Soccer, Soccer, Soccer

Soccer games for the spring season started today and I love soccer season.  We see friends we haven't seen in months and I love watching the kids play.  They have played on travel soccer teams since they were little and it is so nice to see them still playing with the same kids years later.

Devon's team was in Division 1 last season and they did not have a great season.  They didn't win a game all season and started fighting a lot.  Since Devon played goalie for most of the season he was very frustrated and almost did come back.  We encouraged him to play with his team because it is their last season together and they got moved back to Division 2.  Well they played great today, worked together and ended up with a 5-1 win.  It was awesome to see them working together as a team again and having a great time doing it.

Jordan's team played Division 1 last season and while they didn't win a lot of games they held their own and are back in Division 1.  Jordan's team has played together since they were 5 years old and I am always in awe of how well they play together.  Unlike the boys they never give up and usually dominate the field.  Even if they don't win, which today they did not, they still give it their all.

Today was hard because it was the first game of the season and Jordan was very nervous.  Then the game became very intense and she ended up not playing at all.  It is hard to watch all her friends playing and she ends up crying on the way home.  Her coach is great and usually plays her even if it is a few minutes.  I think sometimes she gets caught up in the game and knows that Jordan doesn't always want to play.  It is that fine balancing act between trying to win and playing everyone.  When Jordan first got sick she didn't mind only playing 5 minutes a game, now it is starting to bother her a little.  The good thing is her coach usually makes up for it in another game.

It's just another part of life that we have to watch our children go through.  They aren't always going to be the best at everything and sometimes you just don't get to play the game.  Doesn't mean you sit down and become defeated by it, it means you get back up and try twice as hard.