New Player

Soccer season has begun.

10 weeks in a new league at a new location . . . and with one new first-time player - Maclaren is playing soccer this year!

We are enjoying the organization of this new community sports league.  Each age group has two set practice/game times each week.  The first week, each age groups are divided into skill-level-balanced teams and given jerseys of varying colors (blue, purple, red, orange, yellow, maroon, white).  During the set 90 minute times, each team spends 30 minutes practicing, and 60 minutes playing a game against another team.

This year, we have 3 players.  The U6/U5 teams, and the U12/U11 teams had the same weekly practice times - in our attempt to consolidate our outside activities, despite having many interested kids, it made the most sense for our family to allow Jackson Tesfaye, Davis, and Maclaren to play for the season.

It has been so much fun watching our 4-year-old on the field!
Maclaren displays her lovely "small-mouth face" in all its glory as she carefully moves her ball across the field.  She is so cute! 

Big brothers are down at the far end of the corridor of playing fields.  Jackson desperately wants to play in the challenge league (an additional 2 days of soccer a week), but is happy for any opportunity to play soccer.  We're just glad to see him on the field playing, and are so pleased Davis is out there with him.

And, we're looking forward to watching these three play soccer these next several weeks :)

Soccer, Season End

We have thoroughly enjoyed this soccer season.  The boys are so sad it's over - they actually asked their coach if the team could continue meeting just to practice.  It has been a great season. 
(and we have loved cheering sidelines!)

This team improved so much over the course of these 8 games (and weekly practices).  The last few games, they were passing incredibly well and really working together.  Tesfaye really excelled in the striker position, but was also a great team player - setting up plays, passing to and encouraging his teammates.  Hendrick loved hanging back in a defense position and really became a strong force in the back of the field, using his height and long legs to his advantage. 

This season, the team was 4-2-2 (the boys hated missing one game and felt responsible for that loss).  Tesfaye was the team's highest scorer, averaging 2 goals a game.

It was a treat to have Gramma and Grandpa with us for TWO games this season - this is the first soccer game of ours they've been able to attend.  The boys were thrilled to have two additional fans on the sidelines. 

We ended the season with a pizza party and trophy presentation at the soccer park.

*Tesfaye was semi-proud (semi-embarrassed) to be given a yellow card in the final game of the season - the only one given the entire season.  From the sidelines we were all shocked.  Earlier in the game, following his coach to "be aggressive," he charged a live ball and made an awesome goal.  Later he attempted the same thing with a "dead" ball - oops.  We're still learning :)

Fall Soccer

Tis the season for City League Soccer.  We love the fun atmosphere, teaching emphasis, low pressure, and short season of the City League.  We are proud to have 2 boys playing on a U12 team, Hendrick and Tesfaye.  This year has brought a lot of changes: the U12 teams are co-ed - their team has 8 boys and 8 girls, and there are 3 refs on the field - they're now being called for "off-sides."  It's been a learning experience!    We were thrilled to get a fantastic coach this year, one of Mike's co-workers, who until this year has only coached girl teams.  He has done a great job.  Through lots of pre-game practices, this group of kids has really gelled together into a strong team. 

Tesfaye, as usual, loves playing striker, but is a great team player.   Hendrick is most comfortable in a defense position, where his height gives him an advantage.  He especially loves playing goalie and is practicing lots to become more comfortable using his hands. 

We're 2 games into their 8 game season, and have thoroughly enjoyed siting sidelines together at each practice and game - they're so much fun to watch!  This team is working incredibly hard on the field!

This game, Tesfaye scored 3 of the teams 4 goals.  He has grown into a very mature player - passing to his teammates and backing them up.  After his third goal, he moved back into a defense position for the rest of the game.   Their team won 4-2.  The second game, the final score was 12-5!  This team is playing incredibly well together. 

Hendrick was not too keen on wearing the goalie jersey, but was thrilled to spend the second half in the goal box.  He looked good out there!

 
We're excited for the next several weeks of soccer - 6 games to go!

Karate

Wanting our boys to learn strength and discipline, the boys' "big" gift this year was Karate lessons. 

This month, the boys began their training at a local Dojo in Kenpo Karate, a martial art from Japan focusing on self-defense and quick movements.  These classes are tough!  They are lead through conditioning exercises to build strength, agility, concentration, and cardio, as they are being taught the fundamentals of the Kenpo style. 

The boys have been working hard and finish each class sweaty, sore, but very proud of their accomplishments. 

Students at the Dojo each wear a  black Gi.  Kenpo has a belt ranking system like Karate and Judo - the boys are already very eager to advance. 

This is a great way for them to learn defense and control and gain confidence.  We've been attending two classes each week - one being a private lesson with the head sensei.  They are expected to work hard AND do outside homework: stretching, practicing blocks and hand strikes and researching the history of this martial art. 

Soccer

With only one game remaining, the 2014 Fall soccer season is coming to a close.  We have enjoyed sitting sidelines and cheering on our boys, while siblings ran around with friends on an adjacent empty field.  Fun was had by all (including Banks!). 

The U10 boys are an aggressive group of players.  The boys have had to work hard and have learned a lot.  Their team is 5-1 (they're still upset by their one loss).  They're really hoping to finish the season 6-1 - I know they'll be giving this last game their all!

Tesfaye has been one of the leaders on the team, acting as a team captain on the field.  He loves to play striker, but is very good at hanging back, passing, and setting up his teammates too.  He has strong soccer skills but is also a great team player.  Each game the opposing coach has pointed him out and has always made sure he is well defended - some games Tesfaye's had to work against 6 players, which frustrates him, but he handles it very well.  He is a force on the field.   He has said that he tries to not look tired on the field, because he never wants to be taken out of the game.  Tesfaye loves soccer.

Davis has really enjoyed playing on this team.  As one of the younger players on the team, he sure works hard on the field and does a great job keeping up with the game and setting himself up in a good defending position.  Always outgoing and friendly, he has loved playing with this team and playing against good friends too, and is apparently quite the talker on the bench.  Davis has been proud to share this season with Tesfaye.

Tesfaye:
"I didn't like everybody trip me.  I took people down too.  You can only do it to the person who have the ball and you have to run and hit against them, but you can't put your elbow up.  I didn't like it the coaches told their team to keep the ball away from me.  They were like "don't let him get that ball!"  I had a great time.  I scored three goals in this game.  One game I scored five goals.  One of the coach told me if I kick the ball with my toe I have to eat a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  I hate peanut butter and jelly, no offense."

Davis:
"I like running and playing with my friends.  I like kicking.  My job was mostly defense.  I had to protect the goal if the other team was getting really close.  If the other team come up we have to kick the ball away from them."

We are so proud of Tesfaye and Davis!