Tag Archives: Soccer

Soccer

It is time for soccer here in Charlotte, NC.  It actually started almost two months ago and is wrapping up this week. The weather is getting hot quickly and therefore I am ready for it to end.

Wilson is taking a soccer clinic at the YMCA and Faith is playing on a team at Calvary Church.  Wilson was on a team in the fall but he was more interested in talking and goofing off than he was at playing during the games.  The soccer skills clinic is perfect for him because it is only practice.  He can improve his skills without having to worry about playing in games.

Faith is playing on a team with her friend Tyler (one of the boys she intends to marry).  She enjoys being on a team and runs after the ball well, but isn’t so sure about kicking the ball. As the season has continued she has become more confident and better at the game.  I did tell her that she was having her last practice yesterday and she gave me the fist pump and said, “Yes!”.  I guess she is ready for it to be over as well.

We have had a good time as a family going to practices and games.  Luckily, Faith’s practice field is right next to the baseball field so Wilson and Miller can play while she practices.  They found a few aluminum bats on Saturday during the game and tried to sword fight with them.  Not a good idea!  We had to stop that immediately.  For them, a baseball field is a giant sandbox in which they can throw sand and roll around and get dirty.  Whatever entertains them and makes them happy!

Here are a few pictures of the kids over the weeks during soccer….

20140513-214740.jpg

20140513-214852.jpg

20140513-214832.jpg

20140513-215115.jpg

Soccer is over…..

On Saturday the kids had their last soccer game of the season.  Faith and Wilson were able to be on the same team because they played in the 4-5 year old league at the YMCA.  They practiced once a week and then had a game on Saturdays.  It was fun to watch the kids run around.  At this age it wasn’t very organized and the kids just ran around in a mob trying to get the ball.

I thought that both of them would do equally well since Wilson is so aggressive in everyday life.  It turns out that he isn’t aggressive at all on the soccer field.  He was more interested in jumping around and making faces than he was in playing soccer.  Wilson enjoyed the practices, but not the games.  That is until Tom put him in defense in the second to last game.  In defense, he had a specific purpose and didn’t have to get into a mob of people to get the ball.  Wilson did much better there.

As for Faith, she did well.  She was somewhat aggressive and wasn’t afraid to get into the mob of kids to kick the ball.  She was older than most of the kids so I think she was able to understand the game better as well.  She can do some fancy footwork when she wants.

It was a great introduction into the game.  Next year I think Faith will play again and Wilson will play on the SOAR league where they just have skills clinics.  I was proud of them both for trying.

I am not usually in favor of everyone getting a trophy all of the time, but I have to say that the kids were super excited to receive their first trophy at the last game.  They even had their names engraved on the plaque.  It was cute to see how proud they were of themselves at that moment.

My parents came to most of the games and Grandmama Pat even came to one…

IMG_1636

Faith playing goalie….

IMG_1637

Tom’s old friend, Rick, came to a game with his wife Janie.  They were here from Pittsburg, PA.

IMG_1640

20131116-193319.jpg

20131116-193344.jpg

PeeWee Soccer

Faith has been wanting to play soccer for months. Wilson became interested in playing when karate ended. I decided to sign them both up to play at the Siskey YMCA. They are playing 4-5 year old soccer so I was able to put them both on the same team. (less driving for me)

I went out yesterday and bought shin guards, big socks and pink cleats for faith. They were ready for action! Their first practice was yesterday afternoon. It was really cute. At first the coach had them work on their skills: kicking, dribbling and throwing the ball in bounds. Then they play a scrimmage game which was very entertaining. Only a handful of kids knew what to do. They all just kind of trotted around or kicked the ball in the wrong direction. It was just one big mob of children. I realized that many more practices were needed before they would have a successful game.

Wilson is the one that is really into it right now. He and I practiced in the yard both yesterday and today. He is pretty good at kicking the ball down field. I think soccer is a sport that Wilson will excel in over the years. It has lots of running and can be physical at times. Perfect!

They posed in the yard for me before practice. Faith must have seen other soccer pictures before now. She nailed it! What’s not surprising is that Faith wore her cheer leading skirt to practice and Wilson refuses to take a serious picture.

20130906-212048.jpg

20130906-212105.jpg

20130906-212442.jpg