Soccer and My Thoughts

So today is the last day of the soccer season. It has been a long three months of playing soccer every Saturday morning. There were some REALLY cold days (38 degrees) and we were out on those soccer fields. Burr.

Truthfully, I am hoping that the weather forecast is right today and it really does rain because I am so done with the whole soccer thing. I have a bad taste about the whole thing. Jack was put on this team with this coach who's son is like a little soccer dyamo. Yes he is good, but I can tell the Dad really works him with a lot of practice. There are 6 players on Jack's team and only three play at one time, so the coach is supposed to rotate the players in and out during the game. Well this coach never rotated his own son out of the game and he usually played his three best players 90% of the time. Since Jack is not one of the best players (the kid got my athletic ability) he sits on the bench moping because he's not in playing. Last week, I finally had enough and said something out loud to Brandi about how the coach's son never gets benched and the coach must have heard that because he actually benched his son ... for 2 minutes. But it was to the kid's screaming fit for having to sit out.

Anyway, I am pretty sure we will not be doing soccer next year. I mean it was for 4 and 5 year olds and I had a mother come up to me and tell me that Jack needed to get in a lot more practice to be effective on the team and maybe I should sign him up for a workshop! They don't even keep score at this age! Yes I am fed up. I just wanted Jack to get out and get some exercise and have fun and it turned into this competitve cut-throat thing at four years old!

We are starting T-ball in two weeks. I have a better feeling about this sport and I think Jack will enjoy it a lot better. Just pray for rain today and we won't have to go to the last game!

A Perfect Fall Day of Soccer and The Farm

We started our morning out bright and early again with Jack's 8 am soccer game. Not to brag or anything, but I just have to say that Jack's team is awesome! Actually it is a little bit embarassing just how good they are. The other team scored only one goal today and our team scored about 20 or so. Seriously, it got so we were not even cheering after like the 15th goal or so. Just a weak Yay go team. I felt bad for the other team. But Jack's team is really that good and I am really impressed at how well Jack is playing. It is worth getting up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday, I guess.

After the soccer game, we headed over to Alabama to the corn maze. This place was really amazing and we plan to make it our fall tradition to go here every year. And since it decided to finally cool off to the 70's today, it was a perfect day to spend outside going through big corn fields.

Jack trying to milk the fake cow. He actually looked like he knew what he was doing. Go figure.

Going down the bumpy slide. You can only do that when you are young. All I could think about was my aching back when I saw that.

Feeding the baby piggies.

I tried to capture one of the hundreds of butterflies flying around the wild flowers.

Jack and Daddy on the "cow train" pulled by a John Deere of course.

My little corn stalk.

Jack inside the corn maze showing off the corn. Actually the corn maze was pretty neat and Jack thought it was really fun when we were letting him make the decisions of which path to go down. It took us about 10 or 15 minutes to get through only the first part of the maze. It was quite elaborate and pretty fun.

The Big First Game

Jack's first soccer game was on Saturday morning bright and early at 8 am. Geesh they expect a lot out of us parents! Anyway, Jim came home from work and came with us, so he could see Jack's first game. A lot of coffee was consumed by all.

I have to say that it is absolutely adorable watching these little ones play. It is hilarious to see such concentration as they are trying to listen to Coach Mike about what to do and then after the kick off, to see the ball just sail by them with them just standing there. It takes a full five seconds for them to realize that they have to run after the ball. Too funny and too cute.

Jack actually did pretty good and I was amazed that he was one of the few on both teams that did NOT cry. I am sure his time will be coming. I don't think you can get out of soccer without crying at the age of three.

And being the type of mother that I am, I just have to go buy Jack some black shorts and the sock type shin guards to match with his team mates. I know I know it is shallow of me, but I want him to be like the others hehe.

I also think that Jack has the best soccer coach in all the Y soccer league. He is awesome and even has bought the team soccer patches for their shirts out of his own money. Which reminds me I need to put them on Jack's shirt before his practice on Tuesday. Yeah I could get into this soccer Mom thing.

Short video of the game. Click the > button. (This new blogger feature of adding video is pretty neat I must say)

Just Call Me Soccer Mom

Jack is going to be playing soccer for the local Y. He started soccer practice last night and from all the smiles and giggles, I take it that he was having a lot of fun. He has a really great coach who is great with the kids. One thing that Jack either couldn't grasp the concept or wasn't listening was not touching the ball. He kept picking up the ball and taking it where he thought was a good place to kick it into the goal. Of course the coach kept telling him and I kept telling him that you can't use your hands. But it was so cute to see a bunch of three-year-old little boys running around the field kicking soccer balls.

His "season" is only 4 games in October with weekly practices thrown in, so it was not a huge time investment. I know that if he really enjoys it, I will be standing out on the field many a day in the coming years. I went and bought him some shin guards and a cheap pair or cleats and he was soooo cute with them on. He kept walking around the house wearing his "uniform" and saying "I am a soccer star!" Too cute.