It was 40 °F out. Seven of the kids showed up for the finale.
Coach Jeanluc was there, but Brian couldn't make it. I ended up as a walk-on coach. I went to help with the warm-ups and was labeled 'it.'
My coaching philosophy for U8 Soccer is simple: Give a kid a task and find something to congratulate them on.
Shane gets the bonus instructions of "Stop spinning!" "Heads up! The ball's in play!" "Eye on the ball! Don't get hit in the back of the head again!" His Achilles' heel is paying attention to the game. Ironically, that's the one thing that bothers me.....and that I probably had issues with myself at his age (which may be why it bothers me).
Oh well. He's made great progress in that he's able to stay on the field for a whole game without marching off in protest and complaining. Shane got knocked over one play, kept playing, and got up without a fuss near the end of today. I was proud of him. I would have been more proud if he got up and continued to play instead of raising his arms to turn to me and say, "Look! I didn't cry!" The other kids all around him continued to play and the other team scored about three feet away and three seconds later.
Makes for a funny story, at least.
Carrie needed to rest, so I took Shane out for lunch and errands afterward. I figured I earned a burrito and he earned a frozen treat from Wegmans.
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