Great practice everyone!

Thanks to all who showed up for practice tonight. We were only missing Noah and Mia, so good turnout. I know it's a non-game week, but the level of commitment is still great. We don't always get to play against others, but we always have to be prepared.

I know it's getting dark earlier and it gets cold by the end of practice. Make sure kids are at least bringing a jacket or sweatshirt to put on before and after practices.

We are running more to keep warm so make sure your kids have water at practice.

October 11, 2008

I am seriously going to cry. I had the ENTIRE blog for this past Saturday ready to go and ...poof...it was gone.

So, as I find a little something to go in my hot chocolate, I'll at least get the pictures back up and write in them tomorrow.

Trying for pictures again

Blogger lets me add ONE photo at a time, so I'll keep coming back to do one at a time. Definitely some glitch. Usually, it's five at a time.

Faith wins! She gets to be goalie.







Riley, Hannah and Logan vying for the ball.

Pictures...maybe

October 4, 2008

Rhinos vs. Osprey. I guess I need to review the coaching handbook, or better yet throw it out, and just assume we will provide both referees at every game, HOME or VISITOR. It's just easier to take control and responsibility. I'm not saying the other coach was wrong, per se, but I'm fairly sure they were supposed to provide one referee.

Anyway, in addition to ref'ing, as I had already planned to do, Coach Andrew Roberts had to referee as well. Thanks for jumping in there to help out even more than you had initially signed up for. I think we need to get Andrew Roberts a shirt saying "World's Greatest Interim Assistant Parent Coach and Referee". I was appalled that you had to both referee and coach. Thank you for helping. As much as I wish I could be in two places at once, I haven't figured it out yet. Which is why I love the dishwasher. I can do dishes while physically being somewhere else. I digress...

Soccer, our kids were great. As the HOME team we didn't switch fields at half-time, but I did figure out how to see all the kids play. The coaches switch fields. I like seeing everyone play and it works well this way. First half was a pretty even match-up. Even though I think our passing and overall skill were better as a team, they had a couple of little players that were clearly not only natural athletes, but cared about the game and doing well.

I called several personal fouls this game, and I'm not sure what to think about that. We actually worked on keeping our arms down in practice this past week, but I saw alot of flying elbows. Maybe the slippery conditions played a factor, but there was also alot of kicking at feet instead of kicking at the ball. Good practice to learn how to take indirect free kicks, but a coach never wishes that the fouls were being called on her team.

Oh, and if you see me calling things against our kids and not the other team as much, it's usually because I know our kids and what they are capable of. If I see one of ours flailing at someone with their feet, I know they know better. If I see the other team doing the same thing, I give them the benefit of the doubt. Once. Then, I start calling on that player. I actually blew the whistle on #11 (I think) from the other team about her wildly swinging elbows. No one heard the whistle, and by then we had the ball back so a free kick was a moot point and probably unhelpful. Still, I spoke with her at half. She was a great player and I would hate to see her get so out of control that she gets called on fouls that she could control.

I'm having trouble loading the photos for some reason. I will blame Aaron Oxenrieder for that. He was our photog and overloaded my camera with pictures of our kids.

Just kidding. I don't know why they aren't working. I think it's a temporary Blogger glitch. I assume all things computer are self-healing. If I come back tomorrow, it will probably work.

Thanks Aaron for taking pictures. I appreciate it very much. I am a little bit of a control freak and would love to take the pictures, coach, referee, keep the time, cram an orange in everyone's mouth at half-time, but I can't possibly do all that. So, Laura kept the time...Thank you! Aaron took the pictures...Thank you! Andrew coached and ref'd...Thank you! Gary yelled when the time was up...Thank you! I'm certain I've missed someone, but still...Thank you!

Will try to upload, download, whateverload the pictures tomorrow.

Thursday Practice - October 2, 2008

What a good practice we had today! I was impressed with the running the kids did. Much less meandering around. More get the ball and get back to business.

Thanks Benjamin for indulging me in a little one-on-one and then schooling me to keep me in my place.

Ashton, as always, just when I think I'm about to get to the ball first, there you are. Well done.

I liked watching everyone today and seeing the progress, skills and goofy faces. Your kids are super fun.

September 27, 2008

As I watched our kids kicking the ball around today, both before the game and getting ready to actually play, I had a sense of calm. They are confident. They know this game. Yes, everyone in 2nd grade has so much to learn, not just about soccer, but about life. But today, they felt the joy of just being able to play the game, not worrying about standing in the right place or doing the right thing. Now, for the most part, they know. It's a great day as a coach, to see players not need to be coached during a game.

First half, Andrew, Noah, Hannah, Faith, Alison and Madison M. were on my team. They were really great.

Madison and Alison both took turns in the goalkeeper position. Alison was brave and successful in the goal. I am so pleased to see you gaining courage and skill. You are our most improved player so far. Keep up the great work.

Madison is so excited to get the ball. "Should I stay here? Should I go there? Should I dive for it or just pick it up? Should I kick it or throw it? Should I....?" I can see her wheels turning, trying so hard to do the right thing. She is astonishing to me. How she can so unafraid? A couple of those boys were tall! She did fantastic.

As the referee, I found myself in the strange position of calling the only personal foul against my own daughter. Do I think she was going for that boys feet and not the ball? No. Did she kick his feet out from under him anyway? Yes. Indirect free kick. I do love how she is unafraid to mix it up. To stick her feet in and see what happens. Sometimes, it's not good. Usually, she's on the right track. I try to be impartial as coach, but I really enjoyed watching my own kid play today. Probably because she reminded me of myself just a little.

Noah, what a superstar you are! You are fast and fearless. Remind me to work on shooting goals from a breakaway position. You must have figured it out in the second half, because word on the street is you had 5 goals!! Five! A hat trick plus two. Just amazing.

Andrew, I heard reports of you constantly today. "That Andrew is a tenacious player!" "What a determined player he is." And I couldn't agree more. I missed the insane foul against you in the second half and it was probably good that I did. I'm a little protective and it wouldn't have gone well. I hope you're okay. Good luck at the Wake boarding National competition this week!! Bring home the trophy (or beach towel, or whatever you are going to win).

Hannah, I think I say this at every practice, but you are the one who just keeps quietly doing it right. You come into a flurry of feet at just the right time to take the ball away. You pass at just the right time. You dribble around a crowd who is all bunched up. You are the most consistent player on our team and that is a great thing. Just keep it up and as you learn more skills to add to your arsenal, you will be unstoppable.

Riley, I wish you had felt better today. We hope you get well soon. Despite being sick, you did a phenomenal job at goalkeeper today. Seriously, you came out at the right time, you brought the ball up to the goal line before dumping it. I just wonder what you could have done if you were feeling better. I guess we'll find out next week. Take it easy and I hope you are better Tuesday.




Annika, our steady eddy, taking the ball, passing, doing it all right. You concentrate so hard on being good out there. I admire and respect your attitude toward this game. You come in with heart and do your best. Don't be afraid to push yourself to the next level of your game. You can do it. You have the skills in your body, just believe it in your mind and you will soar.

Ashton, oh my goodness. I was tired just watching you play today. You were everywhere! Coach Carolyn said you played almost every minute of the first half. I wish I had seen you then too, but watching your second half was a thing of beauty. Of course, you lost the ball a few times, but the amazing part was, you ran back, got behind the other team's breakaway stopped the ball. You had some solid saves. If we were playing 11 vs. 11 you would be my center midfield. You would excel with a bigger field and more players to pass to. I can't wait to watch you grow in this game.

Mia, I LOVE watching you play. I love watching you dribble around the boys on the other team and then, while dribbling, beat them in a footrace to take a shot on goal. You are fast. You are determined. You are a soccer player that will only get better and better the more you play.

Benjamin, you have a knack for having the ball at your feet A LOT! I don't know how you do it, but you seem to be in actual contact with the ball more than most people. You pass, you dribble, you take the ball away. You are the "complete package" soccer player. As you advance in age and skill, you are going to be the guy that people always want on their team. It doesn't hurt that you are so determined.

Madison N. and Logan, we missed you! Hope to see you at practice next week.

Photos to come.