Soccer-A Lesson for Me

Some of you may know that both M and I are what I would consider athletic, and highly competative. We enjoy sports, growing up we played sports whether with the kids in the neighborhood or on organized teams. For M it was baseball and football. For me it was basketball, volleyball, track ( I was a sprinter and did triple-jump), and have regrets that I didn't take up swimming. I also was known to play a little hockey with the neighborhood boys. On one of our first dates M and I played UNO. I won, and shocklingly M threw his cards in my face.Ok, we are working on the being a good sport part.
So, when M and I decided to have kids we thought for sure they would HAVE to be athletic and that we would be able to teach them about sportsmanship and love of the game. So naive, right?

Well, this summer Big H decided to try his first organized sport, soccer. Wait a minute...neither M or I know a thing about soccer. I did fill in on a friends soccer team breifly in elementary school, but that was, umm...a few years back. =) So, we jumped into the soccer thing ...after I had a time trying to figure out how to wear the shorts and shin guards fashionbly.

H was doing fine, learning new things, listening to the coach, running hard. However, we found our competative natures wanting him to go out and dominate. Run harder, not to cry when someone kicked his ball away, get the goal. Lighten up, right? He is only 4. That when I realized that my ugly competative side was rearing it's ugly head towards my sweet, first born with the teachable spirit. Precious to watch. I think it's better to be his mommy, his cheerleader, his comfort when he gets sad or mad...instead of his coach.

I really did enjoy seeing him grow and I can't wait to follow whatever sports or other talents he has. So, that is how H's soccer lesson was really MY lesson. It is difficult to tame a competative spirit, but how amazing to see him learn and have pure joy of the game.I know that I will definately be his biggest cheerleader.