OCTOBER 18, 2008, SanAntonio, Texas. Games.

It looked as if all of the children in San Antonio were playing at the same place. We drove into the YMCA playing field at 11:45. A hugh line of cars was waiting to get out of the facility, so I asked how many games would be playing at the same time as the twins soccer game. No one knew, except to say that many many games go on at the same time. Now I have been to hundreds of soccer games, and often multiple fields side by side, but I have never seen anything like the YMCA playing field in San Antonio. I was stunned at the number of games being played at the same time. While the Blueberries warmed up, I walked around all the fields to see all the games in progress. And I counted. These games started at 9:00, and were being played continuously all morning. Just before noon there were ten fields of under 6year old playing 6 a side with no goalie, fourteen fields of under 8 years old playing 9 side with a goalie who rotates every quarter, six fields of under 11, again playing 9 a side and with a goalie not rotating regularly, and two fields playing regular soccer with 11 players and full size goals. Most often the teams were either boys or girls, although Suzanne said that some teams mix up the teams. Both Allison and Samantha do not like playing with the boys on the team, so they want to be on a girls team only.

I have always said that if you are feeling discouraged and out of sorts, just go to a ski hill to watch all the funny things happening. You can't help but laugh. Today at the playing field, I would say the same thing. I walked around the whole complex and watched a bit of many games, and I must say, I laughed out loud many times. One little girl kicked the ball right down the field on her side of the field. All she had to do was run after the ball and kick the ball into the goal, as no other defender was between her and the goal. But her shoe fell off when she kicked the ball, so she sat right down to put her shoe back own, and ignored the ball and the empty goal. Another girl was playing defense. The ball was kicked in her direction quite hard, so she just moved her legs apart so the ball would not hit her legs. She certainly did not want her leg hit bu the ball. Our Blueberry team played well, but the best part was they loved it. The custom here is for all the parents form a bridge directly after the game, so all the team members come through the long line of the bridge to high five their opponents. It is a very nice custom and these little girls ran through the long tunnel many times.

On the way home in the car, of course all 8 of us were at the game, I asked Allison and Samantha what they liked best about the game. They both said that the best part of the game was running through the arch of parents after the game. "It is such fun," they said,"and we do it every game, whether we win or lose". That sounds good to me, especially for a seven year old.