William's first soccer game

William had his very first soccer game yesterday!





















The funny part is that the rainy March weather has precluded the team from having any practices except one. So this was the first time the whole team had ever been together at all. No one was sure the rain would hold off long enough for the team to play its first game, so we were all holding our breath yesterday morning, looking out the window at the clouds.

But the rain held off. And when we got the "Game On!" email from Chris...er, Coach Champion...we rushed around like mad, trying to get everything together. We made it in time, although I did have to direct a last-minute wardrobe change. (How was I supposed to know the shin guards go on under the socks? I never played soccer!)

The Coach and some of his rookie players:















The phrase "herding cats" was invoked by more than a few people througout the course of the morning.

That's William wearing No. 8. Sammy (No. 2) and Leland (No. 7) are on either side of him.















William had a whole cheering section there, too. He got my iPhone and called Grandaddy Aaron yesterday morning about 8:15. We just found out that the game was on, and William wanted to make sure that his grandparents knew they were being summoned to witness the momentous event. Aaron got there early, and Diane and Mark followed a few minutes later.

Actually, there was quite a cheering section for the whole team. Three of Leland's grandparents were there, and Sammy's grandmother, grandfather, uncle and aunt were there, too. And of course, Mary Clare, Jaclyn, Bruce and I were there. The one downside of the whole morning was that David was on call and couldn't be there. That was lousy. But he'll have plenty of other chances to see his son in action.

William and Sammy prepare to put their game faces on:





















William during a break in the action poses on the sideline for his mom:



















Ooh, and guess what! William scored a goal! He scored a goal in his very first soccer game! Granted, it was on a free kick, but still. It counted!














That actually isn't it. That's a shot that Mary Clare got of William (he's the one in the middle) headed toward the goal. He kicked that particular shot too wide, though, and it went past the goal. Oh well. He still looks like he knows what he's doing in the picture, doesn't he?


William and Leland enjoyed playing "chase" when they weren't on the field. Don't worry, they had plenty of hustle left for when they were actually playing, too.








































My little optimist had such a good time that, after it was all over, he told the coach of the other team, "This is the best day of my whole life!" He had his peeps there to cheer him on, his buddies to hang out with, and he scored a goal. AND he got a Capri-Sun and Cheez-Its afterward, too.

There is a special place in heaven for William's soccer coach, too. As we all prepared to go home, Chris asked me if there was a bar open anywhere around there. It was 10:30 a.m. But like the Army, Chris had done more than most people would do all day.