We are full swing into our spring soccer season around here. I love it…but wow does it keep us hopping. Well, that would be kicking actually. You know what I mean.
I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone just a little bit this season. Matt and I agreed to coach Elias’ team as the league is a little short on coaches. Of course this wouldn’t seem to be a big deal since my husband knows a thing or two about coaching soccer. However, Matt has had to work during several of the games. And you know what that means right? Yours Truly gets to coach. Somehow I’ve survived, and don’t tell anyone…but I’ve sort of even enjoyed it. You don’t really have to know what you’re doing. You just have to substitute the kids in and out and make sure everyone gets fair playing time. And you have to yell really loudly so that the players can hear you when you’re trying to tell them something like, “Buddy! You need to kick that out of there! No! The other way!!!” This works not at all, because while I’m yelling as loudly as I can, they still can’t hear me. It’s fun.
Also, much like his first season of playing soccer, our youngest son Malachi still has a lot of hesitation to get out onto the field. He LOVES prepping for the game, putting on his uniform and shin guards and cleats and long socks. He talks about soccer all the way to the game, about scoring goals and about kicking the ball so hard. And then, every time his coach wants to put him into the game, the kid holds onto the bench like his bootie is glued to it and no-way-no-how are you going to make him go onto the field and play his favorite game.
Sigh.
And so, just like last year…during his games I’m out on the soccer field with my nervous five year old. Together, we follow the ball around as I try to get him used to being on the field with other four and five year olds.
I am utterly relieved and excited to say that we finally had a break-through Thursday night. Slowly but surely, Malachi got into the swing of things and started moving on his own. And slowly but surely…I backed away until I was off the field letting him play all by himself. Hallelujah!
I’ve gotta say though that the more I’ve been on the field with him, the more I’ve realized how fun it would be to play the game of soccer. It was all I could do to keep from kicking the ball when it came to me (instead of hurrying to get out of the way before I tripped an eager four year old). Seriously. At one point the other day I almost forgot myself, and the fact that I was really just out there to encourage Malachi. All I could think of was, “Dude. I could totally take these punks.” Ooh, but I remembered who I was and where I was just in time to step out of the way and let the little guys get the ball. But not before I actually tripped a small boy on the other team and made him roll over in the grass. Good one, Laura.
Which leads me to my question today. How athletic are you? Are you the kind of person who is natural with any kind of ball (or at least with some kinds of them)? Can you run without tripping (yourself or someone else)? When you hit a ball or throw a ball or shoot a ball…does it actually go where you want it to go?
Or are you maybe a little bit like me? Try as I might, athletic activities just don’t come very easy for me. It’s not natural for me. Balls don’t go where I want them to go. Ever.
It’s okay. I’ve come to terms with it.
But it did feel good, if only for a moment, to know that I could have been able to run faster and kick the ball harder than the little kids on the field with my five year old son.
Little punks.
Jean says
Hi Laura. Soccer is in your family too? My 13 year old son has been playing for the past 8 years and my 7 year old daughter is in her 4th season. She loves the game,but like your son she was shy in the beginning,afraid of getting hit by the ball. She is doing better now. Still on occasion will do a little dance to get out of the way of the ball. lol.Me, I love soccer. Wanted to play in school, but hurt my knee running so that didn’t happen. Now not sure what I could manage. Probably would take a window out or something. I love your site and also peeked at your facebook and hit the like button. Now I am going to have to comment. You are alot of fun. Keep up the good work.
Char says
Oh my… you made me laugh out loud. I MIGHT have enough athletic ability to take on some four and five year olds… but maybe NOT. I’m much more suited for reading…and lounging. Definitely not suited for doing anything with soccer balls or basketballs or tennis balls.
Travelin Pilgrim says
I did not like PE in highschool. It was a great fear of mine to get out and fail miserably! Volleyball was the worst. I did, however, like soccer. I CAN kick. I CAN run. I admire you for coaching a game all by yourself. I now leave the coaching and teaching of soccer to my husband. When I go out on the field now and try to kick the ball around with him, I just laugh. It is very difficult for me, for some reason, to laugh and run at the same time! Hilarious. However, I do enjoy watching the children and I would like to think that I am their biggest fan!
Starving Student Survivor says
I never played sports growing up and only started exercising after my older son was born. I’m so uncoordinated that I refused to do anything except for aerobics inside my house where nobody could see me. For a few weeks I was even embarrassed to exercise in front of my baby!
Now my son is three, and the other day I caught him with his shoe on his hand. He held out his other hand to show me his “baseball” (imaginary) and then told me that he had his “mitt” on (his shoe). My husband was never great with sports, either, so now my poor kid has nobody to show him an example. And he’s left to improvise his own sports gear with stuff lying around the house.
Rebekah says
We played as a family at Thanksgiving. All us kids played, but on Thanksgiving, our cousins and parents played a family game. We did a lot of laughing, yes, laughing and playing is the best. I’m sure 9 cousins put together don’t usually equal the talent we had out there. We all went on to play college soccer. :-) I enjoyed most other sports–usually being athletic means you can transfer easily, but basketball I did not like. Too many blisters, and too much in your face from the other team. I love good sportsmanship and hate the taunting that can go on as coaches and teams focus more on winning than the love of the sport. I get to lead the soccer organization in our town and referee the little kids’ games, and it’s a blast. (Yes, getting out of the way is important. Rats!) Last year, I finally got back into playing for fun as a bunch of soccer-loving adults decided to kick around every weekend in the summer. We start this Sunday again, and I can’t wait. My daughter is 3 now and she learned to walk on the soccer field at 9 months, barefoot, while I coached varsity. She loves the sport. My son, now 13 months, started crawling at 4 months! Soccer, for me, is a form of worship. Like Eric Liddell said about running, “When I run, I feel His pleasure;” when I play I’m glorifying my Lord. I feel Him smiling down on me. :-)
Missy says
Not even the least bit athletic! I always wished I was though, some people just seem to be born with that coordination and ability! It’s funny how our kids force us out of our comfort zone and into trying new things though! My son wanted to do boxing, so in searching for a gym for him, I found one that does kickboxing and joined myself. I’m not the most coordinated in the class, but it’s a lot of fun and a good workout! It makes me wonder if there are other sports that could be fun, this is all SO new to me as a former band geek lol!
Debbie says
Your Malachi sounds like my six-year-old and swimming. She talks about it a lot — about how much she loves it and how much fun it is. Then she gets into the water for her lesson with all her floaties on so that she can’t possibly go under, and will hardly move. Little by little there is progress, though!
I’m actually the athletic one in our family, and love any kind of sports. I played fast-pitch softball into high school and really enjoy watching college football. My husband, however, could take sports or leave them. Except for an occasional family game of sand volleyball or golfing with guys from the office, his kind of game exists around a table or on the computer.
Marie says
HAHA!! I suppose when up against four and five year olds I might be a little athletic too!! But put me with my peers and I’d be toast!! The only thing I can do semi gracefully is ski. Since I haven’t skiied in the last five years :(, that may have changed! Most of the time I can barely walk without tripping.
Terri-Ann says
Surprisingly, I’m the only athletic one in both my family and my husband’s family. Not so surprising in mine – I come from a family of all girls. But my husband is from a family of all boys – none of whom are athletic in the least! I myself have three young boys (4, 2 and newborn) and I’m hoping that in them I might find some sports company! Our 4 year old starts his first soccer season in June. I can’t wait!
Abby says
Well, I’m one of those people to whom sports just doesn’t come naturally. However, I have always LOVED being active and moving. So, I love looong walks and have run for a couple years but recently had to stop when my school schedule became too tight to squeeze my runs in. So, I love playing sports and games with friends, but don’t pick me as your star player…;) Enthusiasm is about all I got!
Jen B says
Luckily, we are not a sports family. From what I can remember, I can hit a baseball, but I throw like a girl. :) And, according to my hubby, I run funny. So I don’t se me jumping into any church softball leagues anytime soon. Somedays I wish we were a sports family, but then I like my weekend days to be relaxing and not having to rush places.
Danielle says
OH yes! I cheered in middle school, then in HS, I did field hockey, winter cheer leading, track, cross country, tennis AND soccer!
My hubby did a lot of sports too. Our kids do soccer and baseball at the moment.
Megan says
Finally, I can answer yes. I run like a girl! :)
Andrea says
I am not at all athletic, both by nature and by nurture. I have hated and been totally intimidated by every athletic pursuit I’ve ever attempted, and those were few as my family wasn’t athletic either. Once a year or so, I will join in a bumbling game of volleyball at a Memorial Day picnic or something, but that’s about it. My husband isn’t athletic either. We try hard to get in exercise by walking and are talking about investing in bikes this year.
I think there are a lot of good qualities in team sports and would support, and maybe even encourage, my children to participate in them in moderation. I have a LOT of respect for soccer as well, especially after living overseas where “football” (what it is called in many places) is so popular. There is so much serious running and real athletic skill in soccer, it makes my legs hurt just to watch it :)
Jessica says
I’m more athletic when a ball is not involved. I do yoga, swimming, and biking. That way my body is active but my mind is free to meditate or wonder as it will. Also I don’t have to worry about getting hit in the face by a ball :p
Janeen - triplet Mom says
I’m laughing out loud here picturing that poor young boy getting tripped up by the lanky lady running around on the field! You are such great entertainment! In high school I was in choir, show choir and a few plays/musicals – never did sports. But I love to exercise – walk, run sprints and stairs/hills, bike, plyometrics, lift weights. I like having muscles and being stong to lift heavy things – like 3 girls crawling on ya and trying to tackle ya!
Jane says
Sports have been always been a big part of my life. I am a runner – – there aren’t too many opportunities to hit the roads alone with 4 kids these days, but with 2 year old twins I definitely need my running shoes every day!
Enjoy the coaching!! That will be a wonderful memory for your little boy to look back on someday, that mom and dad were on that field with him :)
By the way, I hit up some of your recipes in planning my grocery list for the next 2 weeks! Can’t wait to try them out!
Kika says
I’m very unathletic while my husband loves sports and coaches and refs athletics, basketball and soccer. My three kids play soccer and basketball (youngest beginning soccer this year) and our oldest refs too so it is a very busy season here for us as well. Oh yeah, my husband runs goalie clinics and is in charge of training and scheduling the refs in town. I will be coaching our youngest this year- like you – but it mostly takes lots of encouragement and some direction (not much real skill) at this age. Should be fun.