Spring and Fall Soccer

Helaina had a blast playing soccer again this year for her second season.  She was a bit more agressive on the field and was definately an improved player over last year.  She's yet to accomplish her goal of making a goal, but there's always next season.  She came close a few times but was usually outrun by her more swift-footed team mates.

Picture day.  I snapped a few pictures myself while the photographer was doing his thing.

Whenever Helaina had the ball she was ALWAYS smiling and laughing.  She was the only kid on the field who smiled constantly while she was making a run.  Happy, happy little soccer gal.

She always tried so hard.

At the end of the summer session they had a parents vs. kids game.  Fun for the most part - except for the idiot parents who took it a bit too seriously and played to win, forgetting they were playing for fun with their kids.  One father kicked the ball so hard that it hit his own kid hard in the face, knocked the poor kid down and sent him out of the game crying.  I yelled from the sidelines "Hey!  Remember you're playing with 6-year olds out there!"  Good thing it wasn't Helaina who got a hard ball in the face.  Then the same guy played goalie for a while and wouldn't let any of the kids score a goal.  He blocked everything they tried to kick in.  Gee, what talent - an adult blocking shots from 6-year olds.  Finally when a quarter ended I made Jim go in and take over as goalie.  He let the kids score some goals while "missing" the blocks.  The first little boy who scored yelled out "Yah!  I scored against a grown-up!" 

Having fun on the field with her Daddy.  I was sad that I couldn't play but I was awaiting my knee surgery and there was no way soccer was going to happen for me.