We're All Friends Here

The second soccer practice was a success. As long as a success means most of the kids had fun. I felt a lot better after leaving this practice. Most of the kids were not ready to give it up yet when they had to leave. They wanted to play some more of the games that we played using soccer balls.

The 2 girls that were there did not get into the practice that well today. I will need to find a way to get them more involved and having fun if I can. I think the wild boys on the team scared them too much.

I had the team take some time to decide a name. There were a couple names thrown out there and a couple kids liked my son's idea to call it Leo's team, but we finally reached an agreement that everybody likes. I'm now the head coach of "We're All Friends Here".

I think the parents enjoyed watching their children having fun. I had a blast and am ready for the next practice.

Soccer Practice

I definately could have used some time between figuring out that I was a coach and the first practice. I got home when I was talking to Dad around 9:00 or 9:30 and found out that Christina volunteered me to be a coach. She had asked me earlier in the afternoon if I would be interested in volunteering to help with soccer.

I had told her that I don't know a thing about soccer but I could help out if they were o.k. with me not knowing a thing about soccer. I thought I would be helping a coach not coaching. I got trapped.

I had to come in to work early yesterday. Then had an extreemly busy day thanks to an accident we had on Monday. I had time to stop at home then go straight to the practice. I had no idea what to expect and no clue what was going to happen at the first practice.

I was given the names of my team on a sticky note and they called out the names of the children to get with the coaches.

The head of the soccer league told me that she was placing me and the kids on half of a field. She said to watch the coach on the other half and kinda do what he is doing.

At that point all of the mothers and a couple fathers approached me. Everybody wanted to know what was going on, if we were practicing or playing, rules, team color, who brings snacks and when. I wanted to crawl in a hole. I was so confused. I hadn't been given the slightest clue on what I needed to know and had no time to look up anything prior to showing up.

All the other teams started warming up so I had the kids start doing stretches. One of the mother's that must have had a kid go through soccer before sensed that I didn't know what I was doing and asked if I needed help during the first stretch.

We only did a few stretches and the Mother had some drill ideas so we did those. She was running out of ideas and her son needed her so I told her I could handle it. Lie! I tried to do a couple things but I am only good at one thing with kids. I can get them wired up! Not so good with getting them to settle down. I had them chasing a ball all over the field. I was getting them ready to play a little bit and the hour was over.

One of the coaches sat snacks behind me as I was talking to the kids and I was able to pass out snacks. Didn't think about that one either! I've got to remember that anything I do with kids, they require snacks.

I think the kids had some fun. It will be a lot more fun on Thursday. I have some games to play that use soccer balls and will get them used to kicking. I will have a full practice ready and I am taking help this time. Kimber is going to help me show the kids how to play the games and do the drills.

I felt like a complete idiot as I was leaving the field. The parents of those 9 kids were expecting more. I don't blame them. If I was on the sidelines I would want to see my kid doing more with a soccer ball than I had them doing. I know that I was asked to be coach the night before but they don't know that.

I'm ready to get back out there Thursday now just to prove that I'm not a joke and to get the kids having a lot more fun. There is a game where everybody stands in a circle around the coach then takes turns kicking a ball at the coach. If they hit the coach they get to request that the coach do something funny like act like a different animal or a cartoon character. If that isn't fun for them there is red light green light with a soccer ball. I've got a bunch more ideas thanks to the internet that will make learning the basics of soccer fun.