So…I’m a soccer mom now.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against soccer. I just didn’t grow up playing it, or watching it, or having any interest in or understanding of it in any way. But Annabel has been begging me to play since last year, so here we go.
In the lead up to practices starting, Annabel has asked questions like, “Does soccer have positions, like baseball?” and “What are the rules in soccer?” And I’ve been like, “ummmm…goalie, and…run and kick person?” and “ummmm…don’t use your hands?” Thank goodness for Google and YouTube.
Mike has been practicing with her in the backyard, but yesterday was her first official team practice. Luckily for me, Annie’s best friend comes from a soccer family, so her mom was very helpful when I said, “Sooo, what does Annie need for soccer? Like, cleats or something? Can I get them at Target?” Sometimes I act more helpless than a newborn baby.
Despite my lack of soccer knowledge, I managed to get her all dressed for her first practice, EXCEPT I put her socks under her shin guards which apparently makes me a horrible person omg. I spent half the practice googling, “soccer shin guard socks” and “why is this so hard for me.”
This age group is classified as Under 7, and all the girls on her team are entering first grade. There are a couple girls from her school on her team, so she was very happy. She was less happy to discover that she’s the only kid on her team who has never played before. Her coach has been playing and coaching for years, so he immediately showed her some fundamentals and she picked them up quickly (other than confusion over which foot to kick with…lefty problems).
But at this age, it’s really just running/kicking and, apparently, screaming/squealing. Annabel definitely has an advanced degree in the latter.
The other parents on the team seem great, and were not annoyed by my constant questions of, “What does that mean?” Games start in a month, so I have a few more weeks to figure out this whole soccer thing. Luckily, I will totally nail bringing juice boxes and orange slices. I may have to grow into being a soccer mom, but I was born to be a snack mom.
Bobbie says:
My husband brought our son to his first ice hockey practice with the leg pads on over the socks! He thought it would be too uncomfortable to have the straps right on his skin. The other hockey dads were quite amused…
Nellie says:
OMG, you remind me of my first year as a soccer mom. I did the same thing too – put chin guards OVER my daughter’s socks, OY!
Amazon has adorable/funky socks that Annabel can wear over her chin guards- my daughter loves them. My daughter is a righty but still manages to kick like she’s a lefty. I’m a lefty and kick like a righty – go figure. It’s just nice seeing my daughter really get into the sport and enjoy herself. From the pics you posted, I can see already that your daughter is having a blast!
I have to say, soccer has and always will be my favorite sport so I’ve definitely become that crazy Soccer Mom who runs along the sidelines screaming and cheering the girls on. I know you’ll do just fine as you have sports in your blood.
Nellie says:
Must be too early, I meant “shin” not chin…yowza!
Erin says:
Wait, don’t you have to drive a minivan now? I think it’s like, a law or something.
Jackson says:
You raised an interesting issue — which foot to kick with. I am left handed and kick with my right foot. I have always assumed that you kick with your strongest/dominant leg. We did not have soccer when I was growing up but we did play kick ball and I always used my right leg. What did you tell Annie?
Brooke says:
Omg I had no idea that shin guards go under the socks! And just in time, as our first soccer practice is next week. I was a theatre girl (read: drama geek) in high school, so it’s all new to me, too.
Wendy says:
Reading this post brought back so many memories. I had no understanding of the sport either because it was the one sport that I (or my 3 brothers) did not play growing up. A friend of mine dragged me into it early so I first signed my son up when he was 2 almost 3. He’s now 13 and I admit I still didn’t know all of the rules until 2 years ago when watching the Mens’ World Cup. It really is a great sport that I have come to love. Teach Annie to kick with both her left and right foot – she will need both skills later. Soccer families are the best – enjoy!!
REK981 says:
Regarding socks and shin guards…True soccer socks at that age are like knee socks. Put them on, then shin guards, then they come down OVER the sin guards. At practice, my girl wore plain crew sock under hers, NBD.
Jessica V. says:
IS THAT WHY THEY ARE SO LONG? They are like thigh-highs on my son and he HATES having the shin guards against his skin. He’s been playing for 4 years and this never occurred to me.
Now I’m excited to get his uniform and try this!
Chris says:
I have a funny story about soccer. My daughter wanted to play so we signed her up when she was about 5. It was drizzling the first game and all she wanted to do was catch the drizzle with her tongue. Not a good start for a soccer career. Needless to say that was her only season! She went on to play softball, she too is a lefty and she loved it.
JennS says:
My son kicks with both feet (he is three) but I’d say 75% is done with his left foot.
Paula says:
Best years of my life… not only was I a soccer mom but I managed my son’s travel team for 7 years! It’s been 5 years since his last game and I still chat with his first coach a couple times a month. Life long friendships between kids and parents. Watching your kid get the ball and score goals. I still have no idea what “off sides” is but I wasn’t the ref so that really didn’t matter.
Bradley says:
Offside basically means if you have the ball on offense and your teammate is closer to the net than the defense. Your offense teammates should stay in the same line as the other teams defense, not go closer to net than them.
Jenny says:
I started my son is Lil Kickers soccer when he was around 18 months. He loves it and will go to “team soccer” when he is 3. He kicks with his right leg, but throws balls with his left. I moved to a town where soccer was huge when I was in 2nd grade. I never played because other kids had been playing for years. So I want my son to have the opportunity to try a bunch of things at a young age to see if he likes any of them.
Sarah says:
Being lefty in soccer is AWESOME! I played growing up and in college…wished I was a lefty. They just talked about this on the coverage of the US women’s team in the Olympics. Lefties have so many cool options as midfield or forwards… the way they kick and curve the ball gives them a great edge. So whatever feels comfortable for her… but if she can continue with the left… hello world cup 2030!
Leanne says:
So my two cents about the socks and shin guards… if Annie has the kind of shin guards that have straps (around the leg and under the foot), she might prefer a lightweight sock that goes under the shin guard (I never liked the sensation of that strap on the bottom of my foot). But yep, typically you wear a longer “soccer sock” over the shin guards to cover them up.
Though you can also find shin guards without straps — ones that come with a compression sock/sleeve — you put on the sleeve and slide the guard underneath and the sleeve helps to hold the guard in place. And then put the long soccer socks over top to complete the look I have to say… I grew up with the strappy kind, but I much prefer the compression sock/sleeve kind — much more comfortable.
Also, my daughter’s a lefty who tends to kick with her right foot — perhaps because that’s what she sees most other people doing (my husband and I both play and we’re both righties who tend to kick with our right foot). But Annie will figure out what works best for her (case in point: I bat left handed! I can do it right handed, but it feels weird/wrong). And if she gets comfortable with both feet — even better
Good luck and have fun!
-from a soccer mom who used to be a player
samatwitch says:
Good for Annie. I love her shirt. Is she watching women’s soccer?
Lanie says:
You have got this Heather!
Toni says:
I too love the shirt!
Tracey says:
Want to be the coolest soccer mom? Slice apples and put them in ginger ale. They stay crispy and don’t brown. It’s a nice change from oranges.
~ Ruth says:
I did a similar thing – apple slices in orange juice to prevent browning. I also mixed it up with grapes sometimes. Tons of positive feedback from the kiddos – I like to think I was the favorite snack mom (at least after the moms who brought rice krispy treats and candy bars).
Tracey says:
The moms that brought junk food always ticked me off, especially when I was the coach and specifically asked them not to.