Liam Eliot played soccer this year for the very first time. This was a brand new experience for Liam and for our family. Liam enjoyed being a part of a team and he learned a lot about the game and teamwork and good sportsmanship. I learned that I am a terrible soccer mom. I have never had any interest in sports but I always assumed a fascination would naturally occur when it was my own offspring doing the sports things. It didn't. But I came and I cheered and I remembered the granola bars and orange slices on my assigned snack day so I am counting it as a success. Not so long ago, I watched The Mask You Live In, a documentary about healthy masculinity in America. In one segment, a high school football coach speaks about the impact of sports on young men and says that the idea that sports teach character is a myth; sports only teach character if the coach deliberately teaches character. This really stuck with me. As someone without a competitive bone in my body, my only reasons for wanting my children to play sports is that I believed they would have fun and also learn teamwork, sportsmanship and communication skills. Thankfully, Liam's first coach was absolutely perfect and I believe he made a real impression on Liam. My energetic kid enjoyed making new friends, the drama of the game, being cheered for, and snack time, but he had a bit of trouble focusing on actually playing. His coach was endlessly patient. At the end of every game, he asked the kids if they had fun. He did not keep score. He focused on the positive and taught them new skills without any unnecessary pressure. I am very grateful for him and the positive first experience he provided for Liam. I loved watching the kids faces glow at the end of the season as their coach handed them their medals and told them how proud he was of them. I believe he really instilled a love of the game in his little team. Liam is already asking when he can play again. I have no idea if sports will become a regular part of our family life. To be honest, Liam's skill set still seems to lean towards technology, but he did have a great time and I believe it was a positive addition to his life this spring. He also made a couple of new friends that he is looking forward to play dates with!
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WHO AM I?
I am Michelle: a wannabe hippie in love with a bonafide geek. We also spawned. I spend my days with our four wild, beautiful boy children and I overshare about our life online because I am a Millennial and that is what we do.
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