I'm Finally a Soccer Mom!

The boys have wanted to play soccer for quite some time. They happily report the results of their friends soccer games after each weekend, and I've always felt conflicted that I haven't let them join a team. I'm really just not sure that they could handle organized team sports. We previously tried basketball and it was really difficult for everyone involved. Individual sports worked well for a while (swimming, gymnastics), but have grown increasingly difficult over time. As the boys get older, the coaches expect more out of them in terms of listening, following direction, independent practice, and more complicated routines/plays. For Alex, nearly all of the above are difficult - any day of the week, any time of day. When he was younger, I would be side-by-side with him in sports classes as his personal coach at the pool, on the basketball court, and on the mats. As he gets older, it's become much more difficult/awkward as the demands of the players are more intense - to the point we had opted out of all sports. For Tanner, he's more manageable but still requires a lot of re-direction. The bigger problem for Tanner is that practices are often in the evenings after his meds are wearing off so he's harder to keep focused and is either really sleepy or really silly.

I heard rumblings through the Special Ed grapevine about something called VIP Soccer. I knew very little, except that it was a soccer team for kids with special needs. I'd been trying to track down contact information for about 6 months and was THRILLED when I finally made contact with the coach this week! She immediately emailed me back saying we were welcome to join in mid-season and that they were welcoming of kids with all levels of ability.

So, at 11am on Saturday we reported to the soccer fields with two very excited little boys. What an incredible program and experience we had! It's a very loose program, which is great for my guys who struggle in the face of too much structure. From 11am - 12pm kids gather at the soccer field where several coaches and older soccer 'buddies' are incredibly welcoming and engaging to whatever kids show up. There were bags of balls and 2 whole fields for the kids to run and play. Parents were all out on the field with their kids...playing goalie, retrieving balls, encouraging kids with physical struggles to make it all the way down the field, and laughing with all kids - whether their own or not. There were kids with varied special needs and it was so nice not to have to worry that the boys weren't doing what they were supposed to. No rules, except to be kind and a good teammate. They bounced back and forth between fields...kicking goals, playing goalie, dribbling the ball down field, making new friends and laughing hysterically much of the time. Alex was affectionately nicknamed 'Giggles' by one of the coaches, which was incredibly appropriate because he must have giggled for 45 minutes straight he was so happy and excited!

I've coached several teams and played team sports (high school, college, intramural, recreation) for nearly 25 years and I have NEVER participated in such an inspiring sporting event. I've never experienced such selfless instructors/buddies and have never felt such an overwhelming sense of pride watching the players on the field (and not only for my kids). I continue to learn more from my own kids and the people who work with them than I'll ever be able to teach in return. I always knew that would be the case in the classroom or therapy environment, but have always considered the field of sports my area of expertise. I stand corrected - in total amazement and with great gratitude for this exceptional program.

I'm finally a soccer mom.