Soccer Season

This week marks the last for soccer season 2011. It's been such a fun experience for Braxton, number 7. He came so far in the 8 short weeks. There is nothing quite like watching your child try something that they've never done before and that they really didn't know much about and then, through practice and experience, learn it and gain the confidence to play it with their heart. That was my favorite part about the whole season.

I didn't come from a soccer family (to put it nicely:). I think between the four of us growing up we played every sport except for soccer... oh and wrestling. Jeff, my wrestler, hasn't played soccer since he was 8. Needless to say Braxton has been asking to play soccer all year. I think this has to do with 3 things; his friend Tia who played soccer last year and talked about it with Brax, my brother's girlfriend Chelsey, an awesome soccer player, and the soccer jersey my brother Brent brought Braxton from Spain. Whatever the cause, we signed him up.

We, well actually I, then proceeded to sign Jeff and I up to coach. What the heck. They needed coaches and I figured because of our current situation we were available and it may be the only time we have the opportunity so I jumped on it. We did a lot of research and some practicing and went to it. The thing about Jeff and I that you probably have already figured out is that I am the more assertive, get the kids together, sing a happy song, come up with a game plan, keep them busy....and Jeff has the skill. period. So we make a good team. The handy part was that my sister lives across the street from the fields so Adelle and Emmett got to hang out there with her and her kids while we took Brax to practice. Then on game days Jeff was coach and he wore the whistle and I was mom and I held the camera and the other kids and cheered from the side.

Our team named themselves the Blue Seahawks. There were 7 boys and 1 girl and that girl totally rocked the field. She was by far the most aggressive and the most into the game. Braxton started off thinking he was one of the coaches. In the beginning he would get my attention and tell me to wait if someone wasn't there or whatever else. This didn't go over well and he figured out that he would have better luck being a player and not a coach.

My favorite experience was during the first game. Our team had the ball and all the kids from both teams were huddled around it so that no one could really move. I hollered to Brax from the sideline, "Braxton run towards the goal!" My thought process was that then he could break up the cluster and get open for a pass. The special part was that he heard me and did exactly as I instructed. So obedient. He ran to that goal as fast as he could and even when the ball got stolen and kicked in the opposite direction, he was planted at that goal. Almost like he was waiting for me to give him his next cue. It was really cute and I can still see him standing there, waiting.
My brother, who was there watching commented, "wow, what an obedient kid."

Since then Braxton has really gotten a grasp on the game. His confidence has really improved as he's learned the skills and although he still isn't the most aggressive he loves to play and wants that ball!

We may be a soccer family?