Sunday, April 5, 2009

the soccer ritual

For the next couple months, we, along with approximately everyone in the county, will meet at a local playfield every Saturday for an hour or so of intense physical competition.




Soccer is a pretty big deal.




Since Aidan really wants to try football, only Luke is playing soccer this season.




This is serious business. He brings his game face.










His intensity is nearly matched by his adoring fans.










Six-year-olds play three players to a side and no goalie.




The key to winning is to be able to maintain focus on the game for longer than 12 seconds at a time. This is harder than it sounds.










Luke's focus was in good form today. This can't be said for all players. You can click on the picture for better peek at level of interest in the game according to the player's facial expression.









When players are able to maintain their focus for a period of time, you get some pretty good action.








Luke is one of the tallest kids on his team. And he's got a pretty powerful foot. Sometimes the opposition learns this the hard way. #35 is about to figure it out.






Luke made a great throw-in here. I don't think anyone on either team noticed it though.









#11 was hurting us in this game. Luke tries to dribble by him.









I tell Luke he needs to use his body. His application of this advice isn't exactly what I had in mind.










But it did help him score a goal.








He must get his competitiveness from his mother.






5 comments:

Stacy said...

we want to come sit with your "adoring fans" section one of these days...
let us know when his games are! (and as long as they're not during nap time, we'd love to come!)

~stacy & crew

Anonymous said...

When and where? We would love to come and cheer Luke and his team on!

Rebecca M said...

Soccer in the sunshine!

Usually "the soccer ritual" includes more moisture and umbrellas, does it not?
Seriously, Luke, you look really good out there!

As a family, we have yet to enter into the organized sports world but the pictures here, including the beautiful "adoring fans", make me look forward to when and if we do!

Oh and does the game still end with high fives and the kids mumbling "GoodGameGoodGameGoodGame" to their opponents?

Anonymous said...

So I love the picture of Ava Ruth. I looked at it for a very long time, thinking all the while that her hair was just blowing in the wind. The next day when I looked at it, I realized that she had hair ties in her hair. Too precious! And Mike, you should tell Luke about the time in high school when you body-bammed the goalie and broke his collar bone. Good times!

-Aunt Helen

Leah said...

You'll be happy to know that the Easter bunny brought me a coupon for Lightroom. Can't wait to try it out.