kaos

Nakiah is playing on a 3-5 year old soccer team (she of course is the youngest, not yet 3) and dear old mom was assigned to coach. Not by choice, more by default. To be honest, I was not looking forward to coaching....not even a little bit. Considering the program is run through my department at work, I've seen first hand what 3-5 year olds on a soccer field are like.

That being said, I think I've enjoyed this Mighty Midgets season at least as much as the kids, if not more!!

Here is my Super Star - if I can actually convince her to play on the field. She's come a long way!! The first actual game against another team was pretty rough. She does not like the other team taking the ball from her and insists that everyone is pushing her. She got her feelings hurt a few times and has had to slowly work back to enjoying the game. But in the last week or so has really started having fun with her teammates. She is now much more willing to voice her concerns, as she is now the child running at the back of the pack with her hand in the air yelling "No pushing, that not nice! I will kick the ball!" ;-) We work on a learning curve. My fabulous team ~kaos~. Two of my very generous team parents sponsored our team and decided that 'kaos' was the perfect name for our team. I concur, it fits! Bojan, Levi, Lucas, Anna, Nakiah, Diego, Kasey and James You might see 7 kids doing their own thing, not paying attention, I see success in getting 7 of my 8 players to stand in the same location long enough for a picture to be taken!!

So patient and so focused

Nakiah in her very first soccer game

Bojan and Nakiah chasing after the ball

I try to explain the object of soccer is to get the ball into the goal.....I'm glad she can celebrate the simple joys of just getting her foot on the ball!

She was so overjoyed that in the middle of the 'play' she cut left and darted to the sidelines to tell Daddy and Auma that she "did it!"

And then the 'pushing' began...

We had a few tears

And coach/Mommy needed to mend a tender heart

Its good to be a passionate player!

Even with the little stresses and somewhat frustrating situations that inevitably arise with a team of 8 3-5 year olds, I've thoroughly enjoyed watching the kids get excitement out of things that I take for granted. They are my team of little super stars and I'm such a proud coach!!