Saturday, September 6, 2008

The SHAMROCKERS ~

Ok, So imagine my excitement when I hear from Grandma and Grandpa Bird that our little niece Rylie Bird is playing soccer. One of my FAVORITE past-times, and a definite MUST for every child. Soccer is GREAT! You learn to be part of a team, and you learn ways to stay physically fit! I feel it is a WIN WIN WIN (in the words of Michael Scott) situation when all goes well with soccer.
So, it is a HOT day in Stockton, and we are patiently (not all are patient) waiting for the game before Rylie's to end.... an HOUR later... (come on... is there any organization here...) the girls get to the field. Rylie's team name is the Shamrockers!! HOW CUTE IS THAT?? They are in ALL green and look adorable! The team they are playing it the GlowBugs, they have electric green shirts.... very cute. While both teams are running the pre-game drills we realize that these GlowBugs are LEGIT and a few of the girls are hardcore scorers. Chris and I laugh as we compare the two teams shooting practice to the goal. Rylie is off going to the bathroom and the other girls look to be picking flowers and have NO idea what they are in for!
The game starts and there is a goal scored by the Shamrockers! YOU GO GIRLS! The only problem is that one of the girls on the GlowBugs is now crying because she took the ball the wrong way and that is how our team scored... this little girl runs off to her mommy, and is crying because she feels it is all her fault. Poor thing.... now the tubby girl (she was QUITE tubby if you know what I mean, and I hope she is there for the PHYSICAL FITNESS part to soccer....) on the other team has fallen 3 times and is having a hard time playing.... off she runs to mommy and daddy.... poor tubby girl!
Now the first 10 min. half ends and there is a break. We have ANXIOUSLY waiting for Rylie to join the game.... I love Erin's comment at the start of the game ...." What my kid's not first string.... what is this....." we laugh at her sarcastic remark. The game starts again after a 5 min. break. (could this be WHY we are an HOUR late starting our game) To our GREAT pleasure Rylie is IN the game! She runs around a little and is not able to get the ball at all..... off she runs to mommy crying that she was not able to touch the ball. Another lesson to be learned.... sharing is NOT part of soccer for 3-4 year olds! Maybe if she sticks this whole soccer thing out until High School they will learn by then that it is a team sport, but for now it is just bunch ball and no passing to other players on your team. Rylie finally gets back into the game after MUCH coaching from all the family who is there to see her play, and she kicks the ball a few times... but this time is crying for mom again because she did not kick it in the net.... poor baby!
After all this, it is quite comical to see these poor little girls hopes and dreams of what they had planned their first soccer game to be like crying in parents laps. I look around and there are 4 parents trying their best to console these poor little souls. I think this is a GOOD lesson learned today. Soccer is NOT easy, not everyone gets to play, or kick the ball, and very few people get to kick the ball in the net. (run-on sentence I know)
I hope the future games are not like this game, and I look forward to cheering on the Shamrockers!! Hopefully the first game has opened eyes and there will not be as many tears as the season presses on. Needless to say it was a good time had by all!

Cousin Hailey and Uncle Matt are Happy to be at the game! ~

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