Life is a Pitch: September 2014

9/24/14

upcoming tournament

I took down the badmouthing the coach posts...

But I'm mad at something new today. This may not be his fault, so I'm not mad at HIM, in particular.

"Competitive" soccer seasons around here usually have 10 regular season games and teams usually attend 3 or more tournaments. Tournaments really are THE BEST. You get SO MUCH soccer in so little time and you are playing for a TROPHY.

This season, Bradley's team only went to one summer tournament. The soccer calendar is laid out with one weekend per month set aside for tournaments (no games scheduled the 3rd weekend of the month). They didn't go to a June or July tournament. That's ok because the team is so new, they needed more practice before serious games.....but, tournaments would have given them A LOT of experience. They played in that August tournament, signed up for a Sept tournament in Dublin, and an October tournament in October. The coach pulled them out of the Dublin tournament stating that he wanted to find a tournament with more equal competition (I read that to mean that he didn't want to lose every game 8-0). So all we were registered for was the Davis Tournament in October.

We found out yesterday that we were put into the wrong division, so when our team manager pointed that out to the tournament director, we were dropped, not placed into the correct division.

So no more tournaments. She said that maybe we can play in some winter tournaments, but the high school kids who make their high school teams will not be able to play club and high school at the same time, so those tournaments will only be for the younger players. Not fair!

So this, by time it ends, will be a very short season, very few games. Disappointing!

9/20/14

Andrew's 3rd game of the season

I didnt get to go to Andrew's game last week, so I was really excited to watch him today. He scored a goal last week. I felt bad that I missed it.

His team plays really well together. There are no superstars or ball hogs on the team. They are always looking to pass on offense and on defense they always cover for each other. It's nice to watch, but they didnt win today. The other team scored 3 easy goals that the goalie got his hands on, but they trickled in.

Andrew scored his team's only goal of the day. I got a picture right before he shot, you can see it down at the bottom.

Andrew can do the furthest throw ins on the team. He can throw way down the line or all the way to the middle of the field!

He scored this!

And he was HAPPY!

3rd game

Now Bradley's team is 1-1-1....they have one win, one tie, and one loss. That means they are a pretty average team. But the team they tied today beat the team they lost to last week 3-0, so I think Bradley's team did pretty well today. Bradley didn't start and only played a half of each half, but when he was in he had a lot of chances on goal. I don't know, though, if that's a good thing. It's a good think if you see that he was really good at making things happen. The team was better when he was out there. But, it could also be seen as a bad thing since he didn't put away any of his chances. He had a header that went wide, a shot that went into the side netting, a hard left foot that the goalie made a fabulous save on, and he even attempted a bicycle kick, but the goalie saved that one, too. I think he is the only one who got any shots...I vaguely remember someone softly shooting it to the goalie and one other guy blasting it from way far out, but besides those and Bradley shots, not much other offense.

oops, cut him off, but got a good shot of the coaches.

the game was really heated...the other coach yelled at the ref a lot. A fan got thrown out (have never seen that before). And 5 players on Bradley's team got yellow cards (not Bradley).

The final score was 0-0....next time these two teams meet, it should be a good game!

wilderness survival

There are about 10 scouts in the troop and only three went on this campout....haha....that's probably because the leader said that they could only bring what they could fit into their pockets.

I picked Andrew up today and he looked tired. He slept on the ground, with no sleeping bag/pillow/padding/blanket.....the others all had sleeping bags?????? WHAT???!?!!!!! I sure hope they don't get their merit badges!!!!

9/16/14

A better video

This is his goal video, too bad I'm a lousy video taper....I watch the game more than I concentrate on the camera and my arm is not steady on the action, so even though the subject of this video tells you that it's a better video, that only means that the content is better than the other video I posted.

Really good goal, though!

9/15/14

FOUL!!!!

super slow mo

I am not posting this because I like it or because it's anything I want anyone to see. I'm not happy about it....at all....but, it is kind of funny that his TEAMMATE raises his arm as if to call a foul on the play!!!!!!!!!! (looks like that's what he was doing anyway, haha)

Regular speed (doesn't look quite so bad????)

hair cut

When William was a kid, he had really short hair and he wanted it cut just about every week. Well, I think Andrew is at that stage. Last night, he got out the hair clippers, put a towel on his shoulders, plugged the clippers in, got out a chair, and said, "Cut my hair."

This isn't a very clear photo and he doesn't have a very pleasant smile in it, but the hair looks good and, wow, I never noticed that scar on his forehead is so big.

Game #2

Not a lot to say about Bradley's team's 2nd game because if I did....I might sound like one of those "Dance Moms" on that stupid dance mom show and I think they are ridiculous, so I'm sure I would sound ridiculous....but Bradley is a GOAL SCORER and their team was down a goal a big portion of the game and Bradley sat on the bench for more than half the game. Bradley is bigger, faster, smarter, and more talented than the kids who were on the field when he was on the bench. Interesting tactics. But, he must have done something to make the coach not play him?????? The coach said he was going to send everyone an evaluation last week, Bradley still doesn't have his, so I will wait to see what it says before I just go insane, thinking my kid is getting his playingtime reduced for NO reason.

He did save a goal on this corner kick!

Got one good photo!

He played a little bit of defense at the end of the game....at least he was IN.

They lost 1-0....but the other team's goal was SPECTACULAR, so I'm not too upset....the better team won! Or the better coached team, haha!!!

soccer boys

As you know, I love soccer....especially the games my kids play! There is something else that is really fun....just sitting back and watching the boys interact. THEY ARE HILARIOUS.

The players have to arrive 1 hour early to games for warm ups and to go over game plans, etc. Most of our games are out of town, so we always leave early enough for bathroom breaks, sightings of Ross stores along the highway, losing maps (actually DID happen!!!!), and for unforeseen car problems.

there was discussion
that the socks were too long
and the shorts too short,
so Logan just tucked his shorts
into his socks!

I think a lot of other players do the same, because about 10 players were at the field for about 20 minutes before the coach got there. I sat in my chair near them and observed.....AND LAUGHED. They are funny! They say to oddest things. Their topics of conversations really go on crazy tangents!

The things they have in their soccer backpacks are odd, too! One kid had a FULL first aid kit, so he got teased that his mom packed his bag, he said, "nope".

One kid had those soft spot cleat things that go over shoe laces, plus extras for other players. One had electrical tape for shin guards, but it was almost gone because all the other kids KNOW he has it.

There was icy hot/Ben Gay/pain reliever cream.

I laughed at the talk about the new uniforms and how they fit.

They texted each other on other people's phones.

Oh, I cant tell you all the things that were funny, but I think everything they said was funny. I'm glad I sat there. I'm glad Bradley has fun teammates to be around. I wish we would have got to do that pre season-camping-together tournament, but these down times before and between games are wonderful for team bonding.

9/14/14

1st league game

Bradley's team now uses their "tournament jerseys" as their 'warm up' shirts....same problem, though, they are grey cotton t shirts, they show sweat!!! Badly!!! And, they have big plastic numbers on the back, which make backs even sweatier! But, they look cool, until they get sweaty (which is in like two minutes in the 100 degree weather!). And, Bradley's shirt is a size Med....which is just a little too small for him now!

He didn't start (thinking about having a little chat or e mail session with the coach about that, but the smart side of me is begging the impulsive side not to.) But he DID score a goal. A beautiful, well place, hard earned goal.

They won 3-0. It was a good first half, then they did NOTHING in the second half, which made the second half very boring. I LOVE soccer and even I was bored.

fast food snob

I treated Bradley to lunch twice this weekend. I let him choose where to go.

He HATES Burger King, Carl's Jr, and Jack in the Box, but likes McDonalds. I avoid McDonalds as much as I can....yuck.....so, when looking for fast food along the freeway, we have a hard time finding a place to stop!

Well, after his first game, which they won and he scored a goal, I told him to pick. He picked (of course---Chipotle). He said he was craving it like a pregnant lady. We found one fairly easily (we asked for directions while in line at the grocery store (where we got bananas and a chocolate milk) (each game, he eats peanut butter & jelly for pre game meal and has a banana and chocolate milk for post game meal). EVERYONE in line knew exactly how to get to Chipotle.

It was very crowded.