In 2005, our church decided to sponsor an < a href="http://www.upward.org/up_soccer.htm" target="_new">Upward Soccer league. Josiah was entering fourth grade and Andrew entering kindergarten. Josiah's team was one of two 3rd/4th grade boys' teams so they essentially had scrimmages with uniforms every week because there was only one team to play against. Josiah preferred to play defense or goalie, not having the ball handling or leg strength to be a factor on offense. Andrew was in "instructional league" where teams of three (boys and girls together) played with no goalkeepers. If it was an early game, he would usually be sluggish and need to be reminded to chase the ball, but in the later games he would be a bundle of energy with a nose for the ball. Several times he entered a knot of three or four kids all poking at the ball and cleanly break free with it all the way to the goal. Both boys participated in all the other activities such as Bible memory verses.

In 2006, enough interest from older kids kept Josiah from having to retire after one year, as the leagues were reorganized to allow a grades 4-6 boys' league, in which there were now more teams to play with. Andrew moved up to boys 1-3, where he discovered that goalies and defenders meant you couldn't just dribble the ball all the way into the goal anymore. But the biggest difference was that Dad was now the coach (Gilbert had agreed to "help", thinking he might be an assistant). Like with chess, there was so much basic stuff to teach and learn that it was hard to plan what to start with. A few drills we just invented, such as:
using a garden hose spiral to have kids dribble into the "maze" to the cone in the center and back without crossing the hose;
putting a loop of tape on the right toe and having players walk/dribble around the field without losing the piece of tape, i.e. forcing them to use the left foot and sides of the right foot;
volleyball-style "bump-set-spike" shooting drill
"anti-dodge ball" throw-in where the defender tries to get hit.
The other learning experience was how to utilize the five players on the field. Initially, most coaches played two up, two back and a goalie, or allowed a moving crowd all over the field. The first was almost impossible to score with, because the coaches' guidelines are to set up a rotation to ensure everyone gets equal playing time, and the second could wear out players in the frequent 100 degree heat. Gilbert eventually went to a 1-2-1, with the two halfbacks responsible for front and back but only for the middle and left or right side of the field. Possibly the two most memorable team events were not one of the few wins but the time we went on a hike instead of another needed practice, and everyone made it to the top of the hill and back, or the time we practiced on a windy, drizzly evening that is locally considered to be rain. Or maybe the day there were no subs and everyone played all six 6-minute periods and earned an extra effort star. Next year, we will be more ready.

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