Soccer 2011

Solana just finished up her second season of soccer. She played last fall and we were sure that would be her one and only season. We made her finish the season but had no intention of ever signing her up for soccer again. We skipped the Spring season and then she started asking to play again in the Fall. I told her, "no" several times and reminded her of how much she disliked soccer - never wanting to go to games, shaking her head when her coach asked her to go in so another player could come out of a game, complaining that it was too cold, etc. But she was persistent and insisted that she would like soccer this year and try her best. Finally, the registration deadline arrived and she was still SURE she wanted to play soccer so we signed her up.

The year started with a one week soccer camp in August. For five days she played soccer for three hours. I think it was a great way to start the season - giving her a little more confidence going in. The camp ended with a visit from the Fire Dept. The kids were soaked and had a BLAST!

Solana's team was the Orange team. She was number 27. She was one of the lesser skilled and slower players on the team and never really had an opportunity to dribble the ball down the field. But she found her niche. Solana was really good at getting into the middle of a jumble of girls and kicking the ball out for her teammates to take down the field.

One of her big highlights for the year was a great save while in goalie position. She ran out and jumped on the ball before the opposing team could take a shot! Another highlight was a great takeaway near the opposing team's goal. She kicked it straight to a teammate who made a goal with one kick! She was very proud of that one!

Solana's team was pretty great and they won all but one game this season. Then the won both of their games in the playoffs and made it to the Championship game! Solana was team captain for the final game. Here she is having words with the umpire before the game. I'm not sure what she was telling him but it looked pretty important.

That game was just about the most exciting game any of the parents had ever seen. The teams were pretty evenly matched and the opposing team made two goals at the end of the 4th quarter to tie it up. They went into sudden death overtime and then double overtime without goalies. Our throats were sore from yelling and cheering on the girls. Solana, unfazed by the excitement got hot during the game and decided to take off her turtle neck from under her t-shirt. Easy enough to do without taking off her t-shirt. But then she decided to take her stretch pants off from under her shorts. Her coach told her not to but she was undeterred. The coach didn't know how hot she felt. At one point during the game I looked across the field to the sideline and saw Solana stripping off her pants while sitting in the folding chair! The asst. coach later told me that she turned around to see Solana sitting pants free on the chair and pulling her t-shirt down over her panties. "I snuck them off" she proudly exclaimed. She helped Solana get her shorts back on and then Solana felt able to go back onto the field to play. Un-believable. I don't know where this kid comes from.

They won.

We're #1!

Solana couldn't wait to go to school the next day and tell her friends that she's one of the "best" soccer players!

In the end we're glad we signed her up and she already says she wants to play again next season. Dave thinks he may even try his hand at coaching. I hope he does. I bet it would be so much fun for both of them.