an exhilarating win

[FrogMan]

My 11yo son plays for the second division U11 team of our city. Way the league is set up, there are two divisions in many age groups, much like in England, where the first division teams are usually the top team of bigger cities and with the second division teams being either the only competitive team of smaller cities/associations, or the second team of bigger cities.

Our city's soccer association is not that big. In fact, we couldn't field a competitive U10 team this year, so much so that the 10yo kids who wanted to play competitively had to play with the 11yo, giving us a bit bigger pool in the U11 category. Honestly at first I didn't think they had enough talent to make both a first division and a second division team and be competitive in both division, but hey, what do I know, they decided to make two teams. My son didn't make the first team so he's been playing with the second team since the beginning of the season.

Was a weird start to the season too. Started the year without a coach and I had too much going on to even be available to help out early on (as my son also played football for six weeks at the start of the season) and anyway, I don't feel like I know enough tactically and technically to lead a whole team. The coach they ended up assigning to us was a 20yo assistant technical director of our local soccer association. Kid looked very good with a soccer ball, not so much when it came time to discipline and teaching what he knew. Of our early games, we always either won 6-0 against the weaker teams, or got creamed 8-1 against the second teams of bigger cities. All through those games, I was always present to practices and games and talking tactics and such with one other dad, a physical education teacher who also couldn't get involved early on in the season. We both agreed that the kids were actually going backward.

Anyway, big twist happened last weekend, the coach got reassigned to other activities within the association after the manager convinced the other dad to take charge of the team. He mentionned me to her as a possible assistant since we shared many of the same ideas. As of last Sunday, I became the assistant coach and we conducted our first practiced then.

The kids played their first game with us two as their coaches yesterday evening, against a team from one of the big association in the area, you know the ones we'd usually see as unbeatable. And what a great game they played. The coach came with a very simple plan in three parts: 1) keep your position, 2) pass the ball down the wings, 2) have fun while giving a constant effort throughout the game no matter the score.

We took a 1-0 lead in the 4th minute and never looked back. By halftime it was 2-0 for us. We put it up 3-0 early in the second half with a great goal, exactly as we'd asked them to do. From the right midfielder up to the right striker who then centered it to the other striker who put it past their keeper. The kind of play that we'd seen butchered so many times before, you know, one of the two passers holding on to the ball just too long, trying to take it down the field by himself. We let one in a bit later on and it was 3-1 about halfway through the second half. We then started telling the kids we could win it and that they simply needed to control it while keeping the attacks on. They did great at it took the referee letting the game second half play for 32 minutes (he'd also let the first half run for 30 mnutes when we're supposed to be playing 2x25 minutes) for them to score their second goal. Final score 3-2.

We were so proud of the kids for the way they played. There's still tons of stuff to work on, but that was a great start to the second half of the season and you could also see it in the kids' faces that they were proud of themselves.

To top this all off, my son told me, with a spark in his eye, that it meant a lot for him to see me on the sideline.

Had to share it, I'm sure other dads (or moms even) know the feeling.

FM

[Flasch186]

Awesome!!!!

[RendeR]

Great story. I cannot wait until my kids are old enough to get involved in some sports. I'm both excited and anxious about it.

Great job Dad!

[Eaglesfan27]

Great job, my friend.

[daedalus]

good job, frogger. 'grats.

this was andrew?

[FrogMan]

thanks guys!

Originally Posted by RendeR

Great story. I cannot wait until my kids are old enough to get involved in some sports. I'm both excited and anxious about it.

Great job Dad!

Again thanks. Even though each and every little thing he's learn ever since he was born have been amazing, I've seen my son grow so much through sports. To see him a couple years ago really "get it" when it came to karate forms, you know, pour his whole energy in one big punch of a kata in a competition, it was awesome. To see him sack the opposing QB from his defensive end position, or simply hold his own as a right tackle against a defensive end who was a good foot taller, again it was awesome. And now see him simply enjoy playing soccer and exchange passes with him before each of his practices and games or like we did last Sunday, teach him to attack the header with the forehead as the ball comes instead of sitting back and let the ball hit the middle of his head, more aweseomness.

You are also right, there is some anxiousness to it all too. No one who cares even just a little for his kid wants them to fail. My heart sinks when I see his opponent scoring a goal after he got beat as a soccer defender. Or see him cry after a karate fight where his opponent didn't control his punch much. And finally, anxious as a dad and role model because you never want to let him down. So far, the positives far outweigh the negatives though...

Originally Posted by daedalus

good job, frogger. 'grats.

this was andrew?

thanks. Yup, Andrew. Matthew turned 4 in January and he also started playing soccer this Summer. They do one hour a week split in 30 minutes of some learning drills and 30 minutes of playing. Last Tuesday was only his third time this season and I couldn't be there. That's probably what's killing me the most about Andrew also doing so many sports, I can't be there for the youngest. I'm sure it'll even out at some point but for now, I find it kind of tough. I was able to see him last week, even got involved to help their trainer and he had a blast. Really suprised me by running the ball down a couple times from midfield to the other team's goal. He scored once this week.

I'm also gearing him mentally to start karate in the Fall... He says he's looking forward to it.

FM