Friday, July 18, 2008

On-Goal Day 4

Again, had the 12 pm and 3 pm pickups, so, got to see the boys in action.

11:30 am: Christopher, again, is not playing, it's bible-study time for the 2nd graders. Matthew's Microstars are just putting on the penny's to choose up sides and begin play. I've totally had the team composition wrong, today I finally figured out what they do. There are 2 coaches for 3 groups of 12 kids....for games, they divide up those teams of 12 into 2 groups of 6. So, today, Matthew's friend Greg was on the other team, but, Ty and Bennett were on his team. And those two were in the same group with Matthew on the field. Bennett's Mom was there and asked why they did that, and I've wondered why as well....it makes the game very one-sided. By the time those boys rotated off two or three minutes later it was 3-0. Matthew, finally, was named one of the "Total Players"....he had expressed a great deal of frustration yesterday at not being named "Dad, they describe kids who score lots of goals and cut through other players, and they don't pick me!". I just told him keep going.....he'll get his chance. "You will have your chance, Matthew, you_will_have_your_chance!"



I've seen way too much "Cars" recently.....

2:30 pm: Finally get to see Christopher in action; walk down the path to the park with Matthew, turn the corner and start looking for Christopher on his fields and see this tall boy in a white shirt kick the ball into the goal. Continue walking towards his fields, sit down, and watch. For some reason, the other four players on Christopher's team weren't too interested in soccer today.....Christoher seemed to be the one hustling after the ball, the others were talking with the coach, talking with each other, etc....and Christopher was getting really frustrated. Game ends, I'm watching them walk off the field, and Christopher is talking with the kids on the other team and I see them get really animated.....the conversation went something like this:

Kid 1: "We won"
Christopher: "No, it was tie"
Kid 1: "We won!'
Christopher: "It was a tie!"
Kid 1: "We won! Shut up!"
Christopher "Don't tell me to shut up!"
Kid 1: (pushes Christopher)

I'm watching this, and now *I'm* praying "please don't hit him, please don't hit him, please don't hit him". Kid 1 is 1/2 the size of Christopher. Guaranteed, if Kid 1 is brother Matthew, he's getting a punch or a kick from Christopher.

Thankfully, Christopher says one more phrase, and then walks off to get water. For a moment, I was sure I was going to have to deal with my kid fighting at church camp......

Walked over to see Kevin...he had just come out of goal and was back in on defense. Doing well, he's not the best (by far), he's not the worst (by far). Tomorrow is the World Cup and the skill competition.....video camera will be deployed.