Deployment Day 8 Assistant Soccer Coach

I can't help but think that if Rob had been here that this would not have happened to me. Carter is playing soccer this spring. He has never played an organized sport before and as far as I know he isn't all that competitive. Carter's mom called me last night and asked me to help as assistant coach for the team that her girl friend is coaching. I have never coached anything in my life. The last time I played soccer had to be at least 40 years ago. I'm not sure that I will do all that well with this. But then these are only 1st and 2nd grade kids.

I remember when Rob was in 2nd grade he played soccer. The team never won a game. They came close twice but were never able to score that winning goal. There was no real game plan, no outstanding players. Just a bunch of little boys in a large scrum with legs kicking furiously. I remember one game in particular. There was one boy that ran a little stiff legged and he didn't take off his sweats when the game started. About 5 minutes into the game at mid-field there was the large kicking cluster of kids. Suddenly there was a leg flying through the air and before you could even blink all the boys but one were standing with their parents. The one boy was sitting on his butt. The ref asked him if he was okay and he said he was. Then the ref asked if one of the kids had kicked his leg off and the boy says no it was his fault. He had a prosthetic leg and he had not tightened all the straps.

I'm sure that this coaching job will be fun, even if there are no prosthetic legs involved. I just wish Rob was the one doing it. Carter needs his dad to be there not his grandpa. My job is to root and take pictures. As for now I guess I had better go get a book or something on coaching soccer for little kids.