Can I Bend it Like Beckham?

When my girlfriend called me and suggested that Daniel should play in the soccer league this year, I remember thinking that group sports would be a good experience for him. What could be better? He needs structure. Sports definitely offer structure. He likes to run. Soccer definitely involves running. So, we trotted on down to the YMCA and registered for Fall soccer. Then I learned the true reality of children's sports.

Practices were fun. Daniel was so excited he could barely control himself. Watching the poor coach try to organize 10 four-year-olds into some semblance of a scrimage was pretty entertaining...the phrase herding cats kept leaping into my mind. But, all in all, it was an enjoyable experience. Then we had our first game. First of all, the whole process of getting myself, my 1 year old and Daniel to the soccer field at 8:00 on a Saturday was a feat worthy of acclaim in itself. Surviving the other soccer parents was an even bigger accomplishment.

What kind of parent yells at their FOUR YEAR OLD because he isn't kicking the ball right. Come on people, these are little kids. Sports should be fun. It should be about teamwork and sportsmanship and getting a little exercise that doesn't involve destroying the living room. Sports should not be stressful in preschool. We don't keep score...we don't even have goalies for goodness sake. In the first game Daniel kicked a goal in the wrong end, and you know what, I didn't care. My child was so incredibly happy that I didn't even notice at first. The crazy father next to me was yelling at the team because they needed to pick it up or they were going to lose. Then another father came up to me last weekend and said, " You know these little guys are gonna be tearing it up on the football field ten years from now. This is where it all starts." I remember thinking to myself "Am I the only one here who doesn't need medication?" This is ridiculous. Why can't we just have fun? On the way home Daniel asked me who won, and I said we all did. He corrected me by saying, "No mommy! We can't all win. You're silly!" Well, I tried.

I know that despite all of my frustrations, we'll be standing in line again at Spring registration because my child is having a ball. He loves sports, and as long as he is having fun, we'll keep doing this. Now he's started asking about baseball...I wonder if baseball parents are any better...