Season Closer

The regular school soccer season closed with tonight’s game and our 2-1 win. After Tuesday night’s loss to the number six team in the state, the win was a great boost to our confidence and proved we can play offense and defense in the same game at the same time. 🤣 We played against some of our old TUSC friends tonight, and it was a pure joy to catch up with everyone again. 

We also got to see friends that we currently play with for travel ball.

Next week we play in the district tournament. Because of our first place seed, we earned a bye for Monday’s quarter final games. We are looking to win the semi-final game on Tuesday night. Go Hawks!

State Quarter Finals

Today was the first day of the long awaited state tournament. My parents made the trip fully realizing this might be the last time they get to see Evan play soccer. 

Last year Keagan’s team was the eighth seed and had a heartbreaking loss after almost upsetting the top team in the state. It was a game of pure heart and a game that we have anxiously awaited all season so we can have a re-do. This year our team went in as the fourth seed and played an inner club team in the quarter finals round.

Keagan had an amazing bicycle kick / save / a move unnamed in the second half that cleared a ball just inches from the goal line. It was an amazing save! 

https://youtu.be/P1TCypdClhM

You can’t hear me yell, “That’s my baby!” in the video, but I promise I did - a total of three times - just in case anyone didn’t know that was my kid. We won 2-0 and advance to tomorrow’s semi-final game. We are getting that re-do we have wanted for more than a year. 

Last year Evan’s team didn’t even make it to state. It was a less than stellar season. It was a season full of regrets! This year his team made it to state, and they went in the state tourney as the second seed. They won today’s game 8-0 and progress to tomorrow’s semifinal game. (Unfortunately his game was a night game so I have no good pics.)

This is the most exciting time of the year for me! I’m hoping for two big wins again today! Let’s Go TSC 04 Nashville and 02 NUSA Maroon!

Training

No contact, small group soccer training is now allowed! Last week my boys returned to the field for footwork and agility training. It has been a LONG time coming. These two have been training and/or playing together for five years; it was so good to see them both on the field again.

Soccer Showcase

Six soccer games in two days. There is no better way to spend a weekend. Evan’s team went 1-2 in Memphis; Keagan’s team went 1-1-1. Saturday’s games were played in mud pits. Sunday’s games were played in brutal winds. But I consider myself lucky to be able to watch both boys play at the same venue.

With an abbreviated season, these are the only pictures I have of Evan this season. And they were taken with my phone! 😢 The tongue. Always. His signature look.

I’m afraid this is the last of travel soccer for a while - maybe ever. My heart is saddened at the mere mention of giving up something that is such an integral part of our lives. But sometimes our paths in life take an unexpected detour. Something better lies ahead.

Silver Lining

Evan is still not playing soccer; we are nine weeks post injury and his Achilles is still too weak for him to run without pain. We have seen countless doctors, had an MRI done, had ice massages, and he does daily stretches. Yet, he’s making very little progress. We should be at training tonight. Instead, he’s studying for a chemistry test, reading his novel for English class, and helping his brother solve two-step equations. 

 

We are trying to find the silver lining while it rains:

He has plenty of time to study. 

He’s not sleep deprived. 

I am much less stressed trying to fit it all in before it’s time to hit the road.

We are getting more nights at home together.

Meanwhile, it’s still raining. Evan meets his new physical therapist next month. We are hoping she’s the magic we need to find the rainbow.

Hard Work

Both boys spent their Saturday mornings reffing U7 boys and girls games. Neither was happy about getting up early, but the fat wallets at the end of the day made up for it. I also loved the high-fives Keagan gave the girls after each shot - whether it went in or not - and the “coaching” he provided during the game when one girl got a hand ball or another kicked the ball out causing a corner. Evan was just as great with the kids smiling ear-to-ear when the boy with obvious talent dribbled the ball the length of the field to score a goal.

One day they will appreciate my efforts to teach them the value of hard work and the value of a dollar. It’s not today but it’s coming. I hope. One day soon. 

Soccer Weekend

Evan had two state league games in East Tennessee this weekend. This made for really early mornings, but both games ended in wins and put us closer to securing first place in the state league bracket. He also reffed a few games on Saturday.

Keagan had his club's tournament and multiple games each day that made for really long days. I had concession stand duty at 0630 on Sunday. When my alarm went off at 0430, I just about decided to ditch the soccer mom duty. His team played up and lost three games/tied one game. But it was great competition for our boys.

The weekend is already coming to an end, and I've not done anything but spend all of my hours on the pitch. I'm in heavy need of a long weekend and sleep. Lots of sleep! May this week go by quickly!

Kickin' Off Soccer Season

Here's the newest Tennessee soccer ref! And he passed on his first attempt! He was stressed about questions pertaining to birds flying on the field, goalies playing the field, and broken crossbars for nothing.

He carried the newly earned patch onto the sidelines of Evan's game to show Wes (and anybody else that wanted to ask about it).

After dinner, we had lemon cake to celebrate - "my first real job."

Evan got recertified this morning and kicked off the fall season this afternoon with his first friendly. 

He had a great game and has already made marked improvement training under our new coach.

The boys won 7-0. This is what winning looks like.

I promise they are happy.

Tonight I received a text from Evan's coach telling me how proud he was of Evan and today's performance. I can't even begin to tell you how happy we are with this move and this coach! 

This team is on a quest to win state!

On the Road to the Championship

Monday night was the middle school quarter finals game. We won 5-0, and Evan had a goal! It was great soccer on our part, just a bit one-sided. Evan's favorite teacher was there to cheer him on!

 

Keagan has waited three years to play for Coach Jandro. He loves my "Evs" and "Keags" and chose them for team captains and the coin toss. 

 

The semi-final game Wednesday night was a nail biter! I bet I got up, sat down, got up again a hundred times! We won in the second OT 1-0.  It was a great played game by my boys!

 

  

Monday is the championship game. I would love to win, but I'm just so proud of how hard the boys have worked to move from fourth seed to the championship game, that I'm not even worried about winning!

Go Hawks!!

School Soccer

 

It happened last night at the long awaited season opening Jamboree. My boys worked together to score! Keagan got the goal; Evan had the assist. Thunder had a throw in that landed on the tips of Lightning's cleats. With one turn, Keagan tapped it past the goalie to score! It was perfection! We ended the three 20 min scrimmages with a win, a tie, and a loss. 

It's Almost That Time

I've been waiting for this day for three years. For three years, I've waited to see Thunder and Lightning take the field together again. They haven't played together since we left Georgia.

 

One week from today, my wish will have come true, and my two guys will be playing soccer together again. Thunder is sure to use his size to intimidate the other team and use his brute force to keep the ball from advancing. Lightning will use his speed and agility to move the ball forward and develop scoring opportunities. 

Middle school soccer kicks off in less than a week, and I. Can't. Wait!

Summer Soccer

It's summer and we are still playing soccer. People ask me if we ever take a break; they feel sorry for me when I tell them we don't. 

Keagan spent the past few days at a local soccer camp. He met a member of the U-19 USMT AND got his autograph. He was on cloud nine all weekend, and like every digital native, he came home and found the player on Instagram. He now follows Tanner. I think it's safe to say this ball will never see grass again.

Keagan and his soccer friends had one more chance to play together before they go their separate ways next month. Some of the boys are changing clubs, some are changing teams, and some are changing age groups. If you are Keagan, you are changing all three.

Meanwhile, Evan played 3v3 soccer in Bowling Green. His team played up and played stiff competition but played very well. 

They came home with third place.

I can tell you we are now on a break from soccer until July, unless another opportunity to play soccer becomes available.

Mother's Day

Keagan made me the sweetest card and wrote the most heart felt letter for Mother's Day. He's got a heart of gold!

On the inside he wrote, "I love you more than Maybelle." It was reassuring to know I land one step above the cat. 

Evan had nothing for me. He came down the stairs this morning, and said, "This is a no card holiday, Mom, as in no yellow card." After five yellow cards in two weeks of games, this was the perfect gift. He speaks my love language! He followed through, too, because he went through all of today's game without even a foul called on him. 

To top it off, his team went undefeated and won the weekend tournament. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Soccer in the Scenic City

Someone needed their soccer fix and drove ten hours to Chattanooga to see the boys play in this weekend's tournament. Keagan's team played in the top division and lost only to the number one team in the state. 

They left the tournament as finalists. Keagan's highlight of the weekend was scoring the game winning goal in the semi-final game just seconds before time ran out. 

Evan's team tied, lost and won, but the highlight of his weekend was scoring a goal while playing defense and (observing some of the worst reffs known to mankind.) 

Our fun on the road, soccer filled weekends are making us memories, wonderful memories!

Ice, Ice Baby

The sun was shining, the temperature reached 60 degrees, and we played our first outdoor soccer games of the spring season. It is the trifecta dreams are made of! 

Evan's team won 2-0. Not only did he go an entire game without a foul called on him, but the opposing team's player had a red card pulled on him after pushing Evan to the ground. Yes, you read that correctly. Someone actually pushed him to the ground! It's a soccer miracle! Evan blocked two shots with beautiful slide tackles and his touches on the ball were near perfect. On the way to the car, he said, "Every part of my body needs to be iced down." Then, "My performance today was so good I think I deserve a blizzard." And so we stopped for icecream. 

Keagan also played outdoors. In the last minutes of the second game, he made a cross that scored the lone goal of the game. Sweet! He, too, had an icecream worthy performance!

Now it's time to pull out the ice packs and Icy Hot. It brings a whole new meaning to "Ice, Ice Baby." We know how to live it up on a Saturday night!

Fall Soccer

Evan has played for five clubs in five years, and yet some things never change. Evan is always easy to spot in team photos.

The move to the club in the city was the best move we could have made. Already we have seen huge gains in Evan's performance on the field.

Not to be out-done by big bro, Keagan also played this weekend and won first place.

He's so talented that he scored a goal this weekend with his butt! Good times, People, good times!

On the Pitch

Thankfully we played soccer this weekend without rain and mud. Instead, we played in the cold, wrapped in blankets wishing for anything other than the cold wind - maybe even a little rain.

Keagan's team lost game one, but came back to win the championship. Keagan had a beautiful corner kick in game three that slightly bent and fell in the back of the net. 

Evan's team was undefeated until the championship and then lost 1 to 2. 

Evan was called for more fouls, but in game two, he had a beautiful shot that fell right under the cross bar and into the back of the net. Losing is hard, though, and Evan didn't want anything to do with celebrating as a finalist, as you can see in this picture. 

Perhaps better than the wins and medals were the times we spent together. In between games on Saturday, I caught the boys telling stories and laughing with one another. 

It is this snapshot and memory that I will treasure the most from the weekend. Time is slipping away too quickly for me to be consumed with wins and losses. 

Just Call Us Crazy

Another weekend of soccer and another set of wins. This time Oma and Opa made the trip to Alabama to watch the boys play. (They have now traveled to every state in the Southeast to watch soccer.) We huddled together wrapped in blankets and under tents in torrential rains, we drank hot chocolate and hot tea to stay warm, and the boys were layered in mud and grass after the last game. 

Just call us Crazy. 

Then look at these smiles! We're making memories, people! Wonderful memories!

This weekend I only had to be told once on the sidelines to quieten down. Baby steps I tell ya. Baby steps. 

Both boys played up, both boys played excellent soccer, and this last picture proves upgrading to a new phone has just moved to the top of my must-dos. It makes me sad to say good-bye to outdoor soccer, but hello , indoor!