Of Being a Soccer Dad
I’m fairly sure I’ve addressed this subject before but it is important for me to keep it at the forefront of my mind.I’m now two years separated. The last nail in the coffin is in progress. There are a few regrets, but overall not actually a lot of pain. I did my grieving years ago.The one thing that is critically important to me is maintaining contact and, more importantly, an actual father-relationship with my kids. To this end I’m there in their lives as much as I can be. For school events, for their performances, for their prize-givings and of course for their sporting efforts.In the Winter months, I am a Soccer Dad.Now - I’m not the English Immigrant Soccer Dad. They’re a little scary. They jump up and down and yell a lot. Bringing a touch of English ‘culture’ to our fair shores.I’m more the gentle guide, the exuberant celebrator when my boy does good, the encourager and defender when my boy doesn’t do so well.Soccer season is nerve-wracking for me.
This Saturday it was compounded. The boy-child decided to volunteer to be goalkeeper. Now he’s actually pretty good and he did do well. He let two in but he didn’t cry!! This is great personal growth from last year.It’s not so fun being Soccer Dad of the Goalie as you die a little each time the opposition get close.The boy stopped many. He dived on loose balls. He got a hand to a hard shot that went high. He’s not so great at goal kicks. He’s pretty awful at drop kicks. But these are skills that he’ll develop.I love seeing him out there and getting involved. He frames the entire game in terms of a video game: “I’ve repelled wave #2 of the alien attack”. Brilliant. He’s also learning teamwork, understanding how defensive and offensive patterns work, and no longer getting angry or frustrated when others fail a little bit.It is also nice to know that there are other parents out there, each dying by degrees and supporting their kids in their chosen sports. We suffer together.Last season the best result was a 1-1 draw. Our team lost every other game. The coach was a broken man. We have great expectations for this season. A new coach. New players. An ability to score goals. It has to be a better year!How many others have kid-sport stories?- Simon