After MyGirl played so well in the tournament and took a beat down and some pretty hard hits, we traveled to a far-away, thick-cut, extra-long, extra-wide field with small goals so the girls could play in their first State League match.
They started out pretty strong, getting a goal in the first 5-6 minutes. Beautiful cross on a penalty kick from one my favorite left-footed defenders - LeftyLucy. AllStar Girl one touches to the back of the net.
Two minutes later, MyGirl plays to space, AllStarGirl crosses in, StrikerGirl takes a touch and UNSELFISHLY passes to SisterMarySoccer for goal #2.
With two minutes to go in the half, I saw MyGirl play to space, then I saw her give a girl “the hard shoulder” as she ran past her. (Never, ever a good sign.) But that was it. She played the rest of the two minutes – no problems.
After half time – one of their girls gets a breakaway and KeeperGirl made a phenomenal stop. Unfortunately, it happened again and they score one.
In the mean time, MyGirl got nailed a few times from that one particular girl from the other team. MyGirl did nothing -- for most of the half. With two minutes to go, in the second half the same girl takes MyGirl down. Apparently, she pulled her down by her hair. Apparently, that’s a huge “no-no” from MyGirl’s perspective – something that MyBoy doesn’t even get away with. MyGirl hit the ground and like a cat that didn't land on all four popped back up, flipped that girl over by her hair and punched her three times – three good times. Speed-O-LightGirl claims that she saw a clump on hair on the field.
She took her red card and jogged off the field. They had returned – the dreaded “crazy eyes.” Crazy eyes is a term that MPIC and I coined several years ago for our girls... but I'll be honest, I've seen a glint of crazy eyes in a few other faces. It's a look that takes over the girls' faces when they simply have had enough - when they have reached their breaking point. In all fairness to everyone who has born the brunt of what happens after someone gets crazy eyes - breaking points vary. There is no telling when it is going to happen. Usually, it's a close game. Usually, it's out of desperation. Usually, they have been pushed around plenty. Although sometimes, it could be one comment from an opponent. You just never know when you will get to see "crazy eyes." But, nine times out of ten...it's not a fun thing to watch from the sidelines.
This time was a little different. She didn’t take it out on that girl because she felt desperate. MyGirl had been pushed around plenty, but they were winning. She did it because she was P*$$ED. In the car on the drive home, she was still mad. A little sad, because she let her team down and she had to sit out a in the next state league match - but mostly - she was really, REALLY mad.
BTW - Coach #3 talked to her for a long while after the game and she was really upset about that too. (And boy, Coach #3 can put a guilt trip on someone better than any Catholic mother I have ever met - I like it!)
And now, she’s a little embarrassed by the whole thing. And she should be. It was completely uncalled for.
As for the rest of the game – well, we had to play a man down for two minutes. For all you hockey fans out there….Their team was On. The. Power. Play. But to no avail, KeeperGirl made SEVERAL unbelievable saves. And we won – 2-1.
MyGirl sat out at the next state league game. The girls beat a team they have NEVER, EVER beat before. A team that used to dominate the league. MyGirl was a little tense on the sidelines. But, it was a good day!
SIDEBAR: UTDad’s dad happened to be at the "crazy eyes" game. His take on it was that the girl had it coming to her. He’s a preacher, so I know it’s the truth!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Winning at Home
Soccer this season has been a true whirlwind. With all of the rain, our practices got canceled so many times I can’t count. I swear, I blinked my eyes and we are half-way finished!
Looking back though, I am smiling at one pick-up game day in particular. A tweet went out about a pick-up game later that afternoon. A few hours later, Hubs and I rolled up to the “other” fields with MyGirl (the ones we play at when our beautiful fields are closed). We had planned to grocery shop, but as soon as MyGirl’s cleat touched the grass, it started to rain. So, we stayed thinking that it would be dispersing very soon.
Not the case – in fact, more people started showing up. And they played for an hour and a half. And they had fun. It’s days like that, that I know MyGirl loves soccer.
The girls have played two tournaments so far this season. The first one was our home tournament. Our team seems to be cursed at our home tournament. When they girls were 9, we made it to the semi-finals and the game ended in a tie. Then overtime, then Penalty Kicks. Freakin’ Penalty Kicks… we lost. Heartbreaking.
The girls at age 10 while the other team takes a PK. (Don't they look little??)
Last year, MyGirl's team eeked by with a couple of wins and two losses and got second in the tournament because a team didn’t want to stay and play in the rain so they forfeited! They would have come in second place – QUITTERS!!
Game #1 – Comeback Kids!
Anyway, this year I was a little ambivalent about the whole tournament. MyGirl's team had to play a game on Friday night which is never fun. The girls played a navy team from about an hour north of us. The girls looked like they had eaten concrete for dinner. They looked slow and their reaction time was delayed. Uggh. We were down 0-2 at half time. When the whistle blew, I looked around at some fellow parents and said, “You think Coach #3 is mad?” Resounding response, “Yes!”
Lawd – I hope that Coach #3 is able to remember that half-time talk, because they came out like a completely different team. (I hope he gives it before we start a game!) The girls had tied it up at five minutes in to the second half. GoalieGirl got a couple of really nice goals quickly and ended the game with a hat trick…. That’s right – a goalie with a hat trick. Take that!!! The girls won 4-2. It was a rough game. MyGirl got plowed over a few times. She got cleated and it was ugly. But she played through – not even a glimpse of “crazy eyes.” StrikerGirl was getting pushed around a bit too. And our center ref – well – he was just getting in the way. It’s hard to dodge balls with both hands in your pocket.
Looking back though, I am smiling at one pick-up game day in particular. A tweet went out about a pick-up game later that afternoon. A few hours later, Hubs and I rolled up to the “other” fields with MyGirl (the ones we play at when our beautiful fields are closed). We had planned to grocery shop, but as soon as MyGirl’s cleat touched the grass, it started to rain. So, we stayed thinking that it would be dispersing very soon.
Not the case – in fact, more people started showing up. And they played for an hour and a half. And they had fun. It’s days like that, that I know MyGirl loves soccer.
The girls have played two tournaments so far this season. The first one was our home tournament. Our team seems to be cursed at our home tournament. When they girls were 9, we made it to the semi-finals and the game ended in a tie. Then overtime, then Penalty Kicks. Freakin’ Penalty Kicks… we lost. Heartbreaking.
The girls at age 10 while the other team takes a PK. (Don't they look little??)Last year, MyGirl's team eeked by with a couple of wins and two losses and got second in the tournament because a team didn’t want to stay and play in the rain so they forfeited! They would have come in second place – QUITTERS!!
Game #1 – Comeback Kids!
Anyway, this year I was a little ambivalent about the whole tournament. MyGirl's team had to play a game on Friday night which is never fun. The girls played a navy team from about an hour north of us. The girls looked like they had eaten concrete for dinner. They looked slow and their reaction time was delayed. Uggh. We were down 0-2 at half time. When the whistle blew, I looked around at some fellow parents and said, “You think Coach #3 is mad?” Resounding response, “Yes!”
Lawd – I hope that Coach #3 is able to remember that half-time talk, because they came out like a completely different team. (I hope he gives it before we start a game!) The girls had tied it up at five minutes in to the second half. GoalieGirl got a couple of really nice goals quickly and ended the game with a hat trick…. That’s right – a goalie with a hat trick. Take that!!! The girls won 4-2. It was a rough game. MyGirl got plowed over a few times. She got cleated and it was ugly. But she played through – not even a glimpse of “crazy eyes.” StrikerGirl was getting pushed around a bit too. And our center ref – well – he was just getting in the way. It’s hard to dodge balls with both hands in your pocket.
MyGirl's leg after being cleated. The bruising got worse and it ended up looking much uglier. No tears though...
Game #2 – You Say You Want a Revolution?
Saturday morning’s first game was against a team that we have repeatedly played and repeatedly controlled the ball on the field and were repeatedly unable to beat – with the exception of the Mother’s Day tournament last year, when they creamed us.
Well everyone – It’s a brand new day. The girls rocked it out of the park. MyGirl and her team fought for every ball. They dominated. That win was so awesome. It was the perfect ending to a coming-of-age novel – but the day wasn’t over.
Game #3 – They Regress
Uggh. Tie game, 1-1 against the “B” team of the club we lost to in PK’s two years before – I don’t have anything else to say about that. I think I put it out of my mind before my camping chair was folded up.
Game #4 – DOMINATION
I mean seriously, the girls had this game from the whistle blow. They played against the girl who cries at every game. (She cried – and MyGirl had nothing to do with it. Pinky Swear.) They were in it to win it and they did. No PK’s needed.
Champions
Game #3 – They Regress
Uggh. Tie game, 1-1 against the “B” team of the club we lost to in PK’s two years before – I don’t have anything else to say about that. I think I put it out of my mind before my camping chair was folded up.
Game #4 – DOMINATION
I mean seriously, the girls had this game from the whistle blow. They played against the girl who cries at every game. (She cried – and MyGirl had nothing to do with it. Pinky Swear.) They were in it to win it and they did. No PK’s needed.
Champions
My goal is to get caught up on the blogging soon. I can’t wait to tell you about the hotel game from Louisville.
Last year, we eeked by with a couple of wins and got second in the tournament was because a team didn’t want to stay and play in the rain so they forfeited! They would have come in second place – QUITTERS!!
Game #1 – Comeback Kids!
Anyway, this year I was a little ambivalent about the whole tournament. We had to play a game on Friday night which is never fun. We played a navy team from about an hour north of us. The girls looked like they had eaten concrete for dinner. They looked slow and their reaction time was delayed. Uggh. We were down 0-2 at half time. When the whistle blew, I looked around at some fellow parents and said, “You think Coach #3 is mad?” Resounding response, “Yes!”
Lawd – I hope that Coach #3 is able to remember that half-time talk, because they came out like a completely different team. The girls had tied it up at five minutes in to the second half. GoalieGirl got a couple of really nice goals quickly and ended the game with a hat trick…. That’s right – a goalie with a hat trick. Take that. The girls won 4-2. It was a rough game. MyGirl got plowed over a few times. She got cleated straight and it ugly. But she played through – not even a glimpse of “crazy eye.” StrikerGirl was getting pushed around a bit too. And our center ref – well – he was just getting in the way. It’s hard to dodge balls with both hands in your pocket.
Game #2 – You Say You Want a Revolution?
Saturday morning’s first game was against a team that we have repeatedly played and repeatedly controlled the ball on the field but were unable to beat them – with the exception of the Mother’s Day tournament last year, when they creamed us. Well everyone – It’s a brand new day. The girls rocked it out of the park. MyGirl and her team fought for every ball. They dominated. That win was so awesome. It was the perfect ending to a coming-of-age novel – but the day wasn’t over.
Game #3 – They Regress
Uggh. Tie game, 1-1 against the “B” team of the team team we lost to in PK’s two years before – I don’t have anything else to say about that. I think I put it out of my mind before my camping chair was folded up.
Game #4 – DOMINATION
I mean seriously, the girls had this game from the whistle blow. They played against the girl who cries at every game. (She cried – and MyGirl had nothing to do with it. Pinky Swear.) They were in it to win it and they did. No PK’s needed.
Champions
My goal is to get caught up on the blogging soon. I can’t wait to tell you about the hotel game from Louisville.
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