Award Day

Award Day at the Christian Youth Center officially marks the end of the soccer season... Bittersweet. By the end of each sport's season, I'm ready to have my routine back. The one that doesn't involve running out twice a week for practices or games. Granted, twice a week is nothing for some moms with kids in park district or school sports, but it is plenty for me...

Grace did a 180 turn around throughout the season. Even the difference between this last game and the one before is amazing. She was all over that ball, and was one of the most active players on the team. This from the girl that used to stand in the middle of the field stroking her hair and watching the other girls run after the ball. Impressive.

Ellie was goalie for almost the entire game. She played her part well and wasn't afraid to grab at the ball when 3 other kids are kicking at it. I think that would kind of freak me out a bit.

The Green Giants... Seth and Noah's team. I enjoyed watching their team the most this year. Many of the team had been together in previous years and worked well together. Seth is quick and can see openings when he has the ball. Soccer is a good sport for him. Noah has also picked up on his soccer skills in the past year. He is more tall and lanky for his age, so dodging in and out of players is a bit harder for him, but he managed to be in the right place at the right time to put in some nice shots to the goal.

Caleb, number 8, played with the "big boys". The age range was 11 to 17. That's an age range of 6+ years, but also, during those years, the boys are growing and maturing fast. It makes a big difference in their skill level and physical ability. I had a harder time watching Caleb's game without zoning out. It seemed like the ball would just keep bouncing from one end of the field to the other. Boring. Caleb also sat out alot. Being one of the youngest on the team, he didn't get played as much as the big, long-legged, quick guys. ut as he does with most things, when he got the chance, he put in 100 percent.

This year's awards were a bit different because the CYC had just sent out letters the week before stating that it would no longer be supporting any of the sports programs. We've been involved in both baseball and soccer there for about 7 years and have met many friends that we see each season. It was different to think that we may not run into them again. A little bit sad and a bit sentimental. We're anxious to see what the future holds for our little super stars...