Sweaty Mess and The Humble Teachings of Defeat (HS Soccer)

Sami (in purple) had to 'stay on' this girl

Then there was this other girl and Sami ran up to deal with her too

She was a sweaty mess

As in REAL sweaty, on a Hot, Summer Saturday, game at 2pm

Her coach, giving her some tips (Sami is one of 2 or 3 top players on her team)

This tells a lot.  She was ready for it to be OVER at halftime.

More tips

Yep.  The coach's girl

Sami has entered the world of High School Soccer.  A world apart from our lovely 'Y' soccer that she has played since 1st grade.

She is a bit upset that she did not make the Varsity Team with her BFF.  Nope.  She is on JV.  However, she is one of the star players.  And boy, does she work hard, having to make up for those that don't know the game.

Saturday was rough on our girls.  They played a kick-ass soccer team that danced around them.  Our girls were beat.  AND we only have 9 girls, with no extras to sub.  And all freshmen!  Horror.  Heck, our Varsity team only has 1 senior and a smattering of other grades - and heavy on freshmen.  The other team kept putting in 'fresh' players every 15 minutes, and about 5 or 6 at a time.  They killed them.  Ditto for the Varsity team as well.  STOMPED

But, it was a good teachable moment - about what another team looks like and does when it truly works together. 

Last night the coach had a party for all the girls.  I am glad.  I think she did the right thing in just celebrating them for their hard work and effort. 

Love that coach.

Soccer Games That Get Played in the Dark! And What Happens When the Kids Are in Charge!

Yes, there was a game going on when I shot this! Poor kids! 

That's Better. Gradually the full moon rose under the clouds - and the sun went down on the other side!

Oops.  I shot more moon shots than kid shots.  Nice mix of dirt mound, wheel lines, and housing, eh?

Different Day - Better Light.  There's a ball in the air instead of the moon!

Fall.  The bummer about this time of year and outdoor sports, and living so far up in the Northern Hemisphere is the shorter days.  Our soccer games are played at a Sports Complex - with no outdoor lighting.

Then, you have the ever so brilliant schedule makers, who schedule 6:16 pm games,for our age group (older kids, later bedtimes)  that run 1.25 hours, yet the sunset is 6:28 pm - seriously.  I looked it up just now.

And sunrise?  6:52 am.  I'm sitting here in the dark at home at 6:08 am!

The kids won their 10 am Saturday game yesterday (yeah! And against some amazon Bigger kids. All the other teams have huge monster kids.  This is the age group before High School Soccer.  We are playing the same age group - 10-14,  however, ours are the youngest (you can play up, not down and ours are aged 9-12).    Sami said 'some big fat girl' pushed her down.  Good thing I was not there and a safe 150 miles away in Boise.  I have those mommy instincts.  Killer mommy instincts. I'm sure the big man upstairs deliberately had me elsewhere so I would not have embarrassed my dd, or the coach or the rest of the team - and those parents that watch without saying a peep.  I have fantasy visions of me encouraging my daughter to take her out or say something snarky, like 'excuse me for getting in your way'.  But she did the right thing.  She got up, and walked off and hid her tears!). 

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Speaking of kids... I left at 4am.. all they had to do, was wake up, eat, have their soccer stuff ready and do chores.  I called at 6am to wake them.  And on my second (third?) call, at 6:15am, they were up and moving.  The game was 9:15 am. 

Well.... Something happened during that whole time frame.  Rumor has it (well, reality), that their ride arrived (even a half hour late!) while they were still out in one of the fields changing wheel lines.  Jake was out in the field while Sami ran home and got both of their soccer gear.

Between them, at the game, they had 1 pair of sox, and 3 soccer shoes!  They had to take turns playing!  But they had their jerseys!  And their team still won! 

And, a 'new dog' was at the house when I got home.  While they were doing the morning chores, they had time to find a stray dog, bringt it home, set it up with food and water, and well.. got side tracked!!!


Cute kids. 

And the dog is back with her family:)