One of the ways we tried to get in a little socialization and physical education this fall was through soccer. Though Caleb was not a big fan of the game when he played a year and a half ago, he showed an interest over the summer in trying it out again. We knew he was a little older and that this time it would be somewhat different since he was old enough to be on a real team instead of just learning skills like he'd done in the Kiddie Kickers program. At first, I questioned if he was sure he didn't want to do t-ball again since he did well with it in the spring, but soccer it was - so we signed up!
I wish I could say everything was smooth sailing this time around, but we had plenty of challenges this season as well. Though Caleb is older, he still had a lot of problems understanding what his coach wanted him to do at practices. Because of our trip to the Midwest, we missed the second practice and the first game, so that may have been part of the problem. It also didn't help matters that we were trying to wean him from naps at that point and that practices hit right at dinner time. No matter how much we pep talked him beforehand, it always seemed like something frustrated him every time we went - his cleats squeezed the sides of his feet, the bugs were biting him, the kids were using his ball, he wasn't feeling well, etc. For the most part he just preferred to wrestle with the other boys or sit down on the ground and pull up chunks of grass.
Dave and I coaxed, encouraged, and even put certain privileges on hold if we didn't see him putting in his best effort, but it made for a long, exhausting season for all of us. Some days I left practice so defeated that I didn't know what to do. Part of me wanted to throw in the towel out of frustration (and to be honest embarrassment because it made me feel like I was failing to parent him as he needed). But, in my heart, I didn't believe that letting him quit was the best option. Being homeschooled, I thought it was extremely important for him to learn to work with other kids as well as how to follow directions from an adult other than me.
Having some OCD tendencies myself, I could definitely understand some of his quirks and complaints, so we just tried to stretch his cleats out, encouraged him to vocalize to his coach and the other kids that he wanted to use his own ball (without tears), gave him snacks to help with the hunger issue, etc. Thankfully by the last couple practices, we finally felt like we were beginning to make strides! He started making it through without tears, minimal complaints, and a better grasp of what he was supposed to be doing.
While Caleb struggled with practice sessions, he actually did pretty well in the games. There was so much growth in the year and a half since he'd played before! He had much better control of his body and a better understanding of the game and what he was supposed to be doing. When he played before, I remember how confused and upset he got when his coach would switch from all the players practicing skills with their own balls to a scrimmage when they were all supposed to be running after the same ball. There was none of that this go around though. He got out there and stuck with the group, chasing that ball back and forth across the field. I was really proud of him and enjoyed watching his games.
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| Go Purple Pirates! |
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| Looking like a big boy soccer player :) |
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| Run, Caleb! |
The U-6 games were at the perfect level of competition for his age bracket. The kids got out there and tried their best to move the ball up and down the field, chasing it and stealing it as best they could. There was no real passing or fancy footwork going on, but at least they were shooting at the right goal, not using their hands, and learning how to get in there and go after it. Most of the coaches stood back and acted more as refs instead of giving out a lot of direction while the kids played, which I think made a big difference to Caleb. It might be why he enjoyed games more than practices; he had more freedom. It was also great that all the players got relatively equal playing time. There were no superstars - everyone had a chance to get in there and practice their skills. If one team was down players, sometimes they'd even trade a kid here and there just to keep things balanced and give everyone as much time as possible on the field.
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| One week when Coach Mac was out of town, he asked Dave to fill in for him. I thought my hubby was a pretty good sub. :) |
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| Get it! |
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| Caleb loved when it was his turn to kick off. |
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| Stick with 'em #3! |
Though there were a few bumps along the way, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to watch my little fella play and see his enjoyment on the field. He looked so cute out there in his uniform. It was fun to see how much his skills had improved from two seasons ago, yet at the same time Mommy felt a little sad to watch him growing up.
He says he's going back to t-ball for the spring, which I'm kind of excited about since I enjoyed it so much last year. But, I hope that one day he'll give soccer another shot too. It's up to him though; we aren't quitters when we start something, but I want him to make his own choices for extracurricular activities that focus on the things he enjoys most.
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