Soccer

SOCCER IS GREAT FOR KIDS

I didn't realize what a great sport soccer was for young kids until Andrew started to play. In his first season he had the additional benefit of a wonderful coach, Wayne Mortson, whose son also started that season.

At the first practice, Wayne sat us all down on the grass, kids and parents, and explained that the kids were there to have fun, to learn new skills, and if they won any game, well, that was fun too. Throughout the season players got equal time on the field, were taught each position, including goalie, ran practice drills and learned to play their positions. Although they stared out all chasing the ball in a pack, like a school of fish, over the course of the season, they got it, more or less.

They didn't win any games during the regular season, but they had a lot of fun, learned new skills and were clearly getting better.

Every team made the playoffs and this is where the fun and good training paid off. They won every one of their games in the playoffs and won the gold cup. It was a great life lesson with a happy outcome.

Years later, when Andrew was in high school, he joined a basketball league for a couple of years and Wayne was his coach both years.

Dennis & Joan