Flying Goalies and Dark Clouds

I’m back, after a tiring week of driving around, soccer games in the hot sun, a water park to cool off, and then driving home through a lightning-thunder storm.

The team’s main goalie was on holidays; the back-up goalie was injured.  And that’s how Justin ended up playing goal-keeper … in a national championship tournament. 

Really??? I exclaimed.  He plays goal-keeper once in a blue moon, and he’s going to play that position now, in a big tournament??  It’s okay, they say.  He’ll do well enough.

Ayy-yaaayyyy … I think I was more stressed out than he was.  We didn’t really expect to win, and even though he played his regular position in the second game (defense/sweeper), our team was clearly outplayed by the other teams.  So that’s why they weren’t really worried about him playing goal keeper.  A learning experience is what the boys got out of this tournament.  I think they were a little overwhelmed by the pomp and circumstance – registering for the tournament, getting new uniforms, a dinner held for the teams, complete with ceremonial drawing of the brackets, pictures with former MLS players …

Here’s Justin going one-on-one, making full contact, then flipping over, as the ball clears.

Here’s one of another goalie flying across, as our team tries to score.

After all that running around in the hot sun for two days, the boys decided to go to the water-park after the tournament to cool off.  It was a funny weather day, overcast in the morning, but the sun  came out soon after we got there.  But by early evening, the sky suddenly turned dark.  And that’s what we drove through, on the way home.

 

 

We have a two-week break, before the next tournament in Virginia.  I’ll just be recovering from all this, then we’re on the road again.

Guess this is what being a soccer mom is about.