The Lee Family: Sofia's Soccer Season

Sofia's spring soccer season is well underway and I'm trying to enjoy it and remind her to enjoy it too, since it will most likely be her last. Going to practice and games is akin to pulling teeth and usually takes me at least 45 minutes to cajole, argue, fight and beg her to go and have fun. Sometimes she says she doesn't like putting on the soccer socks, shin guards and uncomfortable shoes, but usually she says she "hates" soccer and gets mad that "I signed her up and decided for her." Of course, after her practice or game, she always tells me how much fun she had and how excited she is for the next time she can play. However, the same thing happens the following practice or game.

Unfortunately, not only does she fight me on going to practices and games, but a few games ago she got grazed on the back of the head by a ball during warm-up and has been pretty afraid of the soccer ball ever since. After she got hit, three girls on the opposite team got hit directly in the face by the soccer ball during the game, which I'd never really seen happen before! I think it completely scared her for the rest of the season and she's always kicking the ball with her hands up protecting her body. She even shrinks away when her team mate is throwing the ball in to her!! I'm so glad she didn't get hit in the face, because I'm pretty sure that would be the last time she stepped onto the soccer pitch.

As much as I'd like her to love soccer or another sport, it just isn't her thing and I'm finally coming to terms with it. She was exactly the same with tennis when we had lessons after school on Monday in the fall. She would fight me to go and then have a great time during the lesson and say how much fun she had just to fight me the following week. CK has been saying how we need to listen to her and let her stay home and do whatever it is she enjoys, after the season ends. So, I finally agree with him. Normally her soccer season would have another week or two, but because we've had so much rain these past few weeks several of our games have been cancelled so the season has been extended by about a month. She has five more games and is counting them down until it's over. It makes me sad because I really love the soccer team girls and the parents and look forward to spending an hour with them every Saturday.

So, now I guess we need to figure out exactly what she enjoys doing, other than hanging out in her pajamas, playing with her sister and reading Harry Potter for hours on end. I hope she finds something that she really enjoys doing. We're thinking of having her try acting and singing over the summer to see if she enjoys it. She also might do a few art classes so she can see if that is something she really enjoys. I think she'd love to do a storytelling class or writing workshop but I'm not sure they offer them for her age.

When she does play soccer, she is usually a defender and has become pretty good at getting her foot on the ball and kicking it back to our end of the field. She does play offense but isn't as comfortable dribbling the ball and doesn't like all the close contact with the other team. She has played goalie, but only once or twice and enjoyed it but didn't want to do it again. I usually take photos of the team during the game and almost never get a good sequence of her kicking the soccer ball. I finally got a good set of pictures of her and love that they turned out so well! A part of me hopes that she takes the spring season off and misses her soccer friends and playing soccer so much that she'll want to return....but I know there is a slim chance of that happening. I did sign Olivia up to start playing soccer in the Fall, which I'm excited about and hope she has half as fun of a team and parents!

Sofia and the soccer ball....