In a random scheduling of soccer games in the little spring 5v5 league Gray and PJ are playing in, their first game of the season was against each other! I told them a few days before and OH MY GOSH the trash talking was crazy around here! They both wanted to know who we thought was going to win – Parker thought she would because her team is one year older and Grayson thought the boy would win because boys are tougher than girls. Of course we never actually guessed who would win and waited to just watch the hilarity unfold on Saturday!
The night before the game Gray came in and we had a conversation like this:
Gray: Mommy, I can’t get yellow cards yet because I’m not old enough right?
Me: Right.
Gray: And there aren’t penalty kicks for my team right?
Me: Nope.
Gray: And the refs don’t really blow their whistle unless we’re out of bounds right?
Me: Right….
Gray: So I can use my elbows or shoulders to take down the girls and I can’t get in trouble right Mommy?
HA! I about died. He watches too many high school soccer games and understands the game well enough that he was looking for loop holes to take out his sister! Of course I told him that his coach would get mad and WE would get really mad – it didn’t stop him though – at one point he totally kicked Parker’s feet out and caused her to fall! We are in a world of hurt (and a slew of yellow cards I’m guessing) when he gets older!
In the fall we noticed that Gray’s face was always CRAZY when he played and it obviously hasn’t changed!
At Kindergarten (Gray plays up) and first grade it’s totally herd ball!
Parker’s goal!
Total herd!
A dad I didn’t know on the sidelines told me he’s never seen such a little kid play with such intensity as Grayson – to be honest I haven’t either. And besides the trip he did to PJ it’s not like he’s being mean, he just REALLY loves to play and REALLY wants to win I think. He’s intense on the field which is funny to me now but I bet will make it fun to watch him as he grows up!
I mean look at every other kid’s face. Nice kids. Sweet kids. And then there is Gray totally focused and freaking out everyone else! I wonder if that’s how Chris was when he was little!
Just after Gray’s goal! We were so happy both kids scored one goal each. Being even is good when siblings are playing against each other!
AND the game ended in a TIE! Oh we couldn’t have been happier at that outcome!
Soccer can keep us busy now that all three kids play and Chris coaches the high school team but I really love it. I love the picnic meals we have in the grass when we’re out all day with games. I love my friends I sit on the sidelines with. I love the friends my kids play with when they’re not on the field. I love being in the sun. I love cheering on wins and teaching life lessons with every loss. On Instagram (follow me!) I started using #professionalsoccerfan because that about sums up my role in the soccer community and I wouldn’t have it any other way!