Competitive Edge

We are three weeks in to LP's soccer season and I am not sure that she is getting it.

To be fair, this is her first foray into team sports, and we have spent three years teaching her about taking turns, being gentle, and sharing, not necessarily the attributes of star athletes.

The league is for kids around 4 and some kids are closer to 5 with this being their second season playing. Those kids look like Pele compared to LP and her compatriots. LP will kick the ball once and stand still waiting for someone to kick it back; the more experienced (and way bigger looking) players will run to the ball and dribble it past her right into the goal.

At this age, the concept of "team" seems to be foreign too. There is no passing and the players more aggressive in going after the ball will steal it from whoever has it, no matter the color their jersey.

To be honest, I am just glad she is out there playing, If the coach (who is a really nice and patient guy) calls on her she runs right in. She follows direction and is really proud of herself if she scores a goal, even if it is when they are taking turns kicking it into the goal during warm ups. At this point, the fact that she is not clinging to me on the sidelines is a win. And she looks so dang adorable in her uniform I can't stand it.

The Hoos, who actually never played team sports, is way more competitive than I had imagined. It kills him to watch LP "play". He is a great dad and will cheer for her to the end, coaching her kindly on what to do from the sidelines, but I think he would rather cover his eyes than watch. One of the highlights of the last game for him was when another little boy, one of the few smaller than LP, spent his time on the field picking grass and throwing it at the other players.