3 Year Old Soccer

For this spring season the boys are finally old enough to play team sports and join classes that aren't mommy and me.  We have been playing all kinds of "games" with them outside to see what they like.  Baseball, basketball, golf, etc.  They seem to love soccer.  They got a great soccer goal for Christmas and one of their favorite things to do is go outside and play with us.

Justin and I decided to sign them up for our local YMCA 3 year old soccer team.  Mainly so they could get some experience playing with other kids and exercise but also to see how they do with a "coach" or someone else other than us working with them.

I mean, look how happy they are with Justin on a casual Saturday after playing soccer with him and going on a bike ride.

Justin took them to their first practice on Friday night while I was getting my hair cut. I did somewhat set him up for disaster I admit.  They had a Valentine's party followed by ENT appointments and by the time we got home they hadn't really napped and were pretty cranky.  I was not at soccer practice but the report I got was disastrous.  Never worries, I said.  I will make it all better tomorrow.

When we woke up I started talking on and on all morning about how fun soccer was going to be.  How they could watch or play or run or whatever they wanted to do. (No pressure tactic).  They certainly did look cute!  They picked out their own soccer shinguard socks (red of course) and were happy to wear them.  

Before the game went pretty well.  They actually ran around with the other kids on the team were having fun.

Then warm up for the game started.  They both ran on the field with their friends and lined up.  I am seriously patting myself on the back at this point because Justin said he couldn't even get them on the field at practice.  I've got this right?

And in one of the proudest moments of my life, Beckett completed his warm up and kicked the ball all the way down to the goal.  Yep.  He did. 

You will notice in the picture that Eli is starting to run towards me.  That was the end of his 3 year old soccer career right there.  Decided he didn't want to play and that was that.

Eli "LOVES" soccer right?

coaching with daddy

Beckett did play though!  I was so proud of him my eyes watering. 

Here is a little video footage from the game.  Notice Beckett was mostly excellent at getting objects out of his nose :-)  And does it crack you up that Eli is cheering for him from the side line coaching him?  He was screaming "run Beckett. get the ball Beckett".  Beckett made me so proud!  I love the one where he actually tries to run.  

And that was it.  After the first period/quarter whatever it was they came in for  a little time out and neither ever went back out there!  We talked, bribed, encouraged, and everything under the sun but they both meant they weren't playing anymore!  

We got in the car and were on our way to the grocery store.  Justin was clearly disappointed that it didn't work out and frustrated.  We were just talking through it and discussing it back and forth.  From the back seat these 2 little sweet voices just started singing. They spontaneously broke into Jesus Loves Me out of the blue.  I looked at Justin and said "I think the Lord is trying to tell us He has this under control."  Obviously they have their little priorities straight.  With Jesus in their hearts who needs soccer anyway :-)

We had much better success at grocery shopping than soccer.  

We thought we might have ruined their love of soccer forever but just that very afternoon after nap they wanted to play in the yard again.  We have played a lot even since then.

I have been gently encouraging them to go back to the team.  Eli has had several things to say about this.  One of them being "I like to play soccer by myself. I don't like the team."  Tuesday night they had team pictures and practice.  I asked them again did they want to go and try soccer team again to which Eli said "Mom. I told Dad yesterday I don't want to play on that soccer team." Ok ok ok.  No more soccer team!  

Hopefully we haven't scared them off forever.  At least we got a cute jersey out of it right? 

Better luck next year folks :-)

Love,
The Riley's