One of the nicest things to happen from my indoor soccer-coaching career(18-2-2 but who's counting!) was meeting SoccerMom and her daughter Sweet Nicole.(One of 2 Nicoles to play for me but easy to distinguish because the other one was nuts.)
SoccerMom is a bit nuts too and that's why she and I are buds.Over the past year or so I always like hearing from her and over the past few months she's been blogging up a storm at soccermomsview.blogspot.com
Go there often...you won't be disappointed.
SM is a good writer with a nice style and is quite funny.
She also digs the Viral Video which helps when Hhdotcom gets a bit busy.
Here is some sweet OPC from SoccerMom. Thanks T.
The indoor soccer season is winding down. Not to be confused with the outdoor season which will start shortly.
The Big Red Machine(Girls U14/15) had a very interesting game last night against Team Purple.
TP only had a few players so I gave them Charlie G and Double D-some would argue 2 of our best players.
It was a great game that ended in a 10-10 tie. Amazing action, great goaltending(10-10!) and Charlie G's best performance of the year.
She had 7 goals and 2 assists. I guess playing against a team that I was coaching, even her own, inspired her to greatness.
I came home and my wife showed me Charlie's grade 8 graduation pictures and I was struck by the dichotomy.
Here she was all sweaty and proud in her shorts and shin-gaurds and then I see this picture of a young women who looks all semi-grown up and beautiful.
It was then I realized why I love watching her play. When she's running around after that ball she's still more little girl than this vision with straightened hair and blush and eye-liner.
I never thought I'd say it but soccer is my favorite sport!
The Big Red Machine has been rolling along nicely in the Winter session of girls U14/15 indoor soccer.
As many of you know I'm an Indoor Soccer Coaching Legend. Kind of like Bill Bellichek without all the cheating and Super Bowl blowing.
So far this year we have only lost twice.
Once to an amazing team of former Coach Howard players and once to the duo of Coach Rob and Ed. (They beat us once in a squeaker, we shellacked them in the re-match!)
We are 7-0-2. Not bad.
I am lucky to have a great group of girls on my team including the fabulous Double Dee, Rhianna the amazing and Coach Howard's Kid-Charlie G.
Last night was a particularly sweet victory as Charlie G was Raycroftian in net in half one, letting in 6 goals and subsequently we were down 6-3 at the half.
Then TR stormed back. We tied it up and Sweet Charlie G tipped in a couple of nice ones including the game winner and we pulled it out of the fire 10-7.
Very similar to the pounding we gave Coach Rob and Ed's team.
I am a Soccer Dad.
I admit it.
I love to watch my kids play and now I understand why my Dad used to get up in the dark on the weekends and drive me to Hockey practice.
It's what Dads do.(Mom's too.) I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Except maybe shellacking Coach Rob and Ed's team again.
Indoor soccer-winter 08 session.
Sadly the Team Gold dynasty is over say hello to Team Red.
I'm coaching Charlie again and with the help of Coach Guido(Dee Dee's Dad) we are embarking on yet another winning journey.
What a nice group of kids I've been lucky enough to be handed. And talented too.
(I always pretend that the reason I'm doing this is cause I was coerced into it, but the truth as many of you know, is I love it.)
Game 1.
Team Red 3-Team Cat Vomit 1.
The other team were dressed in a mustardy, yellowy, old vomity color which was quite off-putting to begin with but we got through it.
Team CV scored first and played a gritty, determined game but the nauseous nature of their garb was no match for the power of Team Red.
Goals from Dee Dee, Shelby and Charlie G sealed the deal and the first win of the season was in the books.
Game notes.
I have 5 returning players form my Fall roster and a bunch of other neat kids who can roll their rock.
They seemed to enjoy my inane yelling and squeaky girl noises when we almost score.
They will grow weary of this in time.
Team Gold GOES ALL THE .........................WAY!!!(I'm just talking about Soccer!)
And that's all she wrote.
Say hello to the New England Patriots of Girls U14/15 indoor house-league soccer.
Undefeated. That means no losses in 11 freaking games.
9 wins-2 ties, and a lot of fun.
Sure it was fun. Not losing doesn't suck ya know.
Last night was a little tense to start as the girls knew what was on the line. We told them, "In order to go undefeated you only have to win one game. This one."
But after a few minutes they found their feet and it was never close.
The goals were' spread out nicely with singles from Karen, Charlie, Hillary and Catherine plus deuces from Taylor and Rhianna.
Final score Team Gold 8 - Team Teal 3.
Game notes. Coach Marc has replaced, "Use the boards!" with "In the Centre!" or something like that. My stomach was a bit in knots so I couldn't decipher his secret coaching-code.
After the game we celebrated with pizza and beer. They had pizza, Coach Marc and I had a nice beer thanks to one of the girls Dads. First guy named Nils to every buy me a beer. Cool.
We got gifts from the girls. That was nice, but not totally unexpected. In my first e-mail to them months ago I jokingly said..."This season isn't about winning it's about the Coaches gift at the end of the year!" Okay, I was only half kidding.
Finally, I've gone from barely paying attention to my kids' soccer games about 5 years ago to going 4-5 times a week in the summer and coaching in the Fall/Winter and the thing is I love it.
I'm sure you already get that from the way I write about it.
Even though it was just for fun and in the end really meant nothing, Marc and I were very proud.
In fact at one point we were screaming some nonsense and Marc said to me, "You realize you and I are the only ones yelling don't you?"
I looked around and then I cracked up.
He was right, but I didn't care. I know my daughter is going to have a least one or two stories to tell about me when she gets older.
"...then there was the time that Grandpa coached my soccer team and almost got into a fight with another coach....!"
Last night was Team Golds 10th non-loss of the year (8-0-2) and Coach Marc and I weren't even there.
That's how tightly tuned this squad of superior U14/U15 girls are.
Marc's wife Julie Ann and my bride Randee filled in while we were both out of town and did an amazing job.
The girls responded to the change by kicking ass and taking names. Team Purple didn't know what hit them. 4 from the mighty Gab-attack, 4 from Hillary H and another hat trick from Coach Randee's kid Charlie G. Add to that a couple from Rhianna and the score was Team Gold a lot, Team Purple, not so much.
Game notes:
-While I was being delayed for a couple of hours on my flight from Regina to Toronto, all I could think about was the game. And hoping that the girls didn't lose. Is that sad or what?
-Randee told me that all she said to the girls was, "You cannot lose or my husband will never let me hear the end of it!"
-Next week is our last game. One more win and the dream season will be over. Then we can have pizza and beer. Girls-pizza, Marc and me the beer and maybe some pizza too.
Then who knows, is that Toronto FC on the line?
Team Gold versus Team Psycho Coach. The re-match.
The last time we me this team Coach me Coach Psycho Freak-Out had some issues. To say the least.
This time it was all smiles and nods and being congenial all the while hoping to kick his Teams arse.
Well our wish came true.
11-5 on the strength of some fine Rachel/Tori goal-tending, great Team Gold D and finally some goals from the Coaches Kid.
Charlie had her typical assists and then the flood gates opened and she popped in three.
We got 2 each from Rhianna, Carly and Taylor along with singles from The Mighty Gab-Attack and Hilary H.
2 more games to go undefeated for the season. Then we get a pizza party. Hmmm pizza party.
Coach Marc and I will probably was down our pizza's with a few beers. Then we'll ride off into the sunset Girls U14/15 coaching legends. Like Bear Bryant if he coached girls indoor soccer.
Game Notes:
Coach Psycho Freak-Out screamed nonsense the entire game. He is a nonsense yeller. I couldn't for the life of me believe I ever got that mad at him.
Next week Coach Marc won't be there and I'll have to miss the first half. Team Gold will be in the hands of Coach Marc's wife Julie A and my wife Randee. This would be worth filming, trust me.
Posted by Humble on November 27, 2007 @ 09:03|Permalink
Team Gold 8 Games. ZERO LOSSES!
Now it's getting crazy. Last night TG came out and just dominated. Squeeze me? Are you speaking of the Girls U14/15 Oakville indoor soccer team of dreams?
Yes the very same one.
Team Kelly Green has a nice team, well-coached and led by my pal Geoffs' kid Brooke(3 or 4 goals) but Team Gold was just too much.
(All right what was the freaking score already?) 14-8 or 9.
That's right 14 for us and somewhat less for Team Kelly G. I must be honest I lost track our girls were scoring so much.
Coach Marc's girl Gabby Gabby Hey popped in 7 goals. That's a lot. Rhianna had 3 and single blasts came from Rachel, Carly, Taylor and Lauren.
Only 3 more games left and who knows, a made for TV movie or at least a book.
Game Notes:
Coach Howard's daughter Charlie G has yet to pop in a dinger after having a dream goal-scoring season last winter indoors. She did however have 19 assists last night and 67 shots on net.
If we go loss-less in the next 3 games I'd like to retire from coaching. Unfortunately due to some bureaucratic bumbling (I forgot to sign her up) I'll be coaching Charlie's team again in the new year. Truth be told it has become one of my favorite things to do as a Dad.
Team Gold Week 5 still undefeated. That means no losses.
Team Gold is the girls Under 14/15 polar opposite of the Maple Sucks. Team Gold has lost no games. As in none. The Leafs? Well they win the odd game except when they get their oysters smoked.
Last night was another hard fought victory over the very plucky Team Purple. Gabs and Taylor scored 4 goals each and Rhianna popped in a singleton and we needed all of them.
The final score 9-8 and it was tense till the last minute.
Team Gold was up early and held the lead but Team Purple featuring Amanda G, a gritty former Coach Howard player, kept coming back and made it a close one.
Game notes:
This week no one screamed at me and coach Marc and I didn't have to open up a can of Girls Soccer Coaching whoop-ass on anyone.
Team Gold has now beat every other team in the league and now all the other teams will be trying extra hard to beat us. I bet Coach Ed and Rob are staying up late devising strategies to take us down. Good luck suckers!
Coach Marc is obsessed by the boards. He keeps yelling, "Use the Boards, Use the Boards!"
It sounds like he's saying "Use the Force girls, use the Force!"
He's like Coachie Wan Kenobi.
Don't matter though, he's right and he also gave me some cool cordless phones.Thanks MG.
It was a great game and possibly the worst game I've been at as a Father and coach.
First the soccer.
Team Gold went down one goal early and then took it to Team Pink for the rest of the game.
Carly scored a nice one, as did Rachel and Claire and The Gab-ster got serious and popped in Four! Charlie G had 4 assists and 1600 shots on net but came up empty again.
A very intense match indeed.
Now the bad.
In the first 5 minutes of the game the other coach went ballistic over something and started screaming at Coach Marc and I. We really had no idea what he was on about but whatever it was it was a misunderstanding.
Marc and I began to apologize but he wouldn't listen and then he got furious and stormed onto the field.
I felt he had yelled at us enough and I went out to tell him so.
I won't go into too many gory details but at some point he and I were nose to nose yelling at the top of our lungs at each other. It was very surreal.
Remember this was at the 5 minute mark of the game. He really went way off the rails.
I was told after the game by parents from the other team that he was totally in the wrong but I felt I still shouldn't have gotten into it with him.
It was pretty embarrassing.
All of a sudden I was one of those dad/coaches that is freaking out at some other idiot at a children's sporting event. What a couple of asses.
I approached him after the game and extended an apology for what had transpired. I never received one in return even though he began the whole thing by freaking out and screaming at us at the top of his lungs.
Oh well at least I knew I was wrong. No excuses.
I will say the fact that we won 7-5 made making an arse-hole out of myself a little easier to take.
A team that is yet to lose is what? Unde-fing-feated. That is how Team Gold is rolling.
3 games, 2 wins, one tie.
Last night was a full TG squad and it was awesome to behold.
Team Kelly Green was a fine group who were just over whelmed by our girls and there's no shame in that.
In the first half it was clear Gold came to play and by the 30 minute mark we'd built a nice 6-1 lead.
Gabs, Claire, Carly, Taylor, Rhianna and Hillary Hoole popped in some dandys and we were well ahead.
In half two, Kelly Greens star player, (my pal Hicksie's kid) Brooke came out of net and led a KG comeback.
Alas it was too late. (Yes I said alas.) In the end Team Gold prevailed 8-5 and so far have yet to taste bitter defeat.(Like Coach Ed and Rob have!)
Game Notes:
-Coach Marc chastised me for fraternizing with the other coaches while he did all the work. Sheesh what a keener.
-I forgot the team balls and goalie sweater so we had to borrow them. This is lame because besides opening and closing the gate, the balls and sweater comprise 2/3s of my coaching duties.
-All the girls played well but Marc and I were particularly impressed by Tori whose never played any organized soccer and has done very nicely on a team that's got a lot of talent. She also took a ball in the melon in week one and got a bleeding beak and never made a fuss about it.
-Also my kid Charlie G is scoreless so far despite having 900 shots on goal last night.
Through a series of mysterious back-room dealings reminiscent of the Holllinger fiasco that Conrad Black engineered, I'm going to coach soccer again.
I can't explain exactly how this happened, but it involves my pal Marc G and the need to drink beer on Monday nights.
Anyway its indoors and it's more like hockey with a soccer ball. 5 players and a goalie and it involves lots of scoring. After the games beer may be consumed.
To introduce myself and co-coach Marc I sent the following letter to my team. So far no response.
Hello Team Gold.
Allow me to introduce myself.
I'm Coach Howard. Along with Coach Marc we will be guiding Team Gold this indoor soccer season.
We are two Coaches who expect the most from our players when it comes to playing soccer and having fun. Mostly having fun.
Winning isn't everything to us, the end of the year coaches gift is.
Our experience is limited but our enthusiasm is boundless. Mostly we like to get out of the house on Monday nights and
this worked out perfectly.
We expect the following.
1) Show up on time for games.
2) Call us Coach Howard or Coach Marc. We will both answer to either. You can also call me Super Coach or Mr Howard.
3) Win every game by at least 3 goals.
4) Never question anything we do even if we pull the goalie.
5) On the bench:No talking, no singing, no spitting and no cursing. No eating either unless you've brought enough for everyone.
6) When the game is over we will sing our Team Gold fight song and shake hands. Dancing is optional.
That is all.
Our first game is (Edited to prevent creepiness!)...if you could show up 15 minutes early to receive your sweaters that would be great. Those who are late will miss my emotional, pre-game speech. Trust me it will be inspirational. There may be crying.
Looking forward to a great Fall indoor-soccer season,
All the best,
Super Coach Mr. Howard.
Some final thoughts.
I started out coaching soccer because It was the only way that Charlie could get to play. Long story, but we forgot to sign her up for the Winter session and my coaching got her in.
The point is I ended up loving every minute of it and I will miss screeching out my bizarre nonsense every Thursday night.
I learned that all kids respond to direction if it's given with a dose of fun. I already knew this about my kids, but I saw a lot of improvement in some of the other kids that I know were having a good time.
I didn't learn any of the soccer rules. Seriously. Many times the whistle would blow and I'd have no idea why. Coach Patrick was there to fill me in and I promise if I ever coach again I'll figure some of these so called "rules" out.
I learned that all of the girls parents are very nice. No surprise. I did discover a few that were slightly loopy. Goalie Nicole's mom Toni, in particular is very funny/wacky and sweet.
She sent me this nice note.
Coach Coach
We want to thank you for the amazing job you did. We especially enjoyed
you "shrieking like a girl". I have to say we'll miss that the most.
The highlight of the season, had to have been last night looking into the
girls faces when almost took off your shirt?priceless lol
You know we are all going to go through shrieking withdrawal so if you
could just call us all every Thursday evening but not at 5:30p cause you
know that time was designed to make us nuts and should have been reserved
for soccer kids much younger then ours! One thing we do have to point out
is we were really sad we never did learn that Team Teal song ~ so if you
could sing it for us that would be awesome. All kidding aside you did a
great job and the girls had a blast and that is what really matters. ~
Good Job Coach
It was quite the odyssey from reluctance to something I had a blast doing. Of course I enjoyed blogging about all of it. Good/strange/real content is hard to come by.
Check out Soccer Coaching for the whole story from beginning to end.
Week 10 and Team Teal goes out with a whimper and a Pizza!
One last game and the Team Teal season is over. It was a great first half and then we went into some kind of dream state, because all hell broke loose and we got our butts smoked.
Team Red, which is coached by this sexy tall women and some dude who knows all the "rules", beat us 11-5!
11-5 is not our typical game considering we've been 4-3 over the final 7 games.
To tell you the truth I don't care about the score. We were outplayed in the second half but that's sports and stuff happens.
I just want to say for the record(not that there is a record) that I have thoroughly enjoyed this soccer coaching thing. Seriously. It has been a great experience for me and I hope the girls have had a laugh or two along the way.
I yell quite a bit but very often what I'm yelling is just stupid.
I think the girls like that.
I was very proud to be Team Teal's coach and I think if you go back and read my entries about soccer coaching you'll see the kids really got wayyyyyyyyyy better as the season progressed.
(Just go to the right side of the page, click on "Archives" and then click on "Soccer Coaching")
I'm not taking any credit mind you, I just think this is a great group of kids and I really liked being part of this experience.
After the game we had Pizza!
Since this was the end of the Winter Indoor Season we made arrangements to grab a slice and hang out for a few minutes after. It was nice as I got to tell the kids how proud I was to be their coach and how awesome I thought they were.
Later they gave me a box of Pizza Crusts. They are funny too. I shall cherish those crusts as long as I live.
Goalie Nicole's mom Toni gave me a nice bottle of Pinot that I'm sipping on now. Thanks T your and your kid are both very very nice.
My daughter Charlie whom I quite like, sort of surprised me with a home-made card when I got home. (Yes I got sort of weepy...that's what Dad's do!)
Over the past 3 months I've mentioned many of my players occasionally, if you don't mind I'd like to introduce you to all the player of Team Teal. Therese,(whose name I quite never pronounced correctly) Goalie Rachel,(Saved our bacon all the time) Other Rachel,(very sweet and nice) Goalie Nicole(she thinks I'm weird, mom is very cool.) Amanda (very intense and most improved) Abigail(amazing kid, very nice parents) Danielle,(Coach Patrick's kid, he's weird, she's nice) Nutty Nicole, (very odd, probably grow up to be CEO of Microsoft) Jenna (very cool also very good) Kaitlyn(sweet and much improved) Deana( Dee Dee, amazing skill, great kid) and Charlie.
Charlie as you know is my daughter, love of my life and a pretty decent player.(scored 6 goals in one game and 3 goals twice. Yes I'm bragging.)
The reason I coached is because she wanted me to and if she asked me to do it again I would.
Ouch. That was a squeaker. Tight, Tense, Taut, Tongue-Wagging Team Teal Soccer.
Only we lost.
Yes even TT can be beat. Hey, Tiger finished 22nd last week so anything is possible.
2-1 and Team Sort of Yellow can be proud of their victory over TT because they earned it.
Team SoY came out great guns and shut down the Big Teal machine in the first half grabbing an early 1-0 lead. Back and forth play and then some inspired scoring from Crazy Nicole tied things up. Goalie Nicole played her usual stellar game and Goalie Rachel stood tall in the second half only giving up 1 as well.
The coaches kid was double-teamed at times (a nice compliment!) and was held scoreless for the first time in a long while....even Dee Dee and Abby couldn't find the twine. Great game from Kaitlen on defense and Danielle looked good as well, running down several SoY's and cutting off the rushes.
In the end it was a fun game to watch and I came close to shrieking on several occasions.
My colleague, Coach Patrick, even got a little freaky with excitement a few times which is cool as he rarely speaks above a whisper.
Game notes.
Team SoY's coaches Rob and Ed seemed to know what they were doing. Although I suspect some sort of "payoff" as the ref called almost every play, no matter who was the last to touch it as 'YELLOW BALL!"
Coaches Rob and Ed deny this but I'm pretty sure I saw them in the parking lot after the game handing over big bags of dough to the ref. Or maybe I just imagined it. (I really couldn't see through the tears)
Now we're playing .500 ball. Yeah baby. Team Teal has 4 nice wins and 3 in a row against 4 stinky losses and we're starting to feel entitled. We almost expect to win now, which is a way different attitude from the first few weeks when losing seemed to be our destiny.
Nay, I say. Nay and Nay again.
Last night Team Teal took it to Team A-Version-Of-Green and lit the place up 11-4 yo.
Jenna popped in 4 and continues to get better each week. Crazy Nicole finally showed up and potted a couple, Other Nicole scored a nice one and the Coaches Kid Charlie G had her third 3-goal game of the season!
All the girls played well.
We started with goalie Rachel in net and then Therese stepped up in the second half and stood her ground.
Other Coach Patrick got a little edgy when his wife, former-Coach Nadia had their youngest kid messenger a play in from the stands, but order was restored when we sent a note back reminding her of her winless record.
Game notes.
The ref, Hard-to-Hear-or-Understand Tim, kept calling some infraction on us that gave the other team a free kick. I had no idea what the hell was going and I vow that if I ever coach again I'll read the thing that came with some of the rules.
In the meantime my Shrieking/Yelling/Encouraging style seems to be working.
We win 2 in a row and 3 of 4 and I get the call that Thursdays soccer is cancelled.
Cancelled! Are you kidding me?
Why, cause of a little MAJOR FREAKING SNOW AND ICE STORM?
Oh that is so typical.
A team starts to get on a roll and the League does anything it can to slow it down.
I get it.
Team Teal was starting to make waves and THE STORM is a great excuse to shut the whole thing down for the night.
That's cool. We can work with that.
Just know this, when play resumes next week TT will still have the MoJo on its' side. (By MoJo I mean "momentum" and not, you know, the old Radio station I used to work at before it became Chat 640.)
The preceding was satire and in no way was meant to cast aspersions on girls under 12 soccer, the Oakville soccer club or Storms.
Thank you.
Well it happened. First the girls won a game. Then 2 of 3 and now 2 in a freaking row!
This is remarkable for several reasons.
1)Last season TT won zero games. As in None.
2)This season TT lost first 4 in a row.
3)Last night TT beat a very good team.
The Coaches kid Charlie G continued her 3 game scoring streak and netted the first, a pretty little chip shot. Goalie Rachel, not to be confused with Little Rachel was awesome in net as was Goalie Nicole not to be confused with Nutty Nicole, who stood on her head in the second half.
The game began with some Earing controversy from Ref Grumpy who made me sit 2 of my girls-Nutty Nicole and Sweet Kaitlen, for some bizarre No-Earing rule. The girls were both wearing some kind of stud-thing that apparently can only be removed surgically.
TT's opponents Team Purple are the best team we've beaten so far. They have many fine players including my buddy Geoff's kid Brooke who is not only awesome, but is very intense as well.
A couple of times after some stupid crap that I was yelling she shot me such a dirty look I thought she might take a swing at me. I know she's only 12 but I'll be more careful the next time I drive her home from practice. (She and Charlie play on another team together.)
In the end Goalie Nicole saved the game in the dying seconds to preserve our 6-5 victory. I had some extra help on the bench from Coach Tim who's opinion I respect greatly and who's daughter Amanda, is my most improved player. Coach Patrick still thinks I'm too intense but has noted that at least I've stopped shrieking.
Well how do you like that? Our second win and Team Teal is starting to feel all tingly about itself.
This was a good little victory for us as we beat Team Red 5-1 and they are no pushovers. The first game of the season they smoked our lunch.
That's what I kept yelling at my players for inspiration.
"This Team smoked our lunch last time now let's be doing it!"
It was close at the start but you could feel TT starting to rev it's engines. The first goal was a Charlie G pass to Dee Dee back to Charlie G and then back to Dee Dee and GOALLLLLLLLLLLL.
Maybe the best soccer goal I've ever seen.
The ref was the old guy that My Assistant Coach Patrick says look like Mr. Burns. I find him distracting as he's at least 86 years old and he's wearing shorts.. It's minus 35 inside the Oakville Dome and Ref Burns is wearing little black soccer shorts and running after 12 year old girls.
I'm sure he's going to cack any second.
All the girls played great. Jenna is much improved on defense, as is Amanda and Therese who's named I always mispronounce.
I had both Nicoles and all the Rachels so that was a bit awkward. Although 1st Nicole played net in the second half and she was freaking awesome.
It wouldn't be fair if I didn't mention that the coaches kid Charlie G scored a hat trick and was suitably embarrassed by my yelling.
"Three goals!! You can't score Three goals!! Are you all freaked out again???"
She was.
Could be worse. She once scored 3 goals in an outdoor game when she was younger and I took my shirt off and ran onto the field topless.
Believe me no one wants to see that.
If I did it now she'd probably quit the game.
Ref Burns would throw me out and then cack.
6-4. A tough one. Close, gritty soccer last night at the Oakville Sports Dome as Team Teal fresh off last weeks 12-6 moral booster, couldn't get it done against a plucky Team Sort of Yellow. Team SOY had an amazing goalie and our girls just couldn't get enough past her. We had our chances and would have probably won if their net-minder hadn't been so awesome.
Never the less our steady improvement continues. I had both Nicoles out, only one Rachel( who scored a tidy little goal) the return of Abby and almost a full roster. Absent because of some lame "School Ski Trip" was the coaches kid Charlie G.
That's cool. I guess Team Teal's not as important as "fun with your friends at school!" Well I guess a certain Charlie G's commitment isn't what I thought.
Okay. Now I'm starting to scare myself.
Game notes.
-I Fireman-Carried an injured player off the field.
-Several times I had to separate players from my team and Sort of Yellow from excess socializing.
-Assistant Coach Patrick thinks I'm getting too intense. He may have a point as I have begun to shriek when we almost score.
Very proud. Very excited. Team Teal finally wins a game.
After a winless Fall and 3 straight losses to begin the indoor Winter session, Team Teal gets the W over Team Green and is feeling pretty darn good about itself.
How does 12-6 sound? That's right, a decent NFL score or an Edmonton Oiler win circa 1983.
Team Teal did it up good.
A certain Charlie G netted the double Hat-Trick. What? 6 goals from the coaches kid. That's what I'm talking about.
I was one happy-proud dad/coach.
She was pretty happy too. After her fourth goal I yelled, "I'll bet your freaked out now!" All she could do was nod and grin. A great daddy-daughter moment.
Dee Dee netted four and Amanda blasted her very first goal lifetime-an awesome one at that and
one of my Nicoles got the other. Also nicely done.
I must tell you the last 15 minutes of the game were excruciating as Team Green was coming on and I thought for a second might mount an historic comeback. But my girls hung on and then it was over. Our first win. A great experience for everyone on Team Teal.
I know that this is just a fun league and in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter(and it is Soccer) but that being said, let me just go on the record and add...wining 12-6 is more fun than losing 12-6.
Week 3 Loss 3 but Team Teal is starting to Feel it!
I was proud of my 12 year olds last night. They played inspired, gritty, spirited soccer and lost 7 or 8-1.
The score doesn't tell the tale. Team Pink is a powerhouse that has been rolling over the other teams like nothing. But my girls came out to play last night and those Pinks knew they were in a game.
The first 5 goals they scored on us were very weak. Dribblers. But it was cold in the Oakville Dome and that kind of thing can happen. Other than the goal-scoring we were keeping up with a much stronger team and it was something to see.
After the half we switched goalies and things started to tighten up. I put in one of my Nicoles and after that we only let in a couple of goals.
In the end the girls played great and lost but that's okay. We're starting to gel as a team and I feel we'll be ready to win very very soon.
I'm now just being able to remember all the girls names. It's pretty easy. At one point last night there was only one girl on the field not named Nicole or Rachel and that was my kid.
Damm it. Team Teal had it going on last night for the first half. Inspired, gritty play and we led Team Purple 1-zip. Uh 1-nil. Whatever.
Charlie G hammered a nice shot on the net and a great save by Team Purple's goalie produced a juicy rebound booted in by Dee Dee. Plus, one of the many girls named Rachel was in our nets and was outstanding, stopping all Team P had to offer.
The second half. Not so much.
Our play grew sloppy and Team Purple led by one of my daughter's pals Brooke stormed back and blew by us to a decisive 5-1 victory.
I was proud of my girls effort even though we lost. I could see my strategy of yelling till I lost my voice was taking hold.
I was slugging hot lemon water throughout the contest, but by the end of the game I was reduced to a loud croaking , "Go Nicole, Go Rachel". (Which encompasses fully half of my team...as many of them,as you may or may not know, seem to be named Nicole or Rachel.. some of them both!)
The great football coach Lou Holtz used to say, "“You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose.”
Next week we take on the powerhouse Team Pink.
Love to hang around but I've got some game film to review.
Yes its game two of the indoor season and Team Teal is ready to win. I can feel it. Or maybe that's the remnants of the worst head cold/flu I've had since I was little. I can't tell you how crappy I've felt the last two days and I'm not over it yet. No matter. Tonight I'll rely on my associate Coach Patrick and assistant Spencer to do the yelling and encouraging. I'll just put the game plan in motion and watch the good times roll.
The Plan? Aw wouldn't you like to know. Sure, I tell you and then a few discreet e-mails are sent out to the Team Purple coaching staff and my plans are thwarted. I hate when plans are thwarted.
Suffice to say The Plan includes not losing. Oh sure having fun's important too, but only if we don't continue to lose. Then the fun goes out the door.
I got a nice note from one of my Team Teal's soccer moms.
When I was making the calls to introduce myself to the kids I didn't announce that ...."Hey it's Humble Howard, former morning man and failed media persona...." so It came as a bit of a surprise to at least the one parent who actually had heard of me!
I remember this mom cause I sent out an e-mail and she responded right away and made me laugh.
Wow our coach is a celeb! Our soccer league is not so organized (okay
they can be down right scary at times), so even after signing up my one of
the multiple "Nicoles" early for in-door soccer we still were not sure she
is even on a team until the very last minute. I am convinced this is our
league?s sick and twisty private joke. Leaving it to the last minute in
an effort to make a suburb kid who is signed up for many activities
parent?s even more crazy then we already are.
Then we get a call on Jan 5th from a Howard who tells us he was the "coach"
and our team color was teal, (as all you girl soccer parents know, this is
very important information). Coach also lets us know the where and
when?s we would be playing etc... This again as you any of you with kids
know is important so we can put it on the calendar, because after all, if
it is not on the calendar it doesn?t exist and it is not going to happen.
We then get an e-mail as a reminder of all the info and Coach Howard lets
us know our ultimate goal this season is to have fun and learn the team
teal song, which is an excellent attitude for house league play, now we are
ready to play.
As per plan we get to the field early to get our uniforms, and who do we
see walking in the door but Humble Howard! We now quickly realize
(because his daughter is already wearing her teal shirt) that Humble Howard
is the Coach, and forever more to us will be known as Coach, Coach Howard
aka Coach Coach.
Coach Coach, I have to say you did an awesome job, not as good as your 9
almost to be 10 in a few weeks assistant, but you?ll get there. All the
girls got equal play time and had a chance to play all the position. Coach
Coach there is one thing however you need to know, mid-field and striker
don't add up to
okay you go on defense? ... lol. And it must be said we only let
red win so as to not hurt their feelings after all is was their first game
and we are a kinder gentler team, next time is our time to shine. Oh and
by the way we are not sure how that team song goes, maybe you can sing it
for us :)
Posted by Humble on January 13, 2007 @ 10:44|Permalink
Week One-1st game, 1st loss!
Team Red 6-Team Teal 4.
My debut as a soccer coach was an exciting one. To start with we had to match our Team Teal sweaters to the appropriate player. This wasn't easy as some players wanted the same number, and many of my team seem to be named either Rachel or Nicole.
There were a few tense moments but any disputes were solved by my assistant coach, who is thinking she'd like a magician for her 9th birthday which is only weeks away.
Anyhow, after we sorted out the sweaters it was time to play.
Normally in indoor soccer everyone takes a turn playing net so I started my daughter Charlie for the first half. I thought this would send a message to the team that I won't be playing favorites. Well this little lesson/stunt/message cost us 4 goals. Net is not Charlie's favorite. She made some spectacular saves though, but also let a few soft ones in and seemed a bit distracted at times. Sort of a Curtis Joesehpian style of play.
Team Teal kept it close though and at the half it was 4-2.
In the second half, Charlie was back at forward, we had a new goalie-a Rachel(more focused, very Ed Belfour) and the comeback was on.
One of the kids, a non-Rachel/Nicole scored a sweet goal off a pass from #7 and it was 4-3. Then Team Red stormed back and scored, while I was trying to figure out who came off last and who wanted to play forward next time.
In the end Team Teal started to gel nicely and showed some promise. After all this was their first exposure to my complicated coaching strategy-"GET IT OUT-SPREAD OUT-SHOOT IT!"
which is all I seemed to yell for the entire game.
