Your soccer season has started.  Two weeks ago you had your first practice, and today you had your first game.  Let’s start back at your first practice.

You were so excited to put on your soccer cleats.  I told you they made you run faster in the grass, so you couldn’t wait to get outside and try them out.  On the car ride there we kept reminding you that you needed to do whatever the coach told you.  We arrived a little before your 5pm practice and you were a little apprehensive to take the field, so mommy walked your out to your coach.

You said, “Hi I’m Colton!”  Your social skills were on point, but soon you will find out that your soccer skills needed some practice.  You started out pretty well.  Coach Jack had everyone start with some stretches, and you did great.

When the drills started is when everything started to go downhill.  You hung in there for a bit, but you quickly became frustrated that your soccer ball wasn’t going straight when you kicked it.  

You did your best to keep up with the other kids, but between your ball hitting clumps of grass and shooting off in a rogue direction and you not quite grasping that soccer is only played with one soccer ball, you just couldn’t handle it.  MELTDOWN!!!

The meltdown happened about 15 minutes into a 30-minute practice.  Maybe it was 10 minutes.  We tried to get you back on the field, but nothing seemed to work.  Even a heart to heart talk with daddy didn’t seem to work.

To be honest, I didn’t have many words of wisdom other than telling you to quit crying like a baby, and that you were missing out on all the fun.

You never returned to practice, but mom did drag you out there to get your socks, shorts, and jersey.

I wasn’t able to attend your second practice, but mom said you did much better.

Today was your first game, and you did very well. 

To motivate you to play and not cry we bribed you with fruit snacks.  You started with some warm-up drills.

Then it was game time.  It took you a few to understand what was going on and why all the kids were running around.

Eventually, you started having as much fun as the rest of the kids.

You even practiced your flopping.

At one point you were tired of running around after the ball, so you decided to stand in the goal and let the ball come to you.

The game was cut short due to rain.  You had a blast and can’t wait to go to practice and your game next week.  Oh and you enjoyed your fruit snacks on the ride home.