Soccer Game

We have been frustrated with the soccer leagues in St. George.  Courtney's birthday is August 12th but the cut off date for making the teams is July 1st.  That means that she is usually the oldest player on the team and, most of the time, she is playing with teammates 2 grades younger than she is.  We have asked them to move her up a team (because she has played since she was 4) but they are really strict.  I finally did convince Ivins Soccer to move her up a level but they play at the exact same time as her dance class so she can't play in that league anymore.

We tried to sign her up for KICKS soccer this Spring but they didn't have any teams on "our side of the black hills" so we would have to drive her to Washington City for a team and we didn't want to do that two times per week.  So I signed her up for AYSO.  We haven't played in AYSO before so we thought we would try it.

I called the director to ask if he would play her up and he told me that they have to put her on a team for her age group but that she could be moved up if they noticed that her ability was higher than her team mates.  I was encouraged and got her signed up.

They had their first game at the end of March but we were at the Fun Run so Courtney didn't go.  They aren't having practices but the coach sent me a text with the schedule and asking if we would do treats for the next game.  So we were off on Saturday morning for a park across town for her first game with the "Cherry Bomb" soccer team.

We had a hard time finding the field, we didn't have her uniform and the man in charge really didn't seem to know what was going on, and we didn't know who anyone on her team was so we didn't know where to go.  The man in charge was finally able to figure out what was going on and gave me a reversible uniform for Courtney but he couldn't tell me what color to have her wear.  Then we went to try and find the team.  I was really frustrated.

We found her coach, who turned out to be really nice and Courtney liked her a lot.  Their game started late and there are only 4 girls on her team so they don't have much down time in a 3 on 3 game.  But Courtney played really well.  She made 5 goals....actually she made 6 but one was illegal.  haha!  She did a kick off from center field and it went in their goal.  However, no one touched it after Courtney did so it didn't count.  At least one other player has to touch the ball before it can be called a goal.

She played a great game though and was really doing well at stopping the ball and changing directions.  She has really been improving and I was very impressed.

After the game the coach asked Courtney if she was in 1st grade too.  My heart dropped.  Yes, Courtney is in 3rd grade and playing soccer with 1st graders.  Ugh!  So we have to figure out something to do.  I wish they would let her play soccer with girls in her grade so she can get used to their skill level.  She isn't going to learn if she isn't challenged!