When and How Did I Become a Soccer Mom?

So, I'm sitting her in the Greater Binghamton Sports Complex, commonly referred to as "the dome". What am I doing there, that would allow me to blog you might ask? Well, I think I'm being a soccer mom. It seemed to happen suddenly, but I'm not sure. When Autumn was three, my friend Tina and I signed her and Hannah (Tina's daughter; the same age) up for soccer at a local indoor soccer facility. It was complete ridiculousness; about 30 kids, ages 3-6...keep in mind that a young three year old and old six year old are miles apart developmentally. It was, as I like to describe it, as organized chaos! Everything was too old for her, but I guess it introduced her to the sport. In fact, the facility shirt they got that year was so big that she is still wearing it with soccer pj bottoms as pjs; how crazy is that? Anyway, she did it that one season and then we moved out to New York.

Our first year in New York, we kind of laid low and just got used to the adjustment. Plus I wasn't aware of any soccer for 4 year olds. Our second year in New York, that fall, Autumn started town rec soccer and seemed to do pretty well at it; though we had to chat about a few shoves and elbows she threw; LOL! That winter she also started cheerleading as I coached and I really thought that was going to end up being her sport. However, in the spring she played soccer again and rolled into fall soccer again as well. The following year she continued in cheer again, but also continued in spring soccer. She continued in fall and spring soccer with the town for two more years or so, but stopped cheering. Then she added winter soccer with the Y. 3 of the 4 coaches she had over the four years were tough and pushed her, which I realized she responded better to...as long as it wasn't me :)

Last year, we considered a local town competitive league, but because it wasn't our town, she decided she wasn't interested. Then this summer she went to a competitive league in our town's soccer camp; 6 hours a day of soccer. She was about dead and her muscles were fatigued, but she learned TONS! So she debated going out for their travel team; but we kept having to wait for their tryouts to be posted and a good friend who refs, mentioned this other local town team we were considering, might be a bit better and less "intense" :) so she tried out and made it.

Suddenly, I found myself at soccer three times a week; two practices and one game. Today, it was their team's turn to have two games in morning; 9:30 and 12. So, I find myself sitting here at the cafe and trying to figure out how we're going to fit in our schedule her first tournament next week, but more importantly, the weekeend long tournament her soccer club is hosting Valentine's Day weekend. Here's the clincher, I'm supposed to REALLY become a soccer Mom and volunteer shifts at concessions, etc., but Kevin is on a retreat and I've got to figure Abbie out and who can watch her; it should be interesting. The odder thing is I've seen Abbie start to play and she seems already like she'll be good. We're actually thinking of starting her in the dome 3/4 year old soccer program this spring. So I'm thinking, how much might I actually be at this place? And then in April, when Autumn's team starts their spring season, they also travel; now THAT should be interesting to manage.

The good I'm hoping will come of this? I'm hoping that I might meet some other Mom's that I can establish a connection with that I'll see on a regular basis; especially as if Autumn keeps this up, she'll stay with the same girls. We'll see. So, minivan, and cleats, and fundraisers and warm ups, AND cold sports domes aside, may there will be a positive to this sudden soccer Mom progression.