Polar Bears

Fun, Fair, Positive Soccer is the name of the new soccer league Connor is playing for this year. We loved his old one, but it was just too far for us to drive.

I attended the first practice with Connor today and well, I am thinking maybe this league is going to be just a little too fun and a little too fair. :)

When we arrived the team sat down together to choose a team name. The first kid suggested 'Cheetahs'. The second kid suggested 'Polar Bears'. The 3rd, 4th and 5th kid all say 'Polar Bears' as well, so the coach declared by a majority vote, "Polar Bears it is!". (You have got to love 7- year olds!) Connor however, was the only kid who was less than pleased with the team name and sat scowling away. Not only did Connor not get the name he wanted, he did not even get to suggest the name he wanted. (Now where is the fun and fairness in that? ;) Connor wanted to use the name 'Dynamos' as in the name of Houston's Major League Soccer team. The kid did have a point... it does seem to be a much more fitting soccer team name than the "Polar Bears". I had a good laugh which I think made Connor all the more mad. :)

Then at the end of practice the coach was prepping the parents for the games. He says, and I quote, "There will be no coaching from any of the parents at the games. Even I will not do any coaching at any of the games. If a child runs down the field with the ball in the wrong direction... then I am going to yell, "Good dribbling!" and I expect you to do the same. Please do not correct them. This club is all about being positive and having fun."

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA! Really? REALLY?!? I can understand asking crazy-out-of-control parents to close their yappers, but even the coach will not coach? Where is the sense in that? And if the kid is running down the field in the wrong direction... you are not going to correct them? Well you can bet your bottom dollar that I WILL make it known to Connor if he is going the wrong way! I will gladly hold my tongue when it comes to the other kids, if that is what their parents want. But since when did teaching rules, strategies and skills become deemed as such a negative thing? Hmmm. Go figure.

Don't get me wrong-- the coach seemed like a very nice guy. (He would have to be, right?) And he is volunteering his time to do this. Something I consider no small feat and I appreciate very much. But I am glad it is him and not me coaching... because I almost signed up to be a coach. It might have been very embarrassing to get thrown out on a volunteer basis! :)

Here is to a GREAT soccer season... GO POLAR BEARS!!!!