Preparing for Match Day

It's great isn't it, I always wondered why parents on the side lines got so involved in their kids sports and then I became a parent with a kid in sports 🤣. There's one kid in the group that is an absolute super star, her ball control the ability to tackle and own the field is on another level. If I could be honest I'm pretty jealous I wish my kiddo was like that. Not that she's not good she's great. I watch her and she's able to move about cones, score and do everything without any issues.

But when it comes to matches she sits back and stands to the side, I thought she was scared or didn't want to play anymore. At one stage when the training match was underway she walked off the field and sat on the side. I walked to the boundary to talk to her which is a no no as the coaches don't like parents getting involved and I totally get that but I really felt it was a daughter pep talk moment. I wanted to know why the past few weeks she hasn't engaged as she used to.

She loves soccer and when me and her play she tackles me and goes in hard for the ball, no fear. So I was wondering if something was happening as I struggle to retain the ball when I play with her and her technique is really good. Just the other week in lockdown when we came to the grounds she was trying to strike the goals with the girls team.

It was the cutest thing I had ever seen, she didn't want me around because she was with the "big kids" and didn't want old dad cramping her style..... at 4.... already kicking me out of her life. I get it though, I was the same at her age. Parents are soooooo embarrassing.

I was so confused at her behaviour as just previously in the warm up she was just so chill controlling the ball around cones and not hitting them. She was the only one that didn't become "frozen". The rules of the warm up is if you touch the cones with your ball you have to freeze and wait until someone came back around to high 5 you to unfreeze you. My partner commented and thought she wasn't enjoying it as she looked like she was falling back. I'd been watching her and thought the opposite. It looked like she found the training easy as she was controlling the ball with ease but had to try to dodge the other girls.

So instead of going through fast she just waiting until someone unfroze the frozen girls. I think she couldn't be bothered high fiving anyone and just wanted to focus on the task at hand.

Being totally aware of her surroundings and just kicking back and when the game started walking off the field I was concerned that something else was going on. So I asked her what the matter was but she told me "nothing dad" and as any parent knows or any bloke knows when a women says "nothing" oh it's something.

She finally opened upto me while I tried to encourage her back onto the field to get involved and help her team. A few weeks ago when she was tackling the girls she managed to secure the ball and well, it's sport and involves tackling. A few of the girls fell over and started crying, she felt bad because she had hurt them and she didn't want to hurt anymore of them because she was scared they wouldn't be her friends anymore.

I didn't know how to handle it and I just said that it's just sport and people will get hurt as will she, that's why she has shin pads on. Lil Miss can be quite full on and she's the kind of person that doesn't give up until she comes out the winner. As a 4 year old, she destroys me sometimes 🤣

I'm hoping that she can build up some more confidence or focus on not worrying so much about hurting others and play the game. The coaches gave her a bit of a pep talk and I'm excited to see how she goes at next weeks game.

As for the other superstar on the field I noticed that she has an older brother who also plays for the club so she's been able to pick up extra training tips and skills from her older brother. Looks like I'm going to have to kick it up a notch and find her a training buddy to lift her game.