Confessions of a Soccer Mom - Part 1

It was a weekend FULL of soccer. And when I say FULL - I am talking 5 games in 5 different locations on Saturday (yes, the divide and conquer plan was put into place for this craziness), and 3 more games in 3 locations on Sunday. My darling daughter didn't even have a game, so I guess I can be thankful for that?? Let's take a moment of silence for the state of my household and then kick this off with a little confession, shall we? As a proud soccer mom, I've been to countless matches, cheered till my voice went AWOL, and celebrated with enough orange slices to supply a small grocery store. But there's one thing that might surprise you: I don't always know which goal my child's team should be scoring on. Yep, you read that right!

So, picture this: I'm at the field, XL coffee in one hand, bag of stuff y 6 year old needs to stay occupied for a 65 minute game in the other, and I'm watching a sea of soccer players darting around like caffeinated fireflies. The coach is shouting instructions from the sideline, and I'm nodding like a bobblehead doll, pretending to be the embodiment of soccer wisdom. But here's the kicker - sometimes, I have to take a subtle peek at the jerseys to figure out which side my kid is playing for. Hey, it's a big field, and from a distance some kids look a lot alike, so cut me some slack!

So in theory I understand that there's only so many colors in the rainbow,but let's talk about uniforms, shall we? In a perfect world, every team would have kits that scream their team colors like a neon sign on New Year's Eve. But, alas, in the world of youth soccer, color coordination isn't always a top priority. There have been moments when I've mistaken the opposing team for ours, proudly cheered as the they punched home a goal, then and watched in horror as my little star looked at me like I'd just committed the ultimate soccer sin.

And let's not even get started on my deep understanding of offside rules. I know it has something to do with players being ahead of the last defender or maybe the moon's gravitational pull, but honestly, it's like trying to decipher a secret code in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Don't even ask me about throw-ins; they're just mystical rituals where the ball magically changes hands.

But here's the thing. Soccer moms like me, despite our occasional goalpost confusion and our love-hate relationship with the free kick rules, bring something truly invaluable to the game – unwavering support and boundless enthusiasm. We may not always know which goal our kid's team should be scoring on, but we're there in the rain, sun, or snow, cheering for every tackle, goal, and sometimes, even those accidental handballs. We're the ones who see the real scorecard – the laughter, camaraderie, and a love for the game that goes far beyond the final whistle.

So, fellow soccer moms, let's embrace our quirks, relish in our sideline antics, and never stop being the biggest fans of our little athletes. After all, the real goal of it all is creating memories that last a lifetime, even if we occasionally cheer for the wrong team!