This weekend marked the beginning of soccer again. I remember last year being exhausting – they had four games in two days and we were all wiped, especially poor Hayley. This year was much more reasonable with only one game per day. I don’t know for sure yet when the actual official season starts, but on the long weekend (Victoria Day tomorrow) they just get all the soccer teams together in one enormous park, sell hot dogs, and have a big soccer party for two straight days.

This year is interesting. Last year Hayley was on a team of girls and only played against other all-girl teams. This year there weren’t as many girls who were interested in playing so they’ve mixed all the teams for their age level (age 4-6). I didn’t really care, as a former tomboy (okay, maybe I’m still a bit of a tomboy at heart) it didn’t bother me at all to have her playing on a team with and against boys. The only thing I was concerned about was that maybe she wouldn’t be aggressive enough to get in there and fight for the ball.

I didn’t need to worry at all. One thing I remembered was that she regularly came home from school telling me that she had played soccer at recess and she was the only girl among five or six boys. She’s used to playing sports with boys. Secondly, she took charge and she did kick the ball. She probably got the ball more often in that one game on Saturday than she did all last season. A lot of things have changed. This year she has the experience, she’s done some sports in gym at school, and she isn’t one of the youngest ones on the team anymore. It made a huge difference.

Both George and I told her on a few occasions that she just has to remember that she doesn’t have to wait around for the ball just because the others are boys and that she just needs to go right ahead and get the ball and kick it down the field to the net. She did a great job and now the only thing she needs to work on is remembering that if there’s a scuffle she can just go ahead and get in there because that’s exactly what her shin guards are for.

It was a great afternoon and then it was made even better by an impromptu invitation over to our friends’ house for a BBQ. We enjoyed the rest of the day outside until the rain started and then we had a great dinner and just relaxed. Their young son was particularly enthralled with George – it was fun watching him stare while George made faces and noises at him.

The kids didn’t want to leave but Hayley was more tired than she realized, Breanna was exhausted from not napping, and their daughter had to get some sleep before going to a dance recital this morning.

Unfortunately today’s game never panned out, but I’m looking forward to a nice full season of evenings at the soccer field, cheering Hayley on.