abe started playing soccer last summer (AYSO) and really loved it. since then he has had a soccer ball with him most of the time. his coach was great and encouraged abe to play club soccer, a traveling competitive team, so we signed him up. their last game was saturday. abe had a great time playing with his club team. the first tournament was here is flagstaff. most of the teams were from phoenix and had been playing for three years together...they were very good. abe's team had been together for two weeks, barely getting their uniforms in time for the games. that first tournament was rough. the other team showed up in a rv painted silver and black, the team colors. they walked to the field in their matching warm-ups, matching bags-all lined up in a perfect row, popped out their black team bench, parents equipped with noise makers and all. do you remember that old tv show, "the bad news bears"? well, that was us. we got creamed. since then we have practiced hard, got our own warm-ups, bench, and bags and had some real competitive games. the boys have improved and it has been fun to watch. abe really loves it. he usually plays mid-field or forward half the game and goalie the other half. 
he is a tough little goalie and really likes that position. the tournaments have all been sat./sunday tournaments and i am proud of abe for working hard but also for being willing to say he doesn't play on sundays. it hasn't been an issue for him, he just knows he will miss those games. a couple times other parents asked him if he could stay in the hotel with them so he could make it to the sunday games while dave and i went to church...abe just smiled and said no.
it has been fun watching him do something he loves. he is super excited for AYSO to start again. he thinks the competition won't be as tough. i think he will skip the chant "1, 2, 3, 4, we don't care about the score.... he is ready to go for the W!
