Posted on Mon 12/14/09 in Fatherhood
I’ve been the assistant coach on Ethan’s soccer team for about a month and a half. My job is primarily to keep the bench from turning into complete insanity. It certainly has its ups and downs. The personalities on the team range from driven and focused to fantasizing and care-free; age seems to divide the spectrum. What I see is that the older ones — 4 1/2 to 5 years old enjoy the sport, know what they are supposed to do, and are constantly asking to play. The younger group, 3 to 4 years old, which includes Ethan, is usually okay with playing, but they might rather just wrestle and pretend to be superheros. This can prove frustrating, but it is quite funny to hear the kids talking to each other and to me.
I had to tell one of the moms last week the funny stuff her son confesses to me.
“Coach Aaron… I watched a PG movie last night.” I asked which one. “Indiana Jones,” he proudly tells me.
The next day…
“Coach Aaron… I drink coffee. I do. I really do, and I like it.” He followed up this by asking me if I knew what an AK-47 was and what colors it had on it. I later met his two older brothers, elementary school-aged. That explained everything.
They draw maps in the grass to show me where they go to school, tell me about what they have for breakfast, video games they like, ask me where I get my hair cut, tell me about their vacations and whose birthday parties they are going to. Some tell me regularly when their birthdays are, and others have no clue.
It only takes one kid to get the testosterone flowing among the others. Often it is Ethan, although he is not the only spark. Ethan is only partially interested in playing this organized sport, but he is completely entertained by dropping the big elbow off the bench to show off his wrestling skills. In practice and during free play, he actually kicks the ball. The games seem overwhelming, and he gets upset if he gets pushed or knocked down; he’ll just walk off the field. When he [i]is[/i] chasing the ball, his head is swiveling as he looks to me for confirmation — huge grin on his face. It’s cute, and yet still frustrating. Other parents and coaches have similar issues, and everyone says it gets better next year. I hope so, because with half the season remaining, I’m exhausted.
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