Landon's Soccer Debut!

This is kind of old news, but still has to make the blog. Landon started his first pee-wee soccer season two weeks ago, as a memeber of the Dow Ragan Destroyers. He was super excited to play, but there were a few minor bumps in the road...just like their always is in life. :) (before his first practice on the right) Bump #1: We couldn't find soccer shoes for the boy! Turns out I was making things much more difficult for myself than was necessary. Long story short, Adidas sizes in regular tennis shoes and soccer shoes ARE NOT the same, and I was looking for shoes that were going to be two sizes too small for him. Never fear...we got it taken care of....Thank you Zappos.com. :) Bump #2: Weather. His first practice was supposed to be Monday but because of the weather it was postponed until Tuesday. I was nervous they weren't going to get to play on Thursday either, but they pulled it off! He was only mildly disappointed on Monday and shook it off pretty quickly. Bump#3: Before we left for the game on Thursday, Landon said he wasn't 'really sure' he wanted to play soccer because he 'really hates it when the other guys' beat him. Oh geesh. I knew this was gonna be an issue. If anyone has any tips on how to help your kid NOT be a sore loser, please post. :) After I explained that every one of the Dow Ragan Destroyer games was going to end in a tie, because they didn't keep score, he was ready to go. After my little soapbox I had just a couple short weeks before about how not keeping score doesn't teach the kids anything, and they can't win all the time so they might as well suck it up....yeah....my kid is the one saying "boo--hoooooo, I don't wanna loooooooose." Sigh. On game day Landon carbed up with TWO bowls of plain cold spaghetti. He asked if spaghetti would make him run faster and I replied, 'sure' and he ate two bowls. Hilarious. When we got to the field, his coach, Coach Jon, pulled a t-shirt off the pile and handed it to him and what do you know....number 9...Chad's number. I love coincidences like that. We took Landon's picture with his jersey on and sent it to Daddy's phone in Bloomington with the girls' team. Here's the pregame strategy talk from Coach and all the little guys sitting listening intently. I'm amazed the guy can get all their attention like he does, and I'm a first grade teacher! Kudos, Coach Jon! Here's Landon with his bff, Creighton, fellow Destroyer. Creighton played the first quarter, and Landon went in the second. When Landon went in, Creighton was cheering from the sideline, "Let's go Landon," (followed by the five traditional claps) It was hysterical.

The kids are adorable to watch play. Five minutes in one of the little misses on Landon's team was carried off the field with a gushing nose bleed from being hit in the face. Yikes. She was back in the second half though. You go girl. I would've been in my lawn chair saying soccer wasn't the sport for me. There was also the typical kids kicking grass, laying down and making dirt angels, running off the field when they were supposed to be in, running on the field when they were supposed to be out....You can imagine. Here's Landon with his fan club....and a high five with Creighton after the game.

Here's Landon's first official goal. He had one before this one, but it didn't count. Momentous blog moment...

And Grant...never to be out-done wearing Landon's shin guards and doing a little kickin himself.