Saturday's Soccer Games and the power of a GOOD coach

Last Saturday Jacob and Caden both had soccer games. I wasn't able to watch much of Caden's becasue I had a bridal shower to go to. I was able to see Jacob's game. These pictures are not mine. I brought my camera but got so excited about the game that I forget to use it. Jacob came home from practice on Thurday and told me that he was going to be the goalie at the first game on Saturday. Jacob has always been a good defender but had never played goalie. Infact the last season his coach made everyone practice the position at the beginning of the season. This coach was not my favorite of all the coaches we have ever worked with and when he told Jacob he "sucked at goalie" Jacob came home and cried. Jacob is a good little soccer player and to be told he sucked at the sport he loves really hurt. Needless to say, I was really nervious and didn't want Jacob to play the position this week. Yet Jacob really wanted to try it. The other team had several very tall very good players and I thought for sure this was not going to end well. All the parents on our team thought we were going to get stommped.

Jacob stopped this attempt at goal and out came the monster we cal Jacob.

And this one...

AND this one! The final score was 3-2 in our favor. Jacob stopped shot after shot after shot. Once he even caught a shot right at the goal post and hit his head on the pole on the way back down. He stood there dazes for a second, but managed to keep controll of the ball and stay in the game.

Jacob was beaming by the end of the game. I can't tell you how proud I was of him. Not just because he was doing a great job but because he had turned what was such a bad experience the season before into a huge success. I blame his great coach this season for seeing the potential he had and the drive to be great at any postion on the field for the awsome win.

One of the best moments of the game was when last seasons coach sat down next to me to take notes on our team (ya he's the only coach I now with boys this young who studies the other team as much or more then trying to study the strainghts on his own team.) While taking notes he turned to me and asked me who our teams goalie was. When Colby popped in and sayed Jacob the look on his face was PRICELESS. Another great moment came on Monday evening after the game. Caden happened to have practice on a field just before the team we had played on Saturday. As the team gathered and were waiting for Caden's teams practice to be over the conversation they had way great. They were so mad that our coach had kept Jacob as goalie the whole game. They new had anyone else been there goalie they would have won by 6 or 7 points easily. Truth is they probably were right.