Soccer Season

Lily had her first soccer game Saturday.

It started like this...

"who would like to be first Goalie?"-asks Coach.

 

Then just guess what happens next.

 

Yes, that is my girl

 

(wearing her satin headband left over from the wedding, and dancing booty shorts, and rubber band on her jersey to sass it up),

 

raising her hand promptly,

to answer the call to duty.

Ohhh nooo.

 

I think she is mostly interested

in the new apparel,

that being Goalie offers.

 

I get so nervous when she is Goalie.

 

For one,

I am not sure about the rules of it.

 

And for two,  

I don't think she is either.

 

For three

(shall I keep counting?),

 it just seems really boring

until the pressure is ON.

 

My girl is easily distracted when boredom hits, and I am not sure she will be ready,

or know what to do

when the pressure is on.

 

(for 4 she has a nervous mom)

 

You know what?

 

Lily didn't let a ball slip past her.

She knew exactly what to do.

She even took a few falls, 

and ate a little grass

 to save the ball

and save her team.

 

I haven't seen

that kind of determination from Lily,

when it comes to soccer,

so I was very proud.

 

(Go Bobcats! Rip em down!!!

 You ain't got nothing on us!!!

You suck Tigers or whoever you are!)

 



(Just kidding (sorta) about that outburst)

 

 And since every kid will get a chance to play Goalie sometime this season,

when the quarter* was over

 

I could sit back with my easy pride

for the rest of the game.

 Sit back, with Lily's biggest fan on my lap, that is.

 

I enojoyed the beautiful fall weather, blue skies, and cheering for our team of Bobcats.

 

Then I got to thinking.

Uh-oh.

I watch Lily and the many teams she has been on, and they have only had

(wonderful) male coaches.

Ever.

 

I must warn the Park District now,

I am getting a feeling...

 

and the feeling is that it might be nice for the girls,

to have a girlish coach.

Someone to run drills and wear satin headbands.

And it has recently been called to my attention that perhaps that person could be me?

I know what you are thinking.

*

(do they call it a quarter?  why?  are there 4?  I only saw Lily play 3, and I caught up on Words with Friends.  What happened?  Did Olivia, Emma, Grace and all those girls with such awesome names do something? Did I miss a chance to hoot out their cute names?)

 

Me too.

 

The only thing I know about soccer is what I have learned from Lily playing,

but I am considering offering my gift

of unknown soccer skills

along with 

a joy of athletics,

compassion,

and passion for teamwork

to a coach,

perhaps I could learn the soccer skills

and assist a Real Coach in need?

And wear game appropriate headbands?

Not to be a super model or anything,

but maybe the girls would thrive

with a humble attempt at

Super

(unmodel? role model? Momdel?)

 

I think I would enjoy learning soccer, compassion, and teamwork from them.

And aren't all Teachers, really the Students?

 

Somebody stop me now, while this idea is still fresh and not totally unleashed.

 

In the event you are not able to stop me...

 I apologize for what may happen come fall soccer season and a group of girls

and one fine Dad Coach gets stuck with

cartwheeling me.

Till then...

Go Bobcats!

Olivia!  Emma!  Grace!  and LILY LOWE!
I love to shout your names.

I could totally do this without Words with Friends, and with a whistle around my neck.

(A whistle would make a really great soccer accessory).