Soccer

Blythe finished up her first ever soccer season today.  What a treat it has been!  Blythe expressed a keen interest in playing soccer some time ago, but I wasn't sure she was really serious.  She didn't bring it up again, so I thought it must have been a passing fancy.  Then, several weeks ago, she came home from school and said all her friends has signed up for soccer and she wanted to play, too.  I needed to call that moment and get her registered.  Registration had closed and I was certain that there would not be a place for her to play.  I even got online to look at team rosters.

I discovered that there was a place on one of the Rock Canyon teams, but not the one she wanted to be on.  Lilly Bradford, Maggie Davidson, Bridie Harkness, and Hailey Hall were all on the team she wanted to be on, but they had ten players to the other team's nine.  But I went into the Rec Center to see what might be done.  I got a rude awakening.  I was told they would put Blythe on the team she wanted if I would be the coach.  Woah!  Not only was I not expecting that, but I have no idea how to coach.  The last time I played soccer I was still in my 20s and I broke two bones in my leg.  I reluctantly agreed to be the assistant coach so she could be on the team and felt like I was taking one for my daughter.

When I told Blythe I was successful in getting her on team Pride, she was ecstatic.  She jumped around chanting, "Soccer! Soccer! Soccer! WOOOOOOH! Go soccer! Go soccer! Go soccer! WOOOOOH!"  Part of signing her up was getting the uniform, and she immediately put it on, making the celebration look much more official.  I had purchased some shin guards which she was excited about, except that they were green.  "Why are they green?" she asked, dismayed by my obvious lack of fashion sense.  When I pointed out that no one would see them under her socks, she agreed to keep them.  Then she said, "I need soccer cleats."
"No, you don't," I replied.
"Yes, I do."
I walked away at this point.  First thing when Kent pulled into the garage that first day of having the uniform, Blythe ran out to the car and said, "Dad! I need soccer cleats."
"No, you don't," he said.  Amazing!  We were actually on the same page.  Our conflict was resolved, however, when Sarah Oyler said that Blythe could use an old pair of hers for the whole season.  They fit and even matched her bright orange-ish pink uniform.

Blythe was so excited for her first game which came the day after I signed her up.  She wanted to wear her uniform to school--"No!" both Kent and I said--and then spent the whole time she was getting ready for school saying, "I can not wait for the soccer game! I just CAN NOT WAIT!!  EEEEEEEEEE! I'm going to explode."  She put her clothes all out on the table so she would know right where they were when she got home.  She asked if it was going to be a game where they were trying to beat another team (Yes), and if she should bring a water bottle (Yes), and if we were going to come watch (Yes, all of us).

Blythe was excited when we got to her first game, and jumped around with her friends.  She really knows nothing about playing soccer and was a bit timid during the first half.  She ran around chasing the ball, but didn't do much else.  The second half was better.  She kicked the ball six or seven times and was in the mix.  At the end she said she loved it and wanted to keep playing.  Phew!  She did keep playing, every game, even one where it was raining and cold and everyone on and off the field was pretty miserable.  They got beat really badly that game, too.  The other team probably scored seven or eight times, and we didn't score at all.

They never really scored much of anything.  I think there were two goals scored through all their games.  But it was the first time playing for most of the girls on the team, they didn't have a coach (I sort of filled in for Elizabeth Elder who was sort of being coach when someone she'd asked didn't show up), and they only had two practices, so they didn't really know what they were doing.  They didn't pass, they didn't defend very well, they didn't follow the ball after kicking it.  But in spite of all that, Blythe had a great time and asked me to sign her up again for the next time they play (the fall).  I was surprised she liked it so much because she doesn't really like to run and she's not very athletic, but we'll keep on if that's what she wants to do.

Below are lots of pictures taken throughout the season, some I took, but most of which were taken by Kimi's dad who has a very nice camera with a very big lens.  He graciously shared 547 pictures with the rest of us.  I'll not be including all of those, but a few. Hundred.

Bridie, Lilly, and Blythe

 

Blythe, Ashlyn, Kimi, Maggie, Addi

Emily, Lilly, Bridie

missing: Addie, Aubrey, Hailey

Blythe is waving for the ball to be kicked to her.

I'm not sure she would have known what to do with it.

Lilly, Ashlyn, Emily, Addi, Blythe, Addie, Aubrey, Hailey, Maggie

The team with Elizabeth Elder, quasi coach

 

Blythe, Addi, and Lilly

Audrey, Blythe, Addi

These pictures are of the most miserable game they played this season.  It was raining, cold, there weren't enough girls to substitute, and the team killed them!  Blythe got kicked and spent most of the second half hobbling around the field trying to stay near the action without every actually getting involved.  Boo!