Soc(cer) it to me!

I grew up on Long Island in the New York suburbs.  We played soccer (my brother and I).  I was a fullback... often left side - my father was coach and assistant coach most seasons (even though he grew up in the South Bronx, didn't play soccer - but you know he was a dad, and he was a dad who knew sports).  At a certain age, I remember clearly, my serious ballet teacher Ms. Donna, pulled me aside and said, "you must choose - ballet or soccer - prima ballerinas do not play soccer..."  The next season I was in tap class and soccer - not ballet.  Sorry Mom!

I wasn't particularly great at soccer - but I had heart.  BIG HEART.  I played my heart out every game.  Almost never cried and always gave it my all. And had a good time.

I actually love all sports.  I love playing them and watching them.  I love rooting for sports teams.  I have done "sports" throughout my life and my participation (playing, watching, and rooting) has waxed and waned throughout the years.  Seriously I have gone from super fan to apathetic... life has a way of taking you on detours sometimes and you forget some stuff that makes you happy. 

In college at Binghamton and also when I spent time overseas in Israel at Hebrew University, I played many pickup soccer games.  I was always there when the guys needed a girl for the "mixed" league team.  Even in law school, I played a game or two of soccer.

In Summer 2004, I spent a quick holiday in Lisbon with one of my best friends.  It happened to also be the Euro2004 Cup and the final game was being played in Lisbon!.  Portugal was playing Greece in the men's soccer finals.  It was awesome.  We watched the game in the streets in Lisbon and got all dressed up in the team colors.  Good times.

I can also remember watching many a game of the Soccer World Cup all over DC at all hours of the night and early morning.  Rooting for the US, Italy and Brasil!!!  I have soccer shirts for all of them.  And then there was all that rooting for the US Women's team.  Way back when I moved to DC,  it was Mia Hamm!!!!  GO MIA GO!  I know,  I have just totally dated myself.  Oh well!

Today, I have no idea what is going on in professional soccer and I have not actually played soccer - since, well, I can not remember when.

 But this past week, I officially became a soccer mom!

That is thing about having kids.  You get to reclaim all the things you want from your childhood and throw away (or improve upon) the things you TOTALLY do not want to repeat.  This is the greatest gift of parenthood!

Jonah is a spirited kid.  And yes, Vera has got some "spirit" too!  This past summer I tried signing Jonah up for a soccer program that I saw on Certifikid.  I bought it and then tried to send Jonah and Jocelyn to it.  For a whole host of reasons,  it did not happen.  It was really really hot this summer.  The group was totally disorganized.  Jonah was sort of gun shy.  We missed some weeks and then when we were here, they couldn't find the field sometimes.  It just didn't happen.

At the end of the summer, Jonah went to Nana Camp and Pop played soccer with him all week!  He LOVED it.  And he is really good?!?!?!  As in naturally good, since we haven't really done any soccer with him.  At the end of Nana Camp, Vera and I joined Jonah and Jonah and Vera played tons of soccer in the backyard with Pop.  They both LOVED it.  It was awesome to watch.  My two babies running around this big suburban backyard with my dad playing soccer - literally squealing with delight.  Being a parent has it sweet moments - this was one of them.

We came back to DC after Nana Camp and preschool started and then all those Jewish Holidays.  I meant to sign Jonah up for soccer but it didn't happen... but wait then it did!!  One of the moms of his school friends snagged me in the parking lot.  She cornered me and seriously persuaded me to have Jonah join this little group of his school friends for British Am  Soccer Tots on Wednesdays after school.  It was only 6 kids, a real coach, and he knew all the kids.  It was right after school on Wednesday.  Of course Wednesday is my worst day!  I have a babysitter because I have appointments on Wednesday afternoon I can't miss.  I signed him up with a plan that the babysitter would take him and Vera to soccer...

Right. 

First, the babysitter who usually comes on Wednesday switched her whole schedule so she couldn't come on Wednesdays anymore...Then I got a different babysitter.  She took Jonah and Vera two weeks ago, and it didn't go very well.  Well, it did if I had signed Vera up for soccer.  Vera wanted to do it all and apparently played the whole time.  Jonah refused to play and sat on the side the whole time.

Sometimes mommy needs take the bull by the horns.  I rescheduled all my appointments.  I kept the babysitter.  This past week I went with Jonah, Vera stayed home. We were going to play soccer.

And we did.

We got their early. I packed him lunch and planned to have a picnic with him.  He had his No.3 ball and his shin guard socks - he looked adorable!!!  He wasn't having any of the lunch.  Instead he was dribbling and kicking the soccer ball all over the field for like 20 minutes before everyone got there?!?  And he is good?!?

Then his first friend showed up.  The two of them were playing together.  I was hopeful.  Then the coach showed up - Coach Mattias - and some more kids.  Jonah grabbed my thigh - mommy don't leave.  It started.

There are about 6 kids.  They have been doing it 4 weeks and this was Jonah's second week.  They all do what coach says - sort of - they are 3.  At first Jonah would not do it.  So I got myself a ball and I did it.  The other parents sat on the side with Jonah - I was on the field with the kids.  Then Jonah was on my leg, like my shadow.  Slowly, slowly, he started playing.  I would ease my way off the field and all of a sudden there he would be, pulling my leg, to come play, mommy... but each time I could see it - he was having a little bit more fun, he was a little bit more confident, he was doing it,  just a little bit more, each time... PROGRESS!

By the end, he was doing it and I was on the sidelines - calling him Bramble - because there is another Jonah on the "team" -

"Bramble, kick it in the goal"
"Bramble, do not touch the ball with your hands, this is soccer!"
"Bramble, stay in the soccer circle"
"Bramble, hands to yourself - NO PUSHING!"
"Bramble, kick a goal!"
"YEAHHHHH BRAMBLE!  You scored!"

He wanted to stop early because he was hungry - ummm, maybe because he refused to eat lunch?!?!

At the end, the coach came up to me and said he thought Jonah did a great a job and he thought it was great I was there and that I did all the right things.  I like this coach, a lot.  He is young, extremely cute and his name is Mattias!  And he totally gave me "mom props" - love that!

The team gets their official team shirts next week!

I am a soccer mom. 

We go to soccer on Wednesdays. 

I can't wait to sign Vera up - she is going to rock the soccer world - watch out Mia Hamm (Oh wait, I think she is a soccer mom now, too...)