I remember going state to state, town to town playing soccer as though it was yesterday. The sweat that would just come down our faces as we played as hard as we could. Hoping to just get that size 5 ball into the back of that net. Now years later and I find myself on the other side of the field cheering.
Hailey had one of her first soccer tournaments this weekend in Little Rock, Arkansas. But soccer isn't soccer without every child forgetting, breaking or losing something. Our weekend started out just as I remember it. Early to bed and early to rise. Hailey packed her soccer bag full with jerseys, socks, shoes, and all the extras. Ready to play as though she had done it for years. Saturday morning is here and we are getting ready to pile into the vehicle when Hailey realizes her Herpes device (metal in her mouth to straighten her jaw) had broken. Ahh... Now that reminds me of my childhood days. Ready to leave and something goes wrong. I insist we take her to the orthodontist. Oh boy was I quickly over ruled. Off we go to Little Rock, bags packed, tired, and Hailey will a metal bar hanging from her mouth! We arrive in Little Rock and Hailey is beside herself. She can not believe the complex. There are more fields there for her to play on then she had ever seen. NOW THIS IS SOCCER. Teams from all over with different uniforms, bags, warm ups and their coaches take the fields. I can't help but to sit back and wish I was playing with the girls I had played with for so many years. Laughing as we began to warm up... Calling out players from the other team, knowing we could take them!
The first game begins and the other team is quick. Quick to the ball and quick to score. Our girls are a bit shaken as they are unsure how to respond. We had a great play putting us in front of the goal for a quick rebounding score. Game is tied 1 to 1. Our girls still aren't sure how to react to this team. They are fast and a little bigger then they are. Doesn't take long till Hailey is in the game. Unfortunately it didn't take long for her to go down on her ankle either. She is laying their. Michael is unsure as to whether he should run out there or let her suck it up. He runs. Ha. She is out of the game now with ice on her ankle. So far the tournament isn't going to good for the Hendrix Family. Broken herpes device and now a rolled ankle. I begin to think whether Hailey is ready for this type of play. Her body and her mind doesn't seem to be, lets just hope her heart is.
Sunday is here. Another early morning for soccer. Dew is all over the place. Just as it was 10 years ago. Parents are wrapped up in blankets and hoodies. The other team shows up late and I begin to think... This team isn't ready to play. But who is at 7:30?? The team is from Texas and they are tall and lean. The whistle blows and the race is on. This team is SOLID. They don't have a inch of fat on them. They are again first to the ball and pushing our girls all over the place. Our team isn't ready and they aren't fast or strong enough to hang. Hailey's idea of soccer has begun to change. I think she realizes that there are great teams out there and maybe she needs a little more practice. Her ride home wasn't enjoyable as she hasn't realized not to ask questions she doesn't want the answer too. I am hoping after a long weekend and a good solid practice tonight she will see soccer takes heart, soul and a lot of effort. Overall it wasn't too bad and I loved watching her try and spending time with my parents. It was a great experience for us all to share together.
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