The End of another Soccer Season

I can't believe the soccer season is already over. I know I sometimes complain about the 4 nights a week we spend at that the field for practices and the early morning Saturday games but truth be told, I love it. I love soccer. I love being a soccer mom. And now that the season is over, I am a little sad.

For Jadyn and I, this season has been a roller coaster. Jadyn moved up to the all girls under 8 division. She found it difficult to adjust to the higher level of skills and bigger field, which means a lot more running. While she loved playing defense and was quite good at it, she refused to play offense, which caused quite a struggle. I was frustrated and embarrassed at her refusal to listen to her coach. I wondered if I wasn't assisting coaching, if she would have acted so insubordinate. It made the whole experience very bittersweet because while I LOVED being involved with the team, I do believe that IF Jadyn wants to continue playing next year, I will probably need to take more of a backseat. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Here they are, The Cheetah Divas. I have loved getting to know this great group of girls. They have made me wring my hands in frustration, made me laugh and have been a joy to watch out on the field.

Since it is so close to Halloween, we put temporary color in the girls' hair for the last game and I got a decent action shot of Jadyn clearing the ball. I don't know why but with her pigtails all pink/orange, she reminds me of Punky Brewster.

Later that afternoon, we had our end of season party where I presented Coach Sarah with a photo book and all the girls got their trophies. I think despite our ups and downs, Jadyn and her coach ended on a good note:

I was also surprised with a Starbucks gift card from the team and a beautiful scarf from Coach Sarah. While I don't do it for the recognition, it is certainly nice to know my efforts are appreciated.

Personally, Jake had a great season. Having moved up to the under 10 division, we were surprised to see him come into his own and score a total of 4 goals. He really learned a lot from his coach and gained the confidence to use his speed and play offense. Although his team took some tough losses, they were able to end the season on a good note, squeaking out a 2-1 victory.

Here they are after their win on Saturday:

If you can't tell from the team picture, Jake also got into the spirit and let me put turquoise and black in his hair:

Jake also had an end of season party at a local park. The team played a game of kickball and were presented with trophies but unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures. Even more fun, at his last practice the coach had the team play the parents and it was a BLAST! I held my own and was complimented on my soccer skills by both the coach and two of the dads but the next morning I was so sore I could barely move!

Suffice to say, Jake really loves soccer and while he is still getting into BMX, we are also exploring opportunities for him to play soccer beyond the fall recreational season (and I think sadly, he might be done with baseball).

Meanwhile, I think we found Jadyn's next extracurricular activity. While she decided to give up ballet last spring, she still loves to sing and dance around the house so Friday I took her to a trial cheer class at her old dance studio and she LOVED it. Looks like we may end up with a cheerleader in the house:

Yes, never a dull moment for the Funny Noses!