Soccer

We took our first steps into the world of organized team sports this year when Braden chose to go out for soccer.  I waited till the very last day to send in his registration, fearing that he would change his mind and decide not to play (especially since he has had little to no experience with the game of soccer).  But, he insisted that he did want to play, so I sent in the check and jumped online to order shinguards (since they were sold out everywhere around, probably since I waited so long to get them). 

As the starting date approached, B became really pumped to play.  We got him a soccer ball and he and Billy kicked it around the yard in preparation for the first practice.  But then we got a crazy amount of rain in a 2 day span, and both practice on Wednesday and the game on Sunday were canceled. :( So he had to wait a whole week for practice to roll around again.  

When we arrived at the first practice, neither Braden nor I really had any idea what to expect.  There were a whole bunch of kids running around with soccer balls on the field, but no easy way to tell where his team (Red) was, since shirts had not yet been distributed. We figured out which field the PK/K kiddos were on, and someone said to just join in - all the teams were practicing together.  Braden and I walked to the edge of the field and he grabbed my hand and said, "Mom, I'm a little bit scared."  I assured him that it was ok, and that he could just run out and start playing with the others, and tried to point out some other kids he knew.  He gripped my hand more tightly, and I was just about to offer to kick his soccer ball out on the field for him to chase after, when a buddy he knew from school came over and invited him to kick with him . . . and off he went.  He had a blast and loved practice.

On Sunday when we arrived for the game, he again was nervous. I think all the spectators surprised him.  Again he grabbed my hand and said he was scared.  I ended up having to accompany him onto the field for warm ups, which he really did not participate in (thankfully I was not the only parent out there).  Finally he allowed me to slip away before the game started.

Here's the red team practicing before the game.  High school soccer players help with the "practice" time and also serve as the referees.  

Braden was so excited to try to shoot a goal.  At the first practice they didn't have the goals set up (just did running and dribbling work).  You can see the Hartsock family cheering section in the background. :)

Game time!  When the game  first started, no one really knew what to do.  There was just a massive clump of kids running after the ball (and they only ran after the ball when the coaches told them to do so). Too funny!

There was one little girl who seemed to have a little more of an idea of what to do than the others . . . everyone followed her lead for the first portion of the game . . . (See all the adults out there? A couple are coaches who run alongside the kids giving direction, and a couple who are parents who ended up having to stay on the field with their child for the game.  I was sooooo thankful that Braden didn't make me do that!  Billy was not able to be there at first - and I did not want to be on the field the whole time!)

Elise was a trooper . . . even though game time was right when she's usually napping.  While she wasn't thrilled to watch the game, she had fun playing a little soccer off by herself in the sidelines.

After a few minutes of playing, Braden started to catch on - and clearly was loving it!

When I asked him about knowing what to do after the game, he said he figured out that he had to run faster than that girl to kick the ball.  "And I can, Mom. I can run faster than that girl so I got to kick the ball too!"

So there were really no positions, and not much passing . . . just a free for all!

He got to do a throw in (which resembled a volleyball serve - we need to show him how soccer players throw) ;)

Braden actually scored two goals!  I didn't get a picture of either one actually happening though. Here's the first one - just before he scored . . . (gotta love the goalie IN the goal!) :)

. . .and just after the ball went in!

 (His other goal was actually for the other team! Whoops!)

High fives (low fives?) with the other team at the end of the game.


He's already asking when it's time for soccer again, so I think he had a great time.