Evolutions Via Soccer

Our first soccer season has been accompanied by some great changes for our little man.  It has been nothing short of amazing to watch Clinton evolve.  

When we started the season, he would literally lay face down in the grass so as not to be seen by anyone.  He was shy.  As the season went on, he would start out shy and then warm up with time.  We never forced him to do anything, but stay.  I would tell him, "If you want to lay here while your friends play, that's fine, but we're staying until it's over."  A little boy can only be left out for so long before he has to join in.

This past Saturday there was no hesitation, no crying, no laying in the grass.  All the way there he kept saying, "I'm going to help my team, Mom!"  "I'm going to see my buddies?"  "I gonna win!"   (Which means "score".)

And "win" he did.  I didn't keep count, but he scored a number of goals.  He was so proud of himself.  But not as proud as I was.

Not only was he shy in the beginning, but he didn't understand why the other boys we're trying to take the ball from him.  He was used to playing with the older boys in our neighborhood, and as the younger one, Clinton was always favored and given the ball.  Once in a game, he had to learn about taking the ball from the other team...

...only Clinton struggles with the WHOLE concept.  He steals it from his teammates, too.  :-(

Clinton isn't fully aware of how big he is in comparison to most kids his age.  He is physically capable of outrunning, out kicking, and out dribbling most of the opponents...but he gets carried away with high-fiving his teammates, stopping to give hugs to mommy and daddy, and sometimes just running in the other direction just because.  If he ever realizes how much bigger and faster he is, he might turn into quite the ball hog...and then we'll be working on a new "life lesson".  :-)

More than anything, I just love watching his confidence soar!  We've come a long way from face down in the grass, to taking charge on the field.  This is a picture I carry around with me in my mind...

Soccer Mom (and proud of it!),