The Goalie

The coach is on the left and Christian is second over on the top row.

Christian didn't have his shin guards during his last soccer game. They were MIA, but that's not the point. Even though it is a rule to wear them, he was doing fine playing under the radar until a kid (you know the one that whatever crosses his mind comes out his mouth in auditorium volume) announces to all in two blocks distance, "Christian doesn't have shin guards." So the coach pulls him out. So then Christian has to be goalie. I don't think when the coach told him to be a crazy goalie that he meant what was about to transpire.

Christian's adrenalin was pumping. He had so much energy he was bouncing up and down kind of like our primitive ancestors (No, I don't believe we used to be apes, but that is another subject.) He would dive into the hoard of kicking cleats to grab the ball. A couple of times he picked up the ball and kicked it straight up. Luckily he was quick enough that he could return his own kick. At one point he went clear to mid-field on a break away. I don't know how much you know about soccer, but this is generally not a desired tactic. He would come way out of the goalie box and then would have to sprint back to where he was supposed to be to guard the goal. My favorite is when he was way outside the goalie box. There were only a couple other people around him. Instead of kicking it away from the goal, he turned toward his own goal until he got into the box and then he jumped on his own ball. That one caused all our heart rates to increase a bit, but his idea worked and he was able to pick the ball up and give it a big boot. There were a lot of shots taken. He blocked every single one and seemed to thoroughly enjoying himself. It was amazing, unconventional, and certainly entertaining. Wish you could have seen it.

Christian has a lot of spirit and is so fun. I love watching him play sports. This year was his first year in the older age bracket. It is when coaches stop coaching because they love kids, but coach because they love the sport. They don't want everyone just to have fun. They want to win. It has taken a bit of getting used to, but we have survived and he is now looking forward to wrestling and basketball.