Recreational Soccer Mom: Anyone can join, no prior experience required. 1 practice night/week, lasting 1 hour at a community park nearest you. Saturday morning games at same park. Fun non-competative atmosphere. Parents from both teams mingle. Snack-list distributed at start of season which lasts 8 weeks. Each parent has one week to bring a post game snack and drink for the team. Season is ended with a full day tournament where each team plays 3 abbreviated games and every player receives a participation medallion or trophy. Season end team Pizza party. Commitment level is low.
Intermediate Soccer Mom: Players are recommended for a mock try-out via their rec. coach. Depending on size of program, enough teams are formed so that every child that is recommended is put on a team. 1 practice night/week, lasting 90 minutes at a community park nearest you. 1 game per weekend for 8 weeks. Half on the home field and half played within 20- 30 miles of home. Friendly atmosphere, with a hint of competition. Not to brutal yet. Parents may or may not interact with oposition. Snack-list distributed at start of season which lasts 8 weeks. Each parent has one week to bring a post game snack and drink for the team. 1 Season end tournament. 3 abbreviated games with 1st place team in each age bracket recieving trophies and the rest a participation medallion or patch. Season end Team Pizza party. Commitment level is moderate.
Advanced Soccer Mom: Players are selected via coach word of mouth for a try-out via their rec. coach or Inter. coach. Each age bracket will select enough players to make one team, so not everyone will be accepted. <cuts> 1-2 practice night(s)/week, lasting 90 minutes at a community park nearest you. 1 game per weekend for 8-10 weeks depending on how many counties participate. Half on the home field and half played within 2 or 3 counties from home. Competative atmosphere from players and fans. Some parents will speak to opposition parents but it is not the norm. Season lasts 10 - 12 weeks. Each parent is individually responsible for the nutrition and hydration of their own player. Possible independant tournaments scattered thru out the season depending on the coach's desire to develop the team. Season end tournament day. 3 abbreviated games with 1st place team in each age bracket recieving trophies and the rest go home empty handed. Season end Team Party. Commitment level is High and required.
Competative Soccer Mom: Players are scouted and chosen by their ability to play the game. Try-outs are held when and if there is an opening. Try-outs are cut throat and brutal. 1 2 hour training session a week with a professional trainer working on individual skill and 2 -3 2 hour team training sessions with team coach at a centrally located field that may or may not be convenient due to where you live. At least one game per weekend, more often 2 games a weekend. Location of games can be anywhere within a 200 mile radius and most games are not at home. Here in Florida our Fall season lasts from late August - December. The spring season starts in late January and goes thru May. Each parent tends to their own athletes nutrition and hydration needs. Spanning from fruit wedges to power bars in large quantity. Competition is fierce. Parents are rarely friendly on the sideline. There is even competition with parents on the same team. The sidelines have a high tension level. Independant tournaments at least once a month. These tournaments last from Friday night thru late in the day on Sunday. Distance can be as much as 300 miles away requiring 2 night hotel stay. The games are full games and there is often 3 games a day per team. Championship games are played late on Sunday. Winner recieves impressive hardwear and losers go home empty handed. Season end tournaments follow the same format. Region Cup competition once a year, which can lead to District and State competition with winning. With a dedicated coach there will be clinics held during school breaks to develop the team. Lead by profession coaches. Commitment is Extreme and mandatory. You live for your team and your athlete.
I have ommited a bunch, like dealing with the heartache. The struggles as a parent of wondering if your doing the right thing exposing your young athlete to such an enviorment.
My son has an extreme talent for this game. His skill on the pitch is a huge asset to his team. There are expectations of great things from him on a regular basis. That puts added pressure on him and in turn on me to be mentally and morally supportive of him.
The key to this is a compassionate coach who knows how to use positive reinforcements to gain results. I am thankful that we have such a coach. I am thankful to my soccer family, for making this commitment we all go into blindly, so much more enjoyable.
I am the ultimate soccer mom...right down to the bumper sticker on my car that reads...
I have no life... My son plays Competative Soccer.
My first blog of the New Year weeeeeeeeee Happy New Year !!!
Yes, I survived the road trip. Feel like I got hit by a bus, but it was a fun time as expected.
Rang in the new year on the balconey of a hotel close enough to Busch Gardens I coulda thrown a rock at it. Talk about NoIsY!! Yikes. Found out that on January 1st theres a college bowl game in Tampa Bay so 75% of Georgia State Universities Bulldog fans were sharing the same hotel. Oh to be so young!
True to form, the strongest thing I consummed was really bad convenient store coffee. Shared some dirty jokes, relived a few high points from 2004 and met some very colorful people in the process. That's my puppies fault. Zaida the stunning Australian Sheperd. Her striking appearance and her loving personality always draws them in. If I was a guy, she would be the perfect "chick magnet" hehe
I had front row seats for the Fireworks display at Busch that lasted a good 25 minutes. Even from a mile away they were impressive. I ran out of gas about 1:30am but the city was still in full swing. I wanna send a special shout out to the gentlemen who reminded me its not wise to play with fire while intoxicated lol Those 2:37 am M80 firecrackers outside my door were a nice touch!! I left claw marks in the ceiling of room #260. Hope I don't get charged extra for that.
The weather was picture perfect, the soccer on Sat & Sun was wicked competative which is percisely the reason for our travels. But that story I will save for another blog when I am not typing with exhausted fingers and half drooping eyes!
Packing ACK!! I miss the days when I packed what I could in my saddle bags and did without due to a lack of space. I always managed and it took no time to prep.
Add the kids to the mix, hang it up!! They are 11 and 12 so they pack themselves. But if I don't double check, my son ends up in the same shorts and t-shirt with no socks, 12 changes of boxers and his soccer shoes to get thru 3 days lol And you might as well forget the toothbrush and deoderant.
This trip is for soccer, so I have to make sure we have that all covered. Cleats, shinguards, ball, both uniforms and all the practice gear. Water jug, power bars, fruit, gatorade yadah yadah! I have spent the morning charging batteries for the cameras and cd players and now its time to go clean out the car Joy Joy!!
In the end I know it will be a great weekend of fun and friends and kick Azzz Sharks Soccer!!
Let me premise this comic with a lil something about myself.
I am as politically illiterate as they come. I understand it's importance, but it confuses me when I try to understand it. And I have tired. When my car breaks, I quickly realize that it is above my abilities and call in an expert. I feel the same about politics.
It's road trip time... We're off to a Soccer Tournament near Tampa. Gonna be ringin' in the new year with our soccer family. Should be a nice change, since I usually sit home or have a few friends over. Probably due to all those years I worked on New Years Eve and was witness to what people do to themselves and others in "celebration" Scary stuff indeed. So this year a few dozen of us will set up party camp by the pool, toss around this years soccer stories and celebrate together. The best part being that we can ride up an elevator and hit the sack.
Not that I need to be within walkin distance due to drinkin. Not me Nope Nope. To date, and thats 30+ years folks I have yet to be drunk. Thats right, I may possibly be one of a very select group who has never been intoxicated!!!
Don't get me wrong, I will have a drink. A beer or maybe a rum runner *yum yum* But that is it. People ask me all the time why I dont drink. It is simple really. When ya have as much fun as I do sober, ya dont need to drink Most people I have known who drink eventually puke. *UGH* and me don't puke!! And maybe it's a teensy weensy bit of a control issue. As in I wanna be in control of myself and able to be in control of my friends should they not have the ability themselves.
Am I missin out?? I will prolly never know.
Am I gonna break my 30+ year sober streak? stay tuned to the post New Years Blogs. hehe
Wishing everyone a Happy "SAFE" and prosperous New Year.
I am on my 2 week "Winter break" One could hope to at least sleep past sunrise while on vacation. But nooooooooooooo!! I guess I am programmed because of the crazy azz hours I keep normally.
When you have to get up before the birds, ya gotta learn to be a morning person. But I am a night person as well. Prolly all those years as a Medic, having to jump up bright eyed and clear minded to deal with some tradgedy at all hours. GaWd I miss that!!. Feeling useful and important to those whose paths I crossed. Getting the feeling of satisfaction from helping others. Back in the day when I truly loved my job and couldn't imagine doing anything else with my life.
Then the kids came along. And my work hours did not promote "happy mommy'n" So I opted to sacrafice the job I loved for something that was a tad less dangerous and didn't keep me out of the house for 24 hours straight.
I have had so many jobs since then. Doing whatever I needed to do to fit the "family" needs. I delivered newspapers for a spell even, so that I was home with the kids during the day while daddy was working. I was a zombie, I felt no satifaction in doing the job really. I guess ole Mr. Jones was appreciative that his paper actually arrived before he awoke, but it left me feeling useless in comparison to my career.
I was an evening store manager at our neighborhood gas/convenient store. I worked in a real estate office doing the computer work they couldn't figure out. I worked in a dental office doing eveything from x-rays to impressions until they learned I could do all the computer stuff they didn't know how to do hehe I worked at Wal-mart *one of my favorite jobs* and I landed as a counsilor in a childrens behavior center Loved that job but hated the politics. Lasted 4 years before I told em to F' off.
I never complained. I mean it was all about supplimenting our income to make ends meet a lil nicer along the way. And I don't regret it because I have two beautiful, smart kids to show for the career sacrafice.
Now I have the ultimate convenient job. I drive a school bus. Schedule rox! I get nice vacations with my kids. Decent benefits. Daily entertainment for sure. Between the 250 kids I transport everyday and the wild assortment of people who actually are crazy enuff to do this job... Oh yeah! Daily entertainment. *squared*
But thats a different Blog ;)
I still got the lights...but I will always miss the siren! *sigh*
Aren't the holidays are about what "WE" choose to make of them?? It doesn't have to be about buying gifts or having a huge family gathering. Unless we choose to make it so.
Money is never easy to come by and getting the family all in one place is near impossible, not to mention dangerous. hehe
Are the materialistic aspects all that impressive?? The most valuable gift to recieve is a hug or a thoughtful word from someone important to us. It is the intention behind the gift/action that makes it special. That someone took the time and energy to share themself. To dial the phone, to stop by, to say "How are you?" and truly mean it.
Do we express how we feel often enough?? Life is so short and chaotic and full of responsibilties. Shouldn't one of those responsibilities be to tell people how important they are to us? Not just at Holiday times either. But everyday. It takes no money, no fancy card or gift. Just a few words to warm someones heart.
It is only an obligation if we choose to see it that way. If we feel it is an obligation, then maybe it is time to re-evaluate our motives.
Jan 9 Blackwatch Tampa,FL
Jan 15-16 Treasure Coast Tournament Stuart, FL
Jan 22 West Palm Scrimmage
Jan 29 West Pines Scrimmage
Feb 5 Countryside Tampa, FL
Feb 12 Pending
Feb 19 Cape Coral Scrimmage
Feb 26-27 Division 1 Region Cup Oldsmar, FL
Boo-Yah !!
Most people I have known who drink eventually puke. *UGH* and me don't puke!! And maybe it's a teensy weensy bit of a control issue. As in I wanna be in control of myself and able to be in control of my friends should they not have the ability themselves. 
