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My kids play soccer so I guess that makes me a soccer mom. But to be honest, I don't know much about the game. I know to cheer when the ball goes in the goal. I have no clue what off-sides means. I pretty much watch my kids, clap and cheer, and that's about it.
My soccer experience is pretty limited:
- attending an Olympic soccer game at Stanford. Anything having to do with the Olympics is pretty cool. This was my first taste of what soccer means outside the US.
- playing in an after work league when I was 21. Okay, I was new in town and I really only joined to meet guys. You see I'd met a soccer player from Brown on a train in Switzerland when I was backpacking in Europe a couple months before. We bumped into each other again in Amsterdam and flew back to New York on the same flight. He was really cute and a great kisser. I thought maybe other soccer players might have similar traits. Yes, I was young. And stupid. I ended up bruised and missing a contact by the time the season ended.
- attending a World Cup game at Stanford. Everyone MUST do this once in their life. It's an absolutely amazing experience and redefines what being a fan is all about. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. The train ride alone from San Francisco to Palo Alto was incredible. Go. Don't think twice. You won't be disappointed.
- watching rec. soccer games since 2003.
But even though I have a lackluster soccer resume, I'm a mom. When the Premier B team my son had made in April got cut due to lack of players and he still wanted to play competitive soccer, I decided to find him somewhere else to play. Easier said then done. But I had to try, if only to be able to tell him I did everything I could. I made phone calls. I talked to friends of friends. I sent emails to a neighboring club to see if they had any U11 spots. I found a soccer forum that helped me figure out a few things, including the fact Oregon had not had soccer tryouts yet.
Score!
Okay, the thought of driving to Oregon wasn't all that appealing, but when I thought about all we've done for Irish dance or ballet or... It really wasn't going to be that bad.
I found a club thanks to a kind stranger who pointed me in the southeast direction. Finn went to the tryout prep. He liked it. I attended the new parents' meeting. I liked it.
Finn tried out on Sunday and Monday. Monday night we got the call. He made the team!
I still have no idea what competitive soccer is all about, but I guess this soccer mom going to find out!
