Hello, friends!
It's officially soccer season here in Omaha, which means it's soccer season for Ezra! Me being the over ambitious parent that I am, will be coaching Ezra's soccer team for the third straight season. No doubt, this will be the hardest season ever.
Growing up, I didn't play soccer. I play baseball. I know baseball. I can teach how to throw a baseball, proper grip when batting, how to field a grounder, etc. I'm not GREAT at any of those things, but you know what they say, "those who can, do; those who can't, coach" =0).
Soccer, however, is Ezra's sport. Maybe it's because his cousin plays and he's watched him play. Maybe it's because I've gotten more into watching soccer and those games happen in the morning as opposed to the evenings when baseball is usually on. Maybe it's just because soccer allows for more constant movement and he's a kid who is always moving. It's probably a combination of all those reasons. Either way, he's a soccer boy through and through. (NOTE: Thaliea HATES soccer but LOVES T-ball. Why? Less running...)
During Ezra's first season playing soccer, I signed up to be an assistant coach. The coach was a great mom who worked with the kids and I just made sure the kids on the sidelines weren't eating grass (easier said than done). The division was 6 and under, so it was a smaller field, 4 on 4, and coaches were allowed on the field. There was no practice, just showing up for the game, warming up, then kicking the ball around for 30 minutes. It was great.
The next season, I signed up to assistant coach again but there was no head coach so I ended up taking on that role. Again, we're playing U6, so it was fine. I know how to teach kids to run in the right direction and to kick the ball. Last season, Ezra recruited a few of his friends and we played U6 one more time. No big deal.
Here's where the trouble starts. See, Ezra is young for his grade, meaning most of his friends have already turned 7. That meant that if he wanted to play with his friends this season, we were going to have to move up a level to U8.
Friends, U8 is a totally different beast. The field is bigger. There are more kids on said field. There are throw-ins and corner kicks. We're expected to have mid-week practices. It's like they're learning how to play REAL SOCCER, which is WAY beyond me...
We'll see how this season goes. We're a bunch of 6 and 7 year olds playing against teams with mostly 7 and 8 year olds who are bigger, faster, stronger, and generally more aggressive. We lost our first match 5-0 and it was mostly us playing defense. On the other hand, the kids all said they ha a good time and everyone enjoyed getting a chance to play goalie. Ezra is having fun and is clearly one of the top players on the team, which he enjoys. I'm coaching according to that old joke from the Simpsons when Marge thinks she can make extra money by teaching piano lessons. Lisa says, "Mom, you don't know how to play the piano!" Marge's reply is, "I just need to stay one step ahead of the kids!"
#GoBlackWidows
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
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