The Day Katelyn Played Goalie

So soccer season is upon us once again and this year Katelyn is on the team Blue Thunder with her BFF Sara. This year it looks a lot more like soccer. Instead of 3 on 3, with everyone just running haphazardly around the tiny field, they play 4 on 4 and actually have positions. The field is also bigger and there is a goalie, a destroyer, and 2 forwards. It has been so fun to watch and I am once again humbled that most of the girls on her team could beat me (and many of the adults I know) at soccer in about a half second. They are freakishly good for their age, says the non-soccer player mom.

The rest of her team has played together for three years, so Katelyn has really worked hard in practice. Her coaches are great and she’s been anxious to play goalie. Last week they had a very official goalie jersey. This week however, the pulled out the yellow mesh 80’s tank top – but the girls didn’t care a bit. They just long for their turn to be the goalie.

Katelyn was up to bat (so to speak) this week. She was really excited and a little nervous too. Hard contact with the ball and/or other players are her least favorite parts of the game. Sara played Destroyer so they were in it together and anxious for their debut in these new positions. They defended well together and Katelyn looked a lot less nervous by the time her sub came in… but the best was yet to come.

After the half, she was up again and before I knew it, a very hard, lightening fast kick sent the ball flying toward her. The crowd was silent for about 2 seconds and then as my petite baby girl took the full impact of the ball right in the stomach and saved the goal – the crowd literally went wild. I am almost teary just writing about it. I was so proud of her and so was she. Right before she caught it she look petrified, but the second she had it, she looked like her feet would never touch the ground again! Brooke was screaming with delight “Go Sissy Go! YEAH Sissy!!!!”

She and Sara also played forward together so it was a fun and great game all around – they are so cute out there together I can hardly stand it.

The other highlight of the game (according to the girls) comes at the end when the parents/fans all make a tunnel that the team runs through together. After the tunnel, they get their snack… life is seriously good when you are 7 and when you have a 7 year old.