Assistant Coach!
I’m up early watching King Charles III’s Coronation, which reminds me I never told you of my new crowning, title, honor, stature–as assistant coach of the 7 & under Grizzly Bear youth soccer team.
Assistant Queen to The Queen, if you will. I’m second in line behind an ahhh-mazing head coach, fellow mom of a Grizzly Bear player, who truly knows her soccer stuff. Which is great, because beyond put-that-ball-in-the-net, no-hands, I know nuthin’.
It’s an absolute joy to watch C play soccer, on the field as a coaching participant or on the sidelines watching. He LOVES soccer. LOOOVVVES it. He’s great at it, too.
The biggest thing I do as an assistant is hang with the kids who currently aren’t playing at the moment (the bench) on the “Team Blanket”. The things I see and hear from 5 year olds on that team blanket…. Anytime C is sitting out, he’s itching to get back in, talking about what he’s going to work on when he’s in and playing again.
I’m also in charge of the “weekly themes”, these are character traits like sportsmanship, leadership, grit, encouragement, Coach K and I decided upon at season start. Each week I introduce a theme to the kids at weekly practice and they tell me what it means. At practice and at the game we look for who exemplifies the theme. After the game I award that boy a paper plate award. This is a direct throw back to my age group swim days, and the nostalgia is wild for me.
I love getting to know his teammates and friends. These are sweet and silly little guys, with gobs of energy that simultaneously wipe me out and pump me up with joy.
It’s been extra fun that the majority of his team members are also Kindergarteners either in his class or at his school. When I volunteer at Library school special occasionally, I see members of the Grizzly Bears again. It’s a hoot to get to interact with them in different settings.
Most of all, having participated in organized sports my entire childhood/adolescence, I know how important coaching figures are.
Doubtful I could live up to the former Kings and Queens of Coaching I was lucky enough to experience growing up, but I’ll wear my black plastic anointed whistle, soccer socks and carry all the responsibility to do the best job I possibly can for these A+ kids.
GO GRIZZLY BEARS! Amen.
Assistant Queen to The Queen, if you will. I’m second in line behind an ahhh-mazing head coach, fellow mom of a Grizzly Bear player, who truly knows her soccer stuff. Which is great, because beyond put-that-ball-in-the-net, no-hands, I know nuthin’.
It’s an absolute joy to watch C play soccer, on the field as a coaching participant or on the sidelines watching. He LOVES soccer. LOOOVVVES it. He’s great at it, too.
The biggest thing I do as an assistant is hang with the kids who currently aren’t playing at the moment (the bench) on the “Team Blanket”. The things I see and hear from 5 year olds on that team blanket…. Anytime C is sitting out, he’s itching to get back in, talking about what he’s going to work on when he’s in and playing again.
I’m also in charge of the “weekly themes”, these are character traits like sportsmanship, leadership, grit, encouragement, Coach K and I decided upon at season start. Each week I introduce a theme to the kids at weekly practice and they tell me what it means. At practice and at the game we look for who exemplifies the theme. After the game I award that boy a paper plate award. This is a direct throw back to my age group swim days, and the nostalgia is wild for me.
I love getting to know his teammates and friends. These are sweet and silly little guys, with gobs of energy that simultaneously wipe me out and pump me up with joy.
It’s been extra fun that the majority of his team members are also Kindergarteners either in his class or at his school. When I volunteer at Library school special occasionally, I see members of the Grizzly Bears again. It’s a hoot to get to interact with them in different settings.
Most of all, having participated in organized sports my entire childhood/adolescence, I know how important coaching figures are.
Doubtful I could live up to the former Kings and Queens of Coaching I was lucky enough to experience growing up, but I’ll wear my black plastic anointed whistle, soccer socks and carry all the responsibility to do the best job I possibly can for these A+ kids.
GO GRIZZLY BEARS! Amen.