Chess anyone?

This Saturday Elliana has her first soccer game. Boy is she excited. Boy her mother is not. 2 years ago, we signed Ellie up for Park Township soccer, but accidentally got her on the wrong team. We took her to her first practice and watched in horror as these way too big kids kicked and dribbled and schooled her all over the place. We realized our error and pulled her the next day. I don't know why I thought she'd never ask to play again, but well, anything Raleigh does...you know. So we got her signed up this year, thankfully, on an all girls team this time.
Dave took her to her first practice on Monday and he told me, no, ASSURED me that she was pretty much at the same skill level as all the other girls, and not to worry. I was relieved and tonight I took her to practice.

You know, there's the token too-tall kid who looks like she flunked the first grade several times. She takes a swipe at the ball, and although it goes nowhere near the bottom of the net, it does sail over the top of the post much to the sheer delight of the coach, who runs over to "help her direct" the ball a bit. Then there's the too small girl, the one whose shirt hangs down past her toothpick-thin knees, but amazingly can dribble the ball through a crowd all while using her instep and her outstep. The loud girl was there, whose bark is worse than her bite. The little mexican cutie was there too, I think she may have played in Mexico as a young child, using a tin can instead of a real ball, but quite nicely developing dribbling skills. Then theres Ellie. Dear sweet Ellie.

You know the practice drill where they set the cones up in a line and you weave through the cones? Yeah, we'll be practicing that one some more in the back yard. Sharks and Minnows? Well, Ellie looked real cute in her purple soccer shorts. Oh dear. But my favorite part of the practice was when it was time to take a turn in goal and she loudly declares, "MY MOM WAS AN ALL STATE GOALIE!" As I turn red and she totally misses EVERY BALL that came her way. 40 minutes into practice I pack up the other girls because, um, Piper was cold, so I hid out in the minivan. All the while scolding myself for being so darn competitive. She is only 6 and it is just a game....right?

So she bounds over to the car, red ponytail bouncing behind her, and goes, "I did pretty good, huh?" Did you want to invite Grandpa and Grandma to my first game. Um, yeah Ell, I'll give em a schedule. gulp.

One more thing. As we're driving home she says, "Hey Mom, you know what coach C says the whole point of playing soccer is anyway? Uh, to win win win and take home the biggest trophy?

"To have fun." Point taken, Coach C. Point taken.