Zander's Inside Voice

Tonight is the coaches meeting for soccer. I just found out that I got all 10 players still in our league and division! These kids were so much fun and I really did miss them! Our first practice will be next week and I will get to see them all again.

My son’s team is a little different, though. It looks like he’s with a bunch of kids he doesn’t know and did not play on a team with last season. He also announced that he doesn’t want to play anymore and that I forced him to sign up last season. Yeah, that’s not what happened. I was signing up his sister and he suddenly wanted to play. Crazy kid is always making stuff up.

Last season I was almost scared to contact the parents before the first practice. I’ve already drafted my first email to both teams and I am so excited for them to realize that we are all back together again!! Most of the kids on the team know each other from school, so it’ll be very interesting to see what happens this season. I plan to keep our name from last season, since all but two players were Ninja Monkeys last season.

I just feel so much more confident than I did going into last season. I felt very nervous for the coaches meeting and then calmed because it was a nice league. But then I was terrified for the first practice. Like what if the kids didn’t like me or what if the parents thought I was crazy. They may think I’m crazy, but I’m 100% sure they are ok with it. Many of them complimented me and said I did so much better than they ever could. I don’t know about that, but I am excited to have soccer back in my life!! I think that excitement is what makes me a good coach and someone the kids can relate to.