to play defense so he ran up to the goal and layed down in front of it - successfully blocking the entire opening. Another game someone had dumped a cooler of ice just past one of our goals so whenever the ball was kicked out of bounds all 10 kids would run after the ball and end up at the ice mound - looking at it and picking it up and throwing it - before the coaches could get them back on the field. There was also one game where we only had 4 kids show up (instead of 10). It was an extremely hot day and every one of the kids on the field was dragging. We were taking lots of drink breaks and dumping water on the kids heads and had to keep encouraging (and bribing) them to keep playing. They were all so tired and worn out.

Practicing in the backyard - and celebrating after getting one past daddy.

It has been a lot of fun to watch Emily play soccer the past few weeks. She has really learned a lot and I think she has some great talent. She'd never played before and was hesitant to go after the ball at first. She stayed with the pack and followed the ball around the field, but was timid whenever it came to trying to kick the ball away from someone. So for FHE one night we got some goals and Jeff and Emily (and Jacob) practiced out back. Fortunately the practice paid off. Something seemed to click and for the next night's game she began to follow the ball after kicking it and she finally realized it's ok to kick it away from someone.

Emily ended the season having scored two goals. Which is quite the accomplishment considering there were two 5 year olds on the team that had been playing since they could walk and Javier Morales' (RSL's midfielder) 3 year old son was also on the team. They were all quite skilled and were amazing at dribbling the ball. Unfortunately I didn't have the camera on during Emily's shining moments so I can't share them with you. But we are all so proud of her!! Thanks to everyone that came to watch her play and support her. It was a lot of fun and we're excited to play again next spring. Good job Emily!!!