I'm going to do something highly unusual and gush just a little bit. I know, I know... I'm much more of a complainer. It's so much more fun, especially when the kids are involved! But sometimes you have to... you just have to let them know how proud you are.
Rebecca's been wanting to join the AYSO soccer team for a while now. She played on her school's team in the fall and we told her that if she really enjoyed it she could join AYSO in the Spring. After talking about it all Winter she was ecstatic when we signed her up. Until recently soccer was Christopher's sport. He's been playing since he was 4, starting with lessons, then on AYSO teams, and the year before last he joined our town's travel league. Rebecca was our skater. Until she began to lose interest. She's been trying all sorts of sports. She tried Field Hockey and hated it, but stayed with it for the season. Over the Winter she joined the basket ball team, enjoyed it and did well and hopes to join again next Winter. But our school doesn't have a Spring soccer team, so she would have to go elsewhere. And she did.
Without hesitation she walked out onto the soccer field the other week where she knew not one girl on the team. These girls have been playing together for years and the team is comprised of 5th and 6th graders. Half of the team is in elementary school and half in middle school. They're all buddies. (Rebecca attends a private school in another town.)
I never would have had the self esteem, self confidence or the wherewithal to join an already established group of girls. But Rebecca, who is fairly shy before she gets to know people, did. And she came home from that first practice with the biggest smile on her face, beaming from head to toe! She loves the girls who have welcomed her warmly and she loves the sport. They made her feel welcome and a definite part of the team.
Today I had the opportunity to watch her play. She was fantastic! She did not hesitate and was not shy about chasing down the ball or trying to steal it away. I was so incredibly proud. I watched her and I watched the girls. They were good and agile and aggressive. I loved the way they all talked to each other out on the field, supporting one another, offering tips, words of encouragement and high fives. I have learned that I like girl's soccer better than boy's soccer. Girls let their personality shine through as well as their athleticism. When girls play it's more than getting a ball into the goal. Girls add an entirely different facet and spin to the game. I think it is fairly certain to say that Girls Rule Soccer! Our team lost today. But they fought well and they fought hard.
And did I mention how proud I was of Rebecca?
Rebecca's been wanting to join the AYSO soccer team for a while now. She played on her school's team in the fall and we told her that if she really enjoyed it she could join AYSO in the Spring. After talking about it all Winter she was ecstatic when we signed her up. Until recently soccer was Christopher's sport. He's been playing since he was 4, starting with lessons, then on AYSO teams, and the year before last he joined our town's travel league. Rebecca was our skater. Until she began to lose interest. She's been trying all sorts of sports. She tried Field Hockey and hated it, but stayed with it for the season. Over the Winter she joined the basket ball team, enjoyed it and did well and hopes to join again next Winter. But our school doesn't have a Spring soccer team, so she would have to go elsewhere. And she did.
Without hesitation she walked out onto the soccer field the other week where she knew not one girl on the team. These girls have been playing together for years and the team is comprised of 5th and 6th graders. Half of the team is in elementary school and half in middle school. They're all buddies. (Rebecca attends a private school in another town.)
I never would have had the self esteem, self confidence or the wherewithal to join an already established group of girls. But Rebecca, who is fairly shy before she gets to know people, did. And she came home from that first practice with the biggest smile on her face, beaming from head to toe! She loves the girls who have welcomed her warmly and she loves the sport. They made her feel welcome and a definite part of the team.
Today I had the opportunity to watch her play. She was fantastic! She did not hesitate and was not shy about chasing down the ball or trying to steal it away. I was so incredibly proud. I watched her and I watched the girls. They were good and agile and aggressive. I loved the way they all talked to each other out on the field, supporting one another, offering tips, words of encouragement and high fives. I have learned that I like girl's soccer better than boy's soccer. Girls let their personality shine through as well as their athleticism. When girls play it's more than getting a ball into the goal. Girls add an entirely different facet and spin to the game. I think it is fairly certain to say that Girls Rule Soccer! Our team lost today. But they fought well and they fought hard.
And did I mention how proud I was of Rebecca?