The Blue and The Gray

Yesterday was a first time event.  Sam's team played against Benny's team! 

This year, spring soccer in our county has been a total MESS.  There was a lack of coaches.  Then a lack of funds.  Then we had so much rain we missed a ton of games and practices.  Sam's team in particular has had it hard--they are the new "fourteen and under" league and they had nobody to play!!

So with the season about to wrap up, Sam has played exactly one game. 

Out of a sense of "let's help these kids out," Benny's coach agreed that her team would play Sam's team last night.  Even though there is a two year age difference.  And even though most of the boys on Sam's team are the size of full grown men, and the boys on Benny's team are not. We agreed to play, and off we went.

Sam warms up......

And Benny warms up, too--on the other side of the field.

And of course, adjusts his shoes.  Those shoes.  Enough said.

Then the game began and it was ON.

Lots of jostling, head butts, running, shoving, and falling down.  And yes, several goals were scored by the other team. (Four of them by Sam.)

Both teams played hard and had fun.  Benny's team made me proud:  They approached the whole thing like a really big challenge.  They played their hardest and did not give up.  They even laughed and had fun during the whole thing.  And when it was over, they were more concerned about going for pizza than counting up the exact number of goals.  Which is how it should be.

And we went home in relative peace. Which is always a good thing.

 Here's hoping that fall season is a bit better!