Soccer!

MG had her very first ever soccer practice yesterday. She is on a team full of players who have all played before (ages 6-8) and I think she is probably the youngest out of everyone (although there is one little girl from her class at school on the team, but not a new soccer player)! MG did not enjoy T-ball very much because she thought it was really boring just standing around waiting for a ball, so we thought soccer would be something she would really enjoy! You certainly don't do much standing around. So, about five minutes into practice MG gets pounded by a ball that some 8 year old boy kicks at full force right into her stomach! The wind is knocked out of her and she is crying! Her coach did a great job spending some time with her trying to get her calm, and then she came and sat by us off the field for a minute. Her stomach had the imprint of a soccer ball on it!! We convinced her to go back in and within a few minutes the same kid kicked a ball into her head! It didn't hit her "head on" and she was able to keep playing after that hit. It was pretty obvious by watching everyone's fancy footwork that MG was definitely the newbie on the team, but she did great out on the field! I think she was enjoying herself, although the energy exerted is certainly not on the same level as what she was used to at T-ball! At one point, MG and her friend from school were not involved with what was going on and decided to have a wrestling match off to the side...and MG of course, gets head-butted in the mouth and gets a bloody gum. I'm actually surprised she didn't get her two loose front teeth knocked out!! :) So, MG doesn't want to go back to soccer, but we are going to have her go back at least to show her that she won't get hurt at every practice (fingers-crossed)...then, if she truly hates it...well, we'll see. I am hoping she will learn to enjoy it and finish out the season, but that seems a long way from now!