Austen Ends His Soccer Season

My little soccer star finished his fall season last week with a 7-1 record.  They played the team they played the first game and got beat by. Turns out the kid that scored all of the goals that game went to Austen's school.

Austen's team aka "Maroon 6" has pretty much dominated every other game they played with Austen contributing at least one to three goals per game, not to mention his stellar defense.  Anyway, when I saw they were playing that team again, I got really excited for the rematch.  I also was excited because I knew that Austen could be a good match for his friend that scored all of the goals.  Trying not to be one of those parents, I took Austen aside and told him that he was playing his friend's team and that he had to make sure his friend did not get to the goal. I really wanted him to play more of a defensive game because I knew they had other kids on Austen's team who could score but none of them played defense as well as Austen.

I was pleasantly surprised that Austen soaked up my coaching before the game and listened attentively while I tried to give him some pointers. I learned after the game, that his coaches gave him an assignment too - to mark his friend. (Guess they were pretty competitive too!)

First quarter, Austen sits out because they are only supposed to play two out of four quarters but they are a player short so three kids will get to play three quarters.  Austen is one of them.  First quarter, they go down by one goal.  Second quarter, Austen and another teammate score two goals and Austen plays great defense too.  Third quarter, Austen and that same teammate score another pair of goals.  The other team scores one. Fourth quarter, Austen plays tough defense to end the game with a 4-2 score.

I know he's only 5 1/2 but the kid has some skills.  I can hardly wait until next season.