Pele!

Watch out, Pele! There is a new footballer in town! Week one of indoor soccer was stressful and quite depressing after our typically go-getter son decided to have what seems to be an anxiety attack during the first huddle up. Troy and I were completely deflated and without direction. We are not the parents to push our kids into doing anything and everything. Nate has been begging us to play soccer. Selfishly in the past we haven't let him because it was usually on football saturdays. So, not pushy parents here, eh? We were frustrated because we knew he wanted to do this as evidenced by him begging to sign him up and playing soccer in the house for the last month in preparation. When we got to the gym he was running around warming up and playing with all the other kids. And, then, wham, his head exploded during the huddle with the coach, many tears ensued and no one could get him back on that field. Anyways, time, a couple calls to the school psychologist and many, many bribes (by the way, that was not a psychologist recommended tactic! sshh!) and we have seemed to move past this. Week two came and Nate warmed up, huddled up and mastered the field! There had to have been a significant glare from that gym that afternoon because I'm not sure if Troy and I or Nate were beaming with pride more!

In the past we have always been able to identify a nervous twitch that Nate acquires and repeatedly demonstrates particular to each event. For little league it was pulling up his pants. Particularly taking his catching hand out of his glove to pull up his pants even though his pants were cinched as tight as could be and were not falling down. This drove us and his coach bananas! Well, in soccer, it is definitely pulling up his socks! The kid was wearing his shin guards nearly on his knees! Above you can see him adjusting his socks before he kicks a ball in to play.

By the way, in the future I will be trying to obtain a better picture of the Coach as pictured above in the royal blue. His calves are GINORMOUS. The man definitely had his day playing soccer. He could crush skulls with these things. Troy and I are also convinced he wears eyeliner.