The Missing Piece of the Soccer Puzzle

Well, I now understand why Son#2’s soccer team was the only one to have practice in the complete pouring rain the week before the last hurricane. Everyone else canceled, but not my son’s soccer coach. It was torrential and he was out there with them, running up and down the fields, the kids were soaked and muddy and having a great time. The parents, we were wondering what was up with this guy that we’re all huddled under umbrellas lifting small sibling children over pool sized puddles, grumbling to ourselves that we’ve got to take these children home, get them washed up, warm, fed and in bed.

Today he called me to tell me about tonight’s practice. This is also our 3rd 1st day of soccer. *Ahem* I have a roster of all the children and the kid’s names, but I have yet to figure out who his kid is. So finally I said, “Sean, which kid is yours? I don’t have your number in case I have questions” to which he tells me he doesn’t have kids. He’s this young married guy without kids, probably late 20s, played soccer in college and always thought it would be fun to teach kids. He volunteers at our rec center every year and has for the past few years. We’re always short on soccer coaches. He and I joked that they were his form of birth control, but he says he actually loves it.

I have a new found respect for the man and I now understand why our boys were the only ones playing in the rain. They have a man/boy for their coach… and I’m very happy.