Soccer Dad Chronicles: Week 1

This picture sums up Saturday at soccer…

Yesterday I wrote for Mommynoire about Cydney being the only black girl on her soccer team.  Of course I wanted to share the full experience with you guys.  I was very entertained.  

The morning started off with me getting all of Cydney’s things together.  I was pretty geeked about the whole thing because this was my first time getting to watch my baby be a little girl and do an activity that had nothing to do with me.  Cydney has been getting ready for this for quite some time.  She’s been kicking the ball around the yard for some time, we watch soccer when it comes on TV, and as often as we’ve been to the field to watch before Cydney couldn’t wait until it was her turn.

I woke Cydney up and said “Guess what?!  We’re going to go play soccer today!”  She beamed with anticipation.  As I got her dressed I took pictures of her in her new outfit.  Because I don’t currently own a car we took the bus to get there.  When we got to our stop, I put her on my shoulders and I walked the rest of the way there.  It’s about a mile from the bus stop to the ball field, but I knew we’d get there quicker and she would be kinda tired if I let her walk the whole way.  When we got there, the coach handed Cydney an option of jerseys and I gave her number 7.  She got out on the field and was ready to go.

Cydney definitely marches to the beat of her own drum.  The coaches had the girls doing a drill where they would kick the ball around and yell “Freeze!” and the girls would do so, put one foot on the ball and then switch a few times before kicking the ball around again.  Cydney would kick her ball all the way to the next field.  One of the coaches had to constantly guide her and stayed with her the whole way so that she could get used to this.  

The next drill was the coaches introducing dribbling by what they called the penguin walk.  They would walk like a penguin alternating the ball between feet and then they would freeze.  When the coaches told the girls to dribble, Cydney picked up the ball and proceeded to dribble it like a basketball.  I cracked up laughing because what she did was technically right.  The next drill was a listening drill.  The coach would tell the girls to put a certain body part on the ball and they’d do so.  Kinda like a “Simon Says” of sorts.  Cydney participated at first.  Eventually she just stood there and looked while the other girls followed instructions.

Then came the scrimmage.  Cydney wasn’t getting the idea of following the ball too well.  She’d get a little confused and thenw ould be happy just twirling around on the field.  A few times she subbed herself in and out.  She took water breaks while she was supposed to be on the field.  There was lots of me saying to Cydney “Follow the ball!” or “Go that way!”  The whole time I was laughing and taking pictures.

Then Cydney’s friend Neighbour came by to check on her.  Neighbour is one of the coaches in the academy which is why Cydney signed up.  As soon as Cydney saw her she yelled in excitement, ran over, and gave her a big hug.  We were both telling Cydney “Get back on the field.”  One time when Cydney subber herself out she came to the sidelines where we were and Neighbour gave her a pep talk.  She told Cydney that she had to go and kick the ball high in the sky and that if she did I would buy her ice cream.  I gave Neighbour a side eye for volunteering this without paying but that’s how she rolls.  Needless to say Cydney got a few kicks in right away.  When she would run to make a stop on the opposition she would run right up to the ball and stop and not actually make a stop.  Eventually Neighbour left because she had to get back to work.  But Cydney was happy to see her and participate.

Cydney had such a good time out there.  This was her dream come true.  After the game the team got snacks and I signed up to do so during the last week in June.  I thought that was cool because that made me really feel like one of the soccer parents out there.  That’s my badge into the club.  The coaches and the girls decided to name themselves “Team Frozen” which of course got the girls really excited.  They put their hands in and yelled “Team Frozen!”  One of the parents laughed and said “I hope they don’t start singing the song!”  Of course I shared their sentiments on this.

After the game I put Cydney on my shoulders and walked a mile to Baskin Robbins to get her some ice cream because I was so proud of her.  We walked back to the field and hung out there for a little bit.  I let Cydney play on the playground.  As I pushed her on the swings I couldn’t help but smile.  I already know that whenever Cydney does something major I’m going to think of Timile.  I’m going to have a brief moment of sadness that she doesn’t get to see these experiences and be a mom on earth.  But I smile knowing that she would be proud of me and the job I’m doing.  We talked with Neighbour for a good fifteen or twenty minutes because deep down one of the reasons I signed Cydney up for this particular academy was because Cydney wanted to be there and Neighbour wanted her to as well (If you’re reading don’t think I don’t know).  We then left; I put Cydney back on my shoulders and I walked with her for a mile to the bus stop.  

We got off the bus and I walked another mile with her on my shoulders again.  By the time we got home she was resting her head on mine and was knocked out.  I put her down on the bed and let her sleep for an hour as I made my phone calls and told everyone how it went.  When she woke up she wanted to put her cleats back on and wanted to go out to kick the ball around some more.  Needless to say we will be practicing this week so that next week will be a little better.

Until next Monday…