Soccer Circus

This spring Sean played soccer with an AYSO team called "The Green Lizards."  He got to play with his friend Kade, and got to meet some new friends also.  When I asked Sean if he wanted to play soccer this spring, he said, "Oh, Mom, I already know how to play soccer."  I took that as a yes.

Soccer at this age is entertaining to say the least.  Since they're each at varying skill levels, (all very rudimentary) and their attention spans are still quite short, it's kind-of a circus out there.

And Sean took it to a whole new level.  He just loved to run and prance and jump and spin around the field.  Most of the time, he would follow the ball, but would rarely reach his foot in to kick it.  So our whole focus was trying to get him to understand that the point of running after the ball was to try to kick it toward your goal.  He did love to throw it or kick it back in when it went out of bounds, and would jump up and down with his hand raised, hoping someone would pick him to kick it in.

Here are a few of my favorite soccer experiences this year:

During one game, Sean just randomly ran and jumped in front of a player from the opposing team, and with his hands spread out wide (like "Alex the Lion" on Madagascar) he shouted, "SURPRISE!!!!"

Another time, Arthur was talking to him about running quickly to the ball and kicking it.  Sean said, "Okay, Dad.  Don't worry.  I will use my ZOOMNESS."

The last game was really overcast.  At one point, he was really on a roll, and had made a couple of good defensive kicks.  A player from the other team kicked the ball and it rolled directly toward Sean.  He was getting ready to kick it when all of a sudden, he felt a raindrop on his head.  Well, he just looked directly up into the sky trying to figure out what just happened.  Meanwhile, the other kid kicked the ball right from under Sean's nose, and scored.  Too funny.

After the last game, the coach gathered the team together to give them their trophies.  Before he passed them out, he said, "So, did you guys have fun?  Does anyone have a thought they want to share? . . .  Sean?"  Sean slowly replied, "Well, . . . I don't really have a thought, . . . but I did have fun."

I'm so glad Sean had such a fun time playing soccer.  And we had a fun time watching him.  Great job, Sean!  Here are pictures from his season, and a video I made from his last game that is pretty entertaining.  (Although, I could just kick myself that I didn't catch the raindrop incident. ) Anyway, enjoy:

At his first game.

Practicing for his last game.

Water break

Through the tunnel

Sean was pretty excited about this trophy.

The Green Lizards (minus one little friend who wasn't there that day)
with Coach Carlos