Soccer Brings Out the Kid in Everyone

As a soccer mom and coach, some of my favorite moments on the field were the little victories. The first time the kids successfully completed a pass to each other. The first time they were able to complete a corner kick. And of course every goal scored always had the team cheering for each other.

Since I had the privilege of being on the field each week with the kids, my fondest memories are those of individual growth. Our team was a mixture of second and first grade boys and girls. The girls were athletic and attentive. They'd line up and follow directions without much distraction. The boys were a bundle of energy, often hard to tame, but loved to kick the ball. By the end of the soccer season, we had our drills and practice routine down and played together well as a team.To this day, one of my favorite soccer games was one in which the littlest player on our team stole the ball from the opponents end of the field and was able to take it all the way to the other end and score a goal. The entire team was screaming and parents too!

Now every time I pass a soccer field, it's hard not to imagine the scurrying of little feet scrambling across the field as laughter fills the air. Or the way running across the field and kicking a soccer ball made me feel carefree and like a kid again.