Comments on: I’m An Official Soccer Mom

By: bee

bee — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:56:12 +0000

Ooooh, I dread the day of organized sports. Mostly because I live in Alabama– the epicenter of “folks who take sports (football) too seriously”. I’ve heard horror stories about the costs, other parents, etc. Someone in our Sunday School class mentioned that there is a “year ’round” soccer team that costs over $1000 to play! UGH!!

We’re pushing toward the Marching Band.

By: sheilah

sheilah — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:51:08 +0000

I am in the same generation as you (or older perhaps) and we played on construction sites and jumped off second story roofs – sheesh we were stupid!

And my son (now 5 years old) loves soccer. He played last year for the first time and loved it.

By: iamnotasoccermom

iamnotasoccermom — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 02:54:44 +0000

A friend of mine sent me your post because I have been on an anti soccer mom kick for a while now. (i even named my blog after this whole ridiculous stereo type) I am new to the blog world and very excited when more than three people comment on my posts (mostly friends and family) So I am very jealous to see 68 comments on yours I enjoyed your post very much and will stop in more often. I am loving that there are other moms out there (soccer moms or not) to communicate with, all the while at home in my pj’s with out a bra or make up on!

By: Jerry Grasso

Jerry Grasso — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 20:39:15 +0000

I believe that $217 covers $5.00 for uniforms, $5.00 for mowing and marking the fields…and the remainder covering insurance costs.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:21:21 +0000

Hi – first time visiting you. Great post! You and I both grew up in the same generation … but now I must admit – I’m a soccer mom! Three kids – and a husband who coaches varsity high school. I can’t get away from it … (sigh). But it has been a great thing for our family. We have met some of the greatest families thru soccer, and I want active kids! Not kids sitting inside on electronics. So … a’carpooling I go!
Sandy

By: pam

pam — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 20:51:00 +0000

How I eagerly await our soccer season, you have made me jealous of you living in your tropical climate. We have sign up night in Feb, but soccer does not start until the second week of May and it is usually snowing the first night!! Oh the fun. My son is now four and last year he enjoyed the grass/weed picking, rolling down the grassy hills, pouring his water bottle over his head, you know soccer. I and he can’t wait. By the way our soccer costs $40 but it is all parent volunteer based, and this year we don’t have to pay the fee since my husband volunteered on the field each game. Have Fun, these games are precious.

By: Paulette

Paulette — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 20:45:55 +0000

Holy cow has soccer ever gone up!!! I am in my 40′s too and both my kiddo’s played when they were little and into there teens but it wasn’t that high back when!!
Sean will love it and if he doesn’t he can quit. You will love watching him play!! Take pics ok?

By: Betty G.

Betty G. — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:18:45 +0000

I remember when we signed up our first daughter to play soccer. We showed up at her first practice and were the ONLY parents there. The YMCA Sports Director turned to me and my husband and said, “These are your new coaches!” We didn’t know anything about soccer, but there was no one else to do it. We got books and read quickly over the next week to learn the basics of the game and officially became “Coaches” to a team of little 4th Grade girls. So see — it could be worse for you. You could have been named COACH at your very first “soccer encounter.”

This led to many years of coaching as we moved to a new state where soccer had not been started yet. (Late 1970s) So we found ourselves coaching Soccer, Baseball, Baketball, and Football. We had fun and it gave the kids on our team a safe and fun outlet for their energy — plus a sense of “belonging to a group.”

Being the coach’s wife provided me the additional task of calling before each practice/game to be sure they remembered to show up, rides to and from practices and/or games, drinks provided for practices and/or games. So see — your involvement could become a lot more complicated. We loved each and every child on our team and made sure each was treated fairly with equal playing time.

The most we paid for each sport was about $35. If your child plays through the “Y” – there are usually scholarships available for those players who cannot pay. Private leagues don’t usually provide the scholarship benefit to players.

We LOVED working with the kids; the PARENTS were the only problems we encountered.

After saying all of this — don’t forget to THANK those who coach — and you could offer to make calls for the practices/games and/or provide snacks and drinks to players. You will look back on all of this and smile some day.

Thanks for bringing up this topic so I could remember the fun times with making a difference in a lot of little kids’ lives.

Betty in Oklahoma (Looking back a few years)

By: jen

jen — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 14:32:06 +0000

I was waiting for you to mention the cost part. Crazy I know. Madison played soccer from 4 until last year. Right now she is focused on gymnastics and VollyBall…not sure about soccer anymore. Sean will have fun and you will too watching him make memories.

By: Sarah S.

Sarah S. — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 14:23:50 +0000

I am evil and behind-the-times: neither of my children played a sport until first-grade, and then they could choose one. We don’t try to keep up around here — just have fun.