Another Soccer Season in the Books

Spring soccer has come and gone for both of my girls.  I once again coached Mia's team along side Sarah Smith.  We had such a fun time watching the girls grow and work as a team.  The weather was brutal most days, cold, rainy, windy, extreme heat...you name it we had it.  They still showed up and gave it their all.  Their progress this season was impressive and made me proud.  Especially since we moved up an age group this year and had such a young team.  Only one of our girls had played on the U8 team before, the rest always had played U6 or never played before.  Great season girls!

Our "Super Pink" team.

Super pink is what we screamed together in our huddle.

My camera only made it to one of the last games, and Mia and I had to leave early from that game to go to Olivia's Girls on the Run 5K.  I only snapped a few pregame team photos.

As well as Mia, Olivia also wrapped up a terrific soccer season with her travel team from last fall.  I did remember my camera for two games, but the first game we were rained out and sent home.  The girls on Olivia's team have grown leaps and bounds this season, not only as soccer players, but as friends too.  It was truly a joy to watch these girls blossom, and is quite sad to see it end.  Travel soccer try outs begin in the next week or two for the next fall/spring season, but age groups mean we lose some girls to the next age level, and new girls will be coming in.  Change isn't bad, but it's rarely easy.

Olivia taking the kick

And there it goes

So it's hard to see here, but Olivia is the far left orange player.  The goalie is hidden behind number 55.  Then between the legs of the player on the far right you can see the ball.  That ball is in the net, put their by Olivia!  She scored her first goal when her team was down significantly and they were scoreless for the game.  I was jumping up and down so excited for her.  I haven't had that feeling of pure joy in a long time.

Since I was busy jumping and celebrating, all my photos of her beaming smile afterwards were out of focus.  Oh well, I was relishing the moment.

Quinn (L) and Olivia (R)

Shortly after her goal, her good friend and teammate Quinn followed suit.  I took the two goal scorers to dinner at Olive Garden afterwards with Mia and me.

They did lose this particular game, but played as a true team.  They were passing, calling, working together and looked better than we had seen ever.  The coaches Matt, Geoff, and Ramon told the girls this.  They hadn't won a game yet this season, and had one tie on the books, but this was their best game.  The following day we headed up to Kalamazoo for their last game of the season.  Andy, Nana and Papa, Aunt Jen, and Robert all made the trip too.  They played a team that beat us pretty good before.  Well, not this time.  Our girls won 7-1!  Olivia was scoreless this time, but was an asset to her team.  She took a huge kick to the knee and had to be carried off the field with 10-15 minutes left in the game, but she happily cheered her team on from the sidelines.  Her knee will heal, but her smile, commitment to her team, and enthusiasm will live on in my memory forever.  The team celebrated their victory the following evening at Jimi Joe's for ice cream.  Thanks for a great season coaches!