4.21.2012

{ Austin’s Love of Soccer }

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-19

I feel like I am almost restating the obvious about how much Austin loves soccer-but man this kid just eats it up! Almost every waking moment he spends with that soccer ball at his feet. He is constantly using our front room as a practice field for his juggling tricks. He gets ready for school early in the mornings so that he can go out in the garage and practice doing soccer tricks before the bus comes. This kid LOVES soccer!

He has been begging me for the last few games to bring my camera to get some good action shots of him doing his thing. And man, does he do that “thing” good. He is so much fun to watch playing soccer. He just has so much passion for the game, yet is one of the most humble people I have ever seen play. He is not about running around the field making a scene every time he scores or bad mouthing anyone. He just wants to be there and play. As a parent I think some of my most proud times I have had has been watching him interact on the field. He can pretty much make any goal he has the shot for, but on more than one occasion I have seen him, deliberately look to the side, see a teammate and pass the ball to them to give them the glory of shooting a goal, knowing that he has already scored one that game, but they haven’t. It almost brings me to tears each time. He know what it means on the inside to be a real champion.

He has this goal every game to try some kind of new trick-a bicycle kick or a nutmeg or a header right into the goal. He thrives on getting his body into the game. He is so funny, because he thinks that the more he rolls, and falls while kicking the ball, or sliding into the ball, the more fun it is. The best part is that he is always doing it with a smile on his face. Boy, that kid just LOVES soccer.

Before the game starts.

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-1

One of his coaches on the far right. He has some amazing coaches this season, and they love Austin. They can see his potential and are so encouraging of all the kids on the team. Funny story about his coach-after one practice he was racing the boys running and beat them, except he was running backwards and they were running frontwards! He is super fast, and loves to get out there with the kids and really challenge them. Both of his coaches are so positive. I have never heard either of them belittle or even yell at the boys from the sideline-then definitely know how to coach in a positive way, and it shows-Austin’s team is ranked #1 so far.

Some fancy foot work.

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-2

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-3

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-6

Setting up a bicycle kick.Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-7

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-8

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-9

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-11

Love the little lip biting he does when he plays.Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-10

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-12

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-13

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-17

Always smiling when he plays.Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-16

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-15

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-14

Goal #1

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-4

Goal #2

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-5

Goal #3

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-18

He was pretty happy with his hat trick (3 goals in one game) tonight.

Austin spring 2012 soccer blog-20

After Austin’s games we will walk to the car, and I’ll ask if he’s tired. He usually says “no”, and then I ask what he wants to do and he always answers, “Go play another game!”

Yep. He loves soccer!

No comments: