Seth's First Soccer Game

I could have easily called this "Emily's Saturday Workout" because I think she ran the most of anyone on the field. Most parents look forward to the day when their kids can start sports and we were not different. We expected tears and hissy fits but we underestimated Seth's capacity to melt down....greatly. 

 

We were off to a rough start when the league provided Seth with a parka instead of a jersey. Add in the need to wear shinguards and high socks for the first time and you get one very unhappy little boy. I actually started out on the field with him but after 5 minutes of me simply hugging him, Emily tapped in.

 

Emily got Seth's feet to touch grass. Mom 1 - Dad 0.

While Emily was able to get Seth (after a few minutes of coaxing) to actually walk around the field with her, he wasn't thrilled by it. In fact she had to carry his personal soccer ball around as a bribe. Bringing his incorrectly sized bright orange ball was just one of many bad Dad calculations on the day. 



That kid with the ball could fly (for a 3 or 4 year old). He played a nice European style, complete with an impressively developed flopping technique. He was the match All Star. Notice Emily eyeing the ball intently. She was sick of that kid burning her, I mean Seth....she wants that ball.

Emily was fantastic with him, always being positive and encouraging. Seth was beginning to get more and more comfortable playing and even decided to go for the ball once. Unfortunately he chose the moment when he was outnumbered 3 to 1 with charging 4 year olds coming at him.



This shot doesn't bode well for Seth. Even Emily is kind of steering clear of the collision that is coming.

He got leveled. Destroyed. Anihilated. He put himself out there for 1 play and he discovered just how small he was compared to everyone else.

The best part of that situation was the support the other parents were trying to give me as Seth struggled to enjoy the game. Each had their own story of the difficulty of youth sports and promised me it would get better. As Seth decided to go for the ball, they all got really excited and looked at me with huge smiles on their faces. Then Seth was flattened and you heard a collective groan. One parent managed to say "That was not the best moment for him to go for the ball". After that, nobody said anything to me and tried to pretend I wasn't there. It was an understandable awkward situation.

This is my favorite shot. Why? Because it is blurred....meaning Seth was moving. I wish I could have done a video of this because he made it about 5 feet before he stopped and panicked when he couldn't find Emily.

After watching a bit of the game on the sideline Seth was able to go back on the field. While he stuck close to Emily and made her carry him most of the time, he did have a moment or two were he was confident enough to wander after the ball. I suspect a few of the times the other kids around Emily and Seth simply pushed between them and forced them apart.

Seth was more worried about someone trying to steal his mommy than where the ball went. Notice the size difference between Seth (3rd from the right not including Emily) and the 14 year old pretending to be 4 standing right next to him.

One thing about Seth is that when he reaches his limit, it isnt a gradual decline. He just stops. He was spent, emotionally and physically. Apparently being held by mommy while walking around the field just wore him out and he went down for the count.



And he was done. Not just tired or grouchy....done. He could have atleast collapsed about 5 feet to their left so that he could be protecting the goal. He hasnt quite developed that sports sense yet, it will come.

It was a pretty rough first game. Everyone had comforted us ahead of time, saying that all kids that age mostly cried and didn't want to be there. Nope, just Seth and 1 other kid. That is ok though. He will get used to it and hopefully start having some fun. If not, atleast mommy and daddy will get a good Saturday Morning workout and some orange wedges.