Spring Soccer Season

{OK, I’m taking a break from ‘vacation posting’ and am going to blog about a few things a little more current.  Yes, out of order… gasp.  I will for sure blog the rest of our vacationing adventures… I just needed a little change in scenery.}

 

We had a fabulous soccer season this spring.  Actually, beyond fabulous.     Chris coached for his second season here in Heidelberg.  He made a good impression last season and all of his last year’s players wanted him as a coach again plus a whole slew of new soccer parents who had heard all about him.    The way they pick teams is like a draft.  All the players are put through certain drills while the coaches watch and take notes.  Then back in a conference room they go around the room picking their players.  Chris pretty much ran the meeting making sure that everyone got their top picks, equal number of girls etc.   And he came home with all the soccer kids in the ward on our team.  Ryan, Katie, Zac, Tate and Mark.

 

Chris makes the practices really fun.  He easily thinks up fun and interesting new drills, runs with his players to encourage them to go faster, never yells and brings candy which he hands out to the two players who have worked the hardest and played the best.  The kids LOVE him… and the parents do too… especially me.

 

Monday and Wednesday nights for three months were all about soccer.  Practice was from 5:30 – 6:30 but Chris told the team he’d always be there at 5:00 and so the team was too.    This was the last season that Ryan and Katie could play on the same team since next season Ryan will move on to the 13-15 year old league. 

 

As much as Chris, Ryan and Katie all wanted their team to be called ‘the COUGARS’… they were outvoted and ended up being called the SMURFS.   Our group of parents were really amazing… always going above and beyond making it a great season for the kids.  One of the parents brought blue hair spray so the kids could have blue hair for every game.  They loved it!

They ended the season undefeated.  Ryan played really well all season and was one of the best ones on the team.  He played mostly CENTER MIDFIELD this season and really liked it.   He scored quite a few times, and of course loved it.  Katie was a DEFENDER.  She played hard, and aside from screaming (or squeaking) every time the ball came close to her, she was completely determined and would never give up… the perfect kind of annoying defender. 
         

Matthew liked to think he was assistant coach… just hanging out near Dad.

 

Team fans and extra orange slice eaters…

 

Chris being hugged by Andres… the team’s best player who was begging not to be put in goal…. which often happened when he scored too much.

 

The 4 day conference tournament started on Thursday and went to Sunday.  We knew from the beginning that we were going to have a problem when it came down to the Sunday final.  We were undefeated in season and it was likely that we’d get to the final.  We won our Thursday game, our Friday game and our Saturday game.  The whole team knew that Chris wouldn’t be there to coach and that five of the players wouldn’t be there as well.  We tried to have the game changed to Monday night but knew that if the other team didn’t want to change it… we would forfeit or play with only 9 players and no subs.   Chris’ assistant coach, Mike,  and the other players parents were anxious to make calls and try and get it changed so it wouldn’t have to be on a Sunday.    Most even agreed that we really shouldn’t be playing on Sundays and definitely supported our reasons for not playing.  

 

As it turned out… the coaches, whose team we would have been playing in the finals, (clearly the second best team in the league) approached Chris and Mike upon hearing about the ‘Smurfs Sunday predicament’.  Since we’d already beaten that team once in the season and once in the tournament already (double elimination tournament) and since we hadn’t lost in the tournament yet and would have to have lost to them twice… he said, “We don’t have to play on Sunday, you got First place.  It wouldn’t be right to take it from you over a forfeit – what would that be teaching our players.”   Chris and Mike stayed to watch them win their final game on Saturday afternoon securing their 2nd place.   

 

We would have loved to play that final game but we were thankful for their understanding and support and for the ‘FIRST PLACE TITLE’.     Ryan was actually excited for the opportunity to make a stand on ‘no Sunday play’.     He’s a good kid…. it worked out this time but he was prepared to take the second place to do what he knew was right.

Ryan and Mark… one of his best friends.

The team party at the end of the season was a little over the top.  All the parents put on a great party.  A ‘parents against players’ soccer game, full Barbecue, mini golf for the kids, an awards ceremony, fabulous cake and soccer ball piñata.   It was a great time.

Before the game, Chris told Ryan that he had one last thing to teach the team… humility.    I guess he never really learned that himself.

Seriously… the players have the right color eyes.  Susanne was a fabulous team mom.

Another one of the team mom’s awarded the coaches with ‘soscars’… yes, ken dolls spray painted gold.  It was funny.

Receiving team trophies and first place medals…
 

Megan, Luke and Luke’s best buddy Sam playing a little mini golf.
  Piñata fun…