Cute Chaos

I’ve always thought the expression “herding cats” was particularly illustrative. But never more so then a couple weeks ago when I made the drive out to see niece #1 (being the oldest has its privilege’s, not least among them being labeled as niece #1, I’m sure.) in her soccer debut. 3 year olds playing soccer was pretty much exactly what I expected: mass chaos. But really really cute mass chaos. For the most part, the talent field was pretty level. Kids that age might like the concept of playing soccer, but in practice having all those adults on the sidelines watching them and cheering is pretty intimidating. This does not get better with age, sorry kiddos.

K was the best girl on the field. This despite a small break during play, spent sitting in the grass (hey! She was tired) and a 5 minute period where she and her friend tested an inventive strategy whereby they played soccer while holding hands. I don’t think the method is going to catch on anytime soon in the World Cup, but I liked their willingness to experiment. Seriously, though K was a regular Mia Hamm-Garcia-Parra compared to some of the other boys and girls she was playing with (yes I know Garciaparra is one word, but my way is more symmetrical). The fact that she showed no fear in taking the field was a testament to her outgoing little personality, and I was super proud of her. This might seem minor, but when you consider that they pretty much have to have a roster of 50 munchkins to find 5 that are willing to take the field at any given time, you can see why this was reason for excitement. In a related note: if anyone is looking for a new workout regime, might I suggest coaching the 3 year old set in soccer? These guys spent an hour running up and down the small field, trying to keep track of which midgets were their players, and encouraging them to kick the ball toward the correct goal. This involved lots of yelling and hand gesturing. I was exhausted just watching them.

I look forward to a long, decorated, soccer career from K. If there wasn’t a demographic known as “Soccer Aunts” before, I’m ready to start one. GO HOTSHOTS!