First soccer practice

Yesterday I took Sofia for her first ever real soccer practice. She had after school activity of girls soccer a year ago. While she had fun running around with her friends, she didn’t particularly like it. So this time when I found out about a soccer team practice I wasn’t sure she’d like to try. Maybe it’s because she’d deprived for so long of group activities, she was excited to try it out.

We thought there would be mixed gender teams but it turned out Sofia was the only girl. She almost didn’t want to join. Fortunately she was brave enough to try and OMG, this is serious stuff and I am a proud mama. She DID GREAT, well for me who’s totally biased. It was a 90 min session with 60 min of it doing different drills, with a partner, alone, and as a group. Then 30 min of match. She DID all the drills, all of them for the first time. I was sooooooo proud to see her brave enough to try out new things, things that she might feel embarrassed to do as she has no idea how to do them, try things that made her uncomfortable. I gave her true compliment and encouragement during those 30 seconds water breaks. With each break, I could feel she was liking it a bit more. By the end, she gave me a big smile and to herself for doing it.

While I was sitting at the bench together with other parents, i finally got to feel what I read so many times about parents taking kids for sport practice. I finally get it, the mix feeling of a drag to spend so much time there “doing nothing” and not wanting to miss it because they are really life milestones of our babies. I worked while I was there but mostly I was there for my baby. I promised Sofia I’ll be here each time if I don’t have a conflicting meeting.

Although I know Sofia might want to come back because she had fun today, if there’s no other girls she might not for long time. So I went through her friend lists and asked their parents if their girls want to join too, and I found one already!!! YAY! They will both starting to come once a week for soccer practice. I can’t even believe I’m saying this. Can you feel my excitement???

My excitement comes from (i) knowing Sofia is such a brave girl (braver than me for sure because under the same circumstances, I’d back out 100%); (ii) knowing she’ll start a group sport, which she lacks. I believe group sports are necessary for kids to learn camaraderies, group honour, collaboration, team work. So I’m glad we found one that she wants to do; (iii) she gets to have a weekly play with one of her play mates for an activity. I think that’s really the best part for her, to do something together with her friends; (iv) I get to feel being a good mom to sit at the bench every week. Really a win win situation! 😆

Back home after soccer practice, we had quick dinner and then I did what my golf coach told me to do as I got golfer elbow. yeah… for over practicing and bad swing moves. He asked me to soak my elbow under warm water with sea salt, and then apply this muscle cream. Let’s see if it works. Now I’m kind of miss playing.