Soccer Fun

So for the past 2 years now Taylor has played soccer. She plays at our church on a Recreation Team called the Cheetah Bears. The church also has Club Teams. Every year around this time the Club League hosts a HUGE tournament. Because Taylor plays in the REC they usually don't play in the tournament. The level of play and the structure is more advanced. This year Taylor's coach decided to enter her team in the tournament. For the regular season the are 8 in 1. He had a lot of faith in the girls. We are the only REC team in the division we are playing. The the teams are Club.

Game 1
So the first game was bright and early at 8am. We had to be at the fields by 7:15am. It rained all night and was sprinkling on the way to the fields. The coaches were great and had coffee and donuts for the parents and girls. Once the team was all checked in and verified they headed over to warm up. The game started a little early and it was on. The Cheetah Bears were fierce. They dominated the whole game. Taylor scored 2 goals and made some big plays. I have never seen the girls play so great. It rained, I mean Poured off and on for the 1st half of the game. The girls have never played in the rain before. The girls kept the ball on the other side of the field about 99% of the time. They had about 8 goal shots that they just missed and about 5 that the other goalie blocked. The 2nd half the girls were still dominating the game but the other team was able to get the ball into our side a few more times. In the end it was shut out and Taylor's team won 5-0. It was amazing. I am ready for a nap and I need to have a throat lozenge so I can yell for the 2nd game. I am so proud of them. Taylor was amazing and the coaches were just too funny to watch on the sidelines. Looking forward to another GREAT game at 2:15pm today!

Coach Kevin is telling the girls how great they are doing.

Check out our awesome Banner I had made for the team.

Game 2
After a 5 hour break it was back to Soccer. The girls were so tired from being up so early for the 1st game they weren't in the swing of things until the 2nd half. All together is was a big adjustment for the girls. They are used to playing 4 quarters and being able to sub out when ever as well as having 5 subs. This tournament was 2 - 25 minute halves and they only had 3 subs. The girls lost there 2nd game 5-1. Considering the caliber of the other girls Taylor's team made them work for their goals. They held them off a lot and really tried hard. It didn't rain anymore and in the end the girls had fun!

Here are the coaches giving the girls a Pep Talk during Halftime.

After the game the coaches bought the all the girls an Icee. Here is Coach Todd and a few of the girls watching the Older girls play while they eat their Icee.

Game 3
It was up and at um early again today. They had to be at the fields by 8:30am for a 9:15 game. The girls were all fired up. They all played their hearts out today. It was the most intense game yet. There were a few girls on the team that played better today then I had seen them play all season. It was amazing. We didn't win today. The score was 7-0 but even though the score was high the girls ran their butts off. They hustled, blocked, kicked and ran faster and harder then I have ever seen. They did amazing. Again our girls only practice an hour a week and have only been together since Mid September. Theses CLUB team practice at least 2 times a week and have been together since early August. They pay a few thousand dollars compared to out $160 for our RECREATION league. Our girls defiantly made the other teams earn their goals. We were all so proud of how great the girls did.

After the last game they all got trophys and a pin. We came in 3rd place out of the 4 teams and we were the only Recreation team in our division. I think that's pretty darn good.

We are already talking about moving on next year with some of the same girls and our coaches!