Well, this past Saturday, the 19th, you had your first soccer practice for the Little Sprouts green Dynamo Team; you were so excited! All morning you kept asking, “is it time to go play soccer yet?” Finally the moment arrived and you met your coaches, and got your jersey. All the Little Sprouts from the different teams met with a professional soccer coach for the first half hour. You were being so shy and would often be found sitting on your ball instead of participating. It took you a while to get comfortable and start participating (Ethan was more into it than you as he was dancing around and copying all the other kids; what are little brothers for) but we couldn’t blame you, all you really wanted to do was just go out and play soccer.
Aside from the fact that Ethan was getting caught up in all the nets, throwing rocks in the garbage cans, putting rocks on his head, running onto everyones field and saying “no” when I asked him to come with me, and picking up all the kids soccer balls, it was a great first practice for you.
When the second half of practice began you were on fire, or should I say all the Little Sprouts were excited and ready to play the game and you wanted to be on the field as much as possible. I can’t decide what my favorite moments were, there were so many too choose from that made me laugh so hard:
I love when all the kids would run down the field kicking the ball with no idea of what the “end goal” was, and kept running right into the neighboring field.
I had to laugh as you guys came back from that other teams field and we notice some new little sprouts, sporting yellow jerseys, that decided to come back with you and play ball on your field.
I love the classic move, when one of you starts kicking the ball and running in the wrong directions, despite all the parents yelling “go the other way, go the other way!” and they score for the other team!
I loved watching the 3 on 3 scrimmage with you out there, ready to kick that ball, and your two other little teammate girls were holding hands up and down the field all the while refusing to let go or be alone; I mean why would they, girls do everything together, it just made sense.
Or the little girl on the opposite team who kept picking up the ball and holding on for dear life as the coach tried to pry it from her hands and put it back on the ground and explain to her that this was a “hands-free” game. It was definitely entertaining and really quite hilarious; moments I wish we would have captured on film had our camera been working.
But I think for me, this was the crown jewel. As I came over to stand by daddy on the side lines he was giving you a little “pep-talk,” if you will, and I overhear him saying, “okay Briggs, next time you need to run faster than the other kid.” I just about died laughing, “what was he saying to our Little Sprout? So seriously at that.” I kindly reminded daddy that it was only your first practice and that we didn’t want to be “that kind” of parent, he had a good laugh with me, oh sweetie.
By the end of practice you guys were getting the idea of putting the ball in the net and you even scored your first goal. Go Briggs! It was so fun to see you so excited! We look forward to many Saturday morning practices and years of sport’s watching to come!
