Since September of 1998, every September Saturday has been spent at the soccer pitch. Every one except for one October in 2010 when both Chris and Jessie had a bye on the same weekend. Every one of my September Saturdays has been taken up by soccer. My October Saturdays and most of my November Saturdays too. But not anymore.
Our first soccer player. Kray, 1998
Today there isn't a game listed on the calendar. There is no game to watch, no game to referee, no game to coach. The kids don't have new soccer cleats, clean uniforms or stinky old shin guards to put on today.
WOW! This is a crazy new place for me.
Oh those foggy morning at Marymoor park.
Yes, I miss it. I miss the kids. I miss the excitement as my stomach does a gymnastics tumbling routine. I miss the countless emails from parents (and players) who are lost and can't find the field. I miss the detailed calendar flow-chart I'd make so all six kids got to where they needed to be at the right time. I miss coaching three kids in one season (2009). I miss the interaction with the kids most of all. I miss seeing smiles from someone who just accomplished something pretty cool. I miss the giggles from the girls and the I'm-too-cool fist bumps from the boys.
I don't miss the mud (ok, just a little). And I really don't miss the parents questioning my coaching, and refereeing decisions.
Last Saturday we woke to a foggy cool morning and both Jessie and I looked at each other and said, "I miss it."
Please enjoy my walk through memory lane:
And this game was on the good grass at Marymoor. This is Jason, 2001
We started them early. Chris and Matt 2001
Mike, 2002
It's always been a family affair, 2002. In fact that little girl Jessie was just a week or two old when she went to her first soccer game.
We've had some great coaches, Jason, 2004
Matt, 2004
And I started head coaching in 2004. Mike's team: Earthquake. We were really good!
Sometimes our uniforms were more like dresses. Chris, 2005
And I always had the cutiest soccer players, Jessie, 2005
Sometimes we smile when we score, Matt, 2005
We played close, Chris, 2006
I had to turn my head when they played goalie: Jason, 2006
We sat and waited for our turn to play. #6, Jason, 2006
Soccer is about fun, Jessie, 2006
Sometimes we look like the professionals, Matt, 2006
We always have the best fans! Matt & Grandma, 2006
Scoring feels good, Matt, 2007
Second place sometimes hurts, Mike, 2007
It was always a fun time at Marymoor. 2007
Our financial backer, Steve, 2007
Earning big bucks, Jason, 2008
Soccer was all about the treats and friends, Jessie, 2008
It was an honor to center a tournament game, Kray, 2008
And Champion soccer is always dirty, Chris, 2009
And Champions are Champions! Chris and I, 2009
Chris doing a trick shot, 2009
Even when they are big they play. Kray 2009
I love this photo!
How exactly do you score an Olympico goal again? This wasn't the celebration for it, but Chris did score directly off a corner kick. This celebration is happening because he scored off a backwards kick at the top of the box. Chris, 2010.
Soccer kept me sane through cancer treatments, 2010
Probably the best team I ever coached. Chris, 2011
Those foggy mornings, 2012
Jessie 2012. Probably the best girls team I coached. We went to state and took 8th place.
Chris putting on the stripes in 2013
Conferring with Coaches Clock, the app Steve wrote just for me, 2013
2013, A ref since 2005, I finally put on the stripes and refereed a game or two.
In 2013, Kray officially joined me in the coaching ranks. He had coached on and off since he was 14. It was nice to have him on the sidelines. He has the same passion and conviction I have.
#6 her entire career, Jessie scores in 2013.
2013 Matt puts on the stripes as well.
Coaching staff 2014, Bryne, Kray and me.
Jessie 2014
I'm intense, 2014
The muddiest game I ever coached, watched or played in. Jessie 2014
Jessie 2014. We won the game--defeating an undefeated team!
Fall, soccer, daughter, awe... 2014
2014 Jessie & Chelsey. Soccer Buddies!
2014...the end.