Kool-Aide. Thunder
Cats. Ghost Busters. The Ultimate Warrior. AYSO soccer. I can’t think of a
friend who didn’t enjoy the same simple pleasures of entertainment as a boy.
Every late summer as we’d put away the stirrups, we’d break out the foam
cushioned shin guards and slip into an obnoxiously loud jersey for a little
soccer. It was soccer then, not futbol, just plain soccer, with kids from didn’t
schools, a banner that advertised your team name and one Saturday walking
around the track during halftime of a Bakersfield College football game. That
was the passage of adolescence.
This fall I am coaching an under 10 year old boys’ soccer team in Manhattan Beach. I was clamoring for somewhere to volunteer and my friend, Jill, asked me to help in her ninth year coaching; how could I refuse? Some things are different; shin guards are skinny made of plastic and the boys know that a forward is called a striker, but as in my day, it is still all about being silly, and when in doubt kick the ball as hard as you can out of bounds.
In our first practice we chose the team name, which is predicated on your team colors naturally. Luckily we were given some fierce colors – black, white and red. This lead to a few great suggestions; The Black Holes, The Red Bowls (not Bulls??) and my personal favorite the Growling Blacks!!! None of those could beat out the allure of “The Terminators”; strong, popular and resilient. Perfect. After the name it was on cruise control; an hour of dribbling and passing, a quick Sharks and Minnows game, and a scrimmage. We were ready for the first game.
Game day came quick; one 3hr draft, one hour and half practice with about two thirds the team and now it was time to play. You’ve got to love volunteering. You may ask what I bring to the table in this coaching relationship. I leave the technical mastery to Jill and I offer positive feedback and a loud voice of direction. We opened strong with a great concept of team play, passing, and hustle. Once it was time for the traditional orange wedges we’d opened a 3-0 lead. The second half was all about survival that ended with a fury of shots on our goal with the clock winding down as the opposing team was trying to tie us. Our fullback reaches down to pick up the ball when in the last split second he remembers he’s a fullback and can’t do that! Disaster avoided, the whistle blows and The Terminators are undefeated to start the season.
Two, four, six, eight is still there. The “good-game” line is still there. Boys liking to tug on each other, asking a lot of questions and ‘everyone plays’ is still there. I don’t know who the current Intercontinental Champion is, and I’m pretty sure Dr. Peter Venkman has been replaced by Harry Potter, but it’s great to know that soccer is still a passage in young boys’ lives. I’m looking forward to the season.
This fall I am coaching an under 10 year old boys’ soccer team in Manhattan Beach. I was clamoring for somewhere to volunteer and my friend, Jill, asked me to help in her ninth year coaching; how could I refuse? Some things are different; shin guards are skinny made of plastic and the boys know that a forward is called a striker, but as in my day, it is still all about being silly, and when in doubt kick the ball as hard as you can out of bounds.
In our first practice we chose the team name, which is predicated on your team colors naturally. Luckily we were given some fierce colors – black, white and red. This lead to a few great suggestions; The Black Holes, The Red Bowls (not Bulls??) and my personal favorite the Growling Blacks!!! None of those could beat out the allure of “The Terminators”; strong, popular and resilient. Perfect. After the name it was on cruise control; an hour of dribbling and passing, a quick Sharks and Minnows game, and a scrimmage. We were ready for the first game.
Game day came quick; one 3hr draft, one hour and half practice with about two thirds the team and now it was time to play. You’ve got to love volunteering. You may ask what I bring to the table in this coaching relationship. I leave the technical mastery to Jill and I offer positive feedback and a loud voice of direction. We opened strong with a great concept of team play, passing, and hustle. Once it was time for the traditional orange wedges we’d opened a 3-0 lead. The second half was all about survival that ended with a fury of shots on our goal with the clock winding down as the opposing team was trying to tie us. Our fullback reaches down to pick up the ball when in the last split second he remembers he’s a fullback and can’t do that! Disaster avoided, the whistle blows and The Terminators are undefeated to start the season.
Two, four, six, eight is still there. The “good-game” line is still there. Boys liking to tug on each other, asking a lot of questions and ‘everyone plays’ is still there. I don’t know who the current Intercontinental Champion is, and I’m pretty sure Dr. Peter Venkman has been replaced by Harry Potter, but it’s great to know that soccer is still a passage in young boys’ lives. I’m looking forward to the season.
