soccer stars

Soccer is back for James and has begun for Kate. They are playing together on a new team, the Utes. (Nice to get the red shirts in this part of town.) Today was their second game with this group and both kids did fantastic. It's fun to have them playing together, too.

Before the game began . . .

James scoring a goal! He actually scored 5 goals today (and 2 last week). Their team won 8 to 3. When James started playing this summer in the SL County organization, he didn't know much in the way of skills or rules, but he loved his practices and his games and improved with each opportunity to kick the ball around. Still, I was impressed today. I missed last week's game, so I can't compare today to last week, but I was shocked today to see him skillfully directing the ball to the goal. Something changed from the last County game a month or so ago. Wow! The down side: he knows it. The kid is competitive and he brags. I'm happy for him and I want him to be excited and pleased and confident, but I want him to be nice too. We have some work to do.

Here's Kate with a kick-off to start the second half. I'm so glad she's playing this time and so is she. She does well and has a ton of fun. (I still feel guilty that she didn't get to play with James' team in the County league.)

Kate and James coming off the field at substitution time. I think James had just scored a goal.

Oh, and then there's this. Kate insisted that four of her stuffed animals wanted to watch her play soccer. Normally, kids on the sidelines watch the game and can't wait to be on the field. Kate, and a few other girls on the team, however, used "break time" for a different kind of play and to socialize. What can I say?