Right around Christmas time my friend asked if I would like to put Nicco on a soccer or flag football team with her son. I told her Nicco would more likely go for soccer, but I'd ask.
I asked. He said, "None." So I told her, soccer it is!
I didn't mention it to Nicco again until the day of his first practice. He said, "I'm going to hate it. You'll see. I wish I was playing football instead." And if we had chosen football, he would have wished to be playing soccer instead. Mr. Negative, never wants to do anything until he's actually doing it. I should stop asking or giving him options. Just tell him what we're doing when we get there.
Anyway, their first practice was mostly in the dark. We decided to move it up an hour for the next week. After practice I asked Nicco if he had some fun and he said Yes! He really liked climbing in the tree above the field. Ugh.
I told Patrice that they have a game on Saturday. He said, "already?" I said that it's YMCA rec league youth soccer. It's not that competitive. I don't think it would make much difference whether they had a month of practice or just the one day. He said, "won't that bother Nicco?" I laughed a little and said no, I don't think so.
The coach was a little late getting to the field this morning, so a few of the parents got some drills going. Nicco really wanted to be goalie. He did a good job in the drills, actually diving to save some shots. I thought that might be a good spot for him. Coach put him in goal to start, since he was the one taking most of the shots in the warm-up.
Coaching youth soccer is an awful lot like herding cats, but the coach managed to give them some good ideas and instructions and encouragement in their half-time huddle.
The game ended in a 1-1 tie. Apparently, ours is the only rookie team. All the other teams are made up of mostly returning players, so that was a pretty good showing, I'd say.
Best of all, on the ride home Nicco sang at the top of his lungs, "I Looooove soccer. I really really do. I love soccer!"
2 comments:
I loove soccer too. We are about to start the next round. Nicco sounds an awful lot like Cannon on the soccer field. Cracked me up about the toy to play with during breaks. Cannon likes to be goalie and he does fine for now. Man oh man, little kid soccer can be boring and entertaining at the same time. Cannon told me the other day he wants to try tennis, but not official lessons, just with me to see if he likes it. Fortunately, I have a tennis playing friend who is really excited about teaching him and has rackets and all. This will be an adventure. But, maybe just maybe he will like it and be good and we will have discovered his thing.
I doubt this will be his "thing," but it's too hard to say at this point, you know, after one practice and one game. Mostly I just don't want him to the only doofus who can't kick a ball around a field with friends at the park.
We'll try swimming again this summer, I think.
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