For the love of soccer.

My daughter is a soccer player.  She’s 8 years old, so she’s still at the point where she really doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing and isn’t REAL sure if she cares all that much yet.  I mean, sure, she cares if she loses or wins the game, but in the middle of the game when she has to RUN and WORK to keep the other team from getting a goal, then she’s not so sure. 

(taken 3 years ago during her first soccer season)

Our soccer fields and the entire soccer season here are run completely by volunteers.  The organization was started by a local doctor who has a love of soccer.  It took so much WORK to get this thing going, and it takes a lot of work to keep it going throughout the season.  This man is my personal physician, and I have seen how he works who knows how many hours a week at his actual “doctor job” and then can be seen in the evening out mowing the soccer fields.  That’s dedication, people.

Our soccer season just ended, and he sent out an email to everyone.  It was so eloquent and so well-written, and by reading it I think you can really feel his love of the game.  I loved it so much I wanted to share it here with you.  I think next I’m going to drop him a note and tell him how much I liked it. 

(also from 2005.  I love her darling little braids)

Here’s what he wrote:

This season, as always, was one of youthful exuberance, family bonding, community cooperation, volunteer spirit, visual spectacle, and healthy exercise.

In the tumble of competition, wins and losses, standings, ref calls, spectator cheers (and jeers), and bruised shins, the true value of what we do sometimes gets lost in the shuffle.  I want to focus on that value for a moment .

Weekly from August through November we gather teams of young people from throughout the county (and beyond) for fun and games in a great outdoor environment.  With the help of their parents, volunteer coaches, dedicated community representatives, willing referees, concession workers, all manner and type of board and administrative helpers, grass mowers, garbage cleaners, and everyone else who makes it work, the children learn.  They learn about healthy life choices, teamwork, rules of competition, and the challenges, joys, and sometime disappointments of athletic endeavor.

They learn of the transience of defeat, and of victory.  They learn, by observing examples everywhere, of positive (and occassionally negative) role models in their peers and the adults.  They learn to collaborate, to cooperate, to view it all in perspective.   They learn there are people you can count on, and those you can’t.  They learn there are those who give 100% every time, and those that don’t.  They learn where they fit on that continuum, and where they might aspire to be.  They learn the world’s most popular game, and they learn important life skills in the bargain.

This is important work we do, and we take it seriously.  We know that together we touch many lives in a memorable and formative youth and family experience.  We are thankful for all of those who collaborate to make it work for all of us.  Thanks for joining us on this year’s journey, and for everything you have done to contribute to its success.

**

Those words that I highlighted in red above?  Isn’t that so TRUE?  And it’s like he’s not even talking about soccer anymore.  That is LIFE.  Just plain ole LIFE.