Posts Tagged ‘soccer’
So tonight we had a playoff game. It was very intense and well fought. Both teams played well, and we ended in a 2-2 tie after overtime. This season, for some reason, I’ve had my ups and downs personally, but as a team we’ve been fantastic. Whether it’s age, or being out of shape, or some combination – I haven’t felt great about all of my games this year. There have been some better than others, but in general I’ve been frustrated.
Tonight was a good night. I felt good about my game. We didn’t have enough subs for me to sub out, so I played 65 minutes straight at center half and willed myself to stay involved with play most of the time. Then came the shootout….
So the way a shootout works is five players from each team take turns shooting from very close range. The team that makes the most wins. We picked our five players to shoot, and I inserted myself in the first five. I’m not a great penalty shooter, but then again, I’ve played more soccer than most people on the team. I’ve also practiced my shot for this circumstance for years, over and over again – like a free throw in basketball.
Then someone asked, who’s going to go first? I waited, not wanting to go first, but then feeling the reluctance of everyone else. So I thought “I’ll be a leader and take this first slot. I’ll inspire the team and relieve the other shooters from having to go first. I can do this!” Walking up with confidence, in front of all these people, looking like I think I’m some soccer player or something…I missed. Big time.
No one else missed. Even guys who have played soccer for two years.
Personally humiliating.
I did everything wrong on my shot. I thought about the goalie too much. I didn’t aim at the right spot. I didn’t visualize my shot. I didn’t strike the ball right. Royal screw up.
Fortunately our goalie saved two shots and we won, and I’m finding that in spite of my failure at the PK mark, I’m still in a good mood. This tells me something – the outcome of the team is more important than my personal performance. That’s a good thing I think.
But I still really wish I had made that shot. It just seems so presumptuous to walk up there first. I know no one else will think that, but still it bothers me.
So anyway my attempt at “leadership” ended in a funny way. Is it leadership to fail? Lots of questions there that I think are interesting. But at least we won :)
I would get everything I wanted! Now I know that wouldn’t be a good idea – character development and all – but I’m really struggling with something in my life right now that I wish I could just change!
Ever since Samuel was 4, I have been coaching him in soccer. Then little Elliot jumped in, and before you know it I’ve been their coach for almost 5 years – over 10 seasons! Now, you have to understand, coaching my kids in soccer is just about the best thing in the world for me. I love it. We have such a great time together, and its so special. We all love it.
A couple months ago I decided they were ready for the “next level” and talked to them about the travel team. Turns out they both made it. So I applied for the coaching position. I figured I had a good chance given my resume as a coach. I’ve coached since my early twenties. I’ve coached club teams, JV and Varsity teams, and 5-9 yr olds. I’ve also been the head coach and director of a soccer camp that this year brought in 180 kids.
So last week I got the email. On a team of 13 players, TWO parents had been chosen above me to coach!! TWO!! What?!?!?
Turns out the head coach only played in HS and has coached at HSC for 8 years. That’s his highest level of coaching. So what the decision came down to was politics! He had been there longer – that’s it. Man!
I am so frustrated by this. I know I need to let it go, but it really is hard. I feel like it’s over. Like I just threw away something so special. Elliot’s only 6 and already I’m done coaching him? It’s breaking my heart honestly.
Mandy is telling me to keep it in perspective and that I’ll probably get a chance soon, but I’m worried I’ve been kept out of the inner circle at HSC and may never get in. If coaching there is the only pre-requisite, how am I going to earn cred if I can’t coach? It’s a catch 22.
So, if I ran the world, this dude would not be coach, and I would. For some reason, this all just seems unjust to me. I hope this guy is good. That would add injury to insult – if he was bad—or worse, mean. (…exhale…) Oh well, just another lesson in letting go I guess.
Earlier in May, Samuel and Elliot began their first “try out” process ever. They are trying out for the “travel” or “rep” team. There were 35 some kids who tried out, 12 make ‘A team (no black vans needed),’ and 12 make ‘B team.’ The rest are ‘C team’ which may or may not actually be a team. This much we were told at the first of three try outs.
This process has been more difficult for me than it has been for either of them combined! The tryout process was hard enough, but then came the news that neither of them made the A team. This was a blow. Of course I had to sort through, is this a blow to me since (of course) the world revolves around me and everything (including stuff that doesn’t include me) directly reflects on me in some way. OR is it a blow since it’s just sad for them. (Or maybe a little of both).
It was sad to watch my boys’ eyes as they grasped for the emotional fortitude to deal with disappointment. Now, this isn’t the first time they’ve suffered loss or disappointment, but this is the first time that something reflected on them and their abilities.
While this was sad and hard, it also was good. It opened up the opportunity for me to sit my six year old Elliot on my lap and tell him that confidence comes from within us—not from the outside (from others). It comes from knowing, even despite what others think sometimes, that we are good. That confidence ultimately comes from God, and that God has given him a special gift. And that, even if these coaches don’t see it, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have it.
It gave me a chance to talk to them about my basketball….um…..career. About how I got beat out by this other kid for varsity for a year, and then the next sat the bench watching him play. We talked about how this made me feel, and how it made me better as a person and a player.
You see what’s strange is that as you grow up there come times (often ones that are thrust upon you not by your own doing) of perspective. Times when the bubble you live in is burst and you are forced to face a new reality either about yourself or about the world. My kids have always been among the very best on their soccer team and even their league. ANd now, all of the sudden, they couldn’t make the A team. Powerless to stop it, I sat by and watched one of their little bubbles burst.
So, in the end, I believe this is good. Adversity often yields a greater harvest than ease. And to our great joy, they both made the B team. Yay! So they will both keep playing, and keep learning. And Dad will keep trying to let go, one little bit at a time.
Every summer I end up leading a few big projects or events for the church. This year is taking the cake with, by far, the most I’ve ever tackled. So I thought I’d record it. It’s very exciting.
Free Soccer Camps
For 10 years now, VCF has sponsored free soccer camps to the community as way to show people the love of God in a practical way without having to brow-beat them with it. It has been wonderfully successful each year. I’ve had the chance to meet some great people, make some friends, and most importantly, give Jesus a “good name.” A lot of people have negative views of Jesus and the church, and I have found that these events shed a good light on us.
This year the response has been unprecedented. Normally I print over 1500 flyers and distribute them on driveways all around our area. Then by the time the camp comes, we have about 120 kids signed up between three different weeks.
This year we have two weeks, and no flyers – just word of mouth. And we filled up almost two months in advance! I just added a third camp, and it’s almost filled! We will have close to 180 kids this year! Plus, as a new added wrinkle, my dad and Lynn are going to offer free classes to the parents during the camp one day. The classes will discuss parenting and youth sports. Cool right?
Project Timothy
I’m super excited about this idea—it’s a new one. Besides being the youth pastor at VCF, I am also the Regional Youth Task Force Leader for the Eastern Region of the Vineyard. There are over 70 churches in our region. This summer, I am leading (and VCF is hosting) a teen leader boot camp experience. Basically we are inviting teens from across the region who show leadership potential and will make a 1 year commitment to their youth group, to come and receive some great training. I have secured a bunch of great teachers from all over the region, so these teens will literally be immersed in a life changing experience for 7 days. I think it’s going to be amazing.
I’m also part of the National Youth Task Force, and they are talking about next year making this a leadership boot camp for the nation. Exciting!
Impact Week
This is an awesome new brainstorm idea that my dad and I have been working on. In July VCF is going to sponsor Impact Week. Basically what we’ll do is provide at least one service or outreach opportunity every day for the entire week. And the challenge will be for every single person in VCF to participate in at least one of these events during the week.
So on one day we might have a group serving food to the poor, another night we might be doing free yard work in a neighborhood, another night we might work on a someone’s house who is in need, etc. This will culminate in …
Water Park Day
This year to follow up the soccer camps and Impact Week, we are going to put on a large scale Water Park Day on our 21 acres at VCF. We will invite the community and make this a great experience for kids of all ages. In a time when people’s wallets are tight, we want to provide a great family day without the expense. I think it’s going to be hugely popular.
The Training School
Last but not least, as youth pastor, I am organizing a week long “boot camp” experience just for our teens as well. This one is less ambitious in scale, but no less important. It gives us a chance to really go “deeper” with our young people and help them explore their faith in a more complete way. They also get a chance to serve the poor of Wilmington through a free VBS, which is always a profound experience.
I think that’s it. A lot right? That’s why my facebook status lately has said a lot about “I’m planning….” These take an amazing amount of forethought and planning. But I’m getting there!
This was a strange one. Many fun things, but very different. So I started out way earlier than I’m used to (left the house at 6:45) to go work on the Latshaw’s basement (trying to make a little money, you know). So it’s tiring work – scrubbing concrete walls, tearing out carpet, ripping out sinks and cabinets. Well during this time, I scratched myself with a nail (not intentionally of course!). And everything down there is pretty dirty b/c they’ve had lots of water damage with subsequent mold etc.
So I came home, said hi to the family, and headed to a walk-in clinic to get a tetanus shot (first I read online to see if tetanus was all that scary- whoa!!!). They had a two hour wait!! So I sent home. An hour later I went to another clinic, that opened at noon. I got there at 12:06 – and there were already three people in the back being seen, and two in the waiting room. WHAT?!?!?
Side note here – I hate doctors offices and waiting rooms. I really do. Any given day I have so much planned to do with my time. I hate the interruption of an unscheduled doctor’s visit. On top of that, it takes forever!! I just sit there thinking, this is such a waste of time!
Anyway, I finally got my tetanus shot (what am I, 8?) and headed home. Mowed the lawn. Then to a crab feast at my dad’s house. Wohoo!
But couldn’t stay long – had something else tonight. Hurried home, changed in 5 minutes, kissed the kids goodnight – and headed off to soccer with some friends at a cool soccer facility.
Now I’m home, and I’m exhausted. Why do I do this to myself!?
So that’s it – nothing that insightful tonight. Just a crazy day, and I’m excited to sleep. (Christian sits for a good 30 seconds debating whether or not to use the smiley face. I DO love them. But I’ve received some ridicule as of late….. can’t resist!) :)