You have GOT to be kidding me......

WOW! So we had our "first practice session" last night via the OSA Fundamentals Clinic last night as I had planned, thinking that the girls would get more out of it than I felt I could provide them on my own. I think I counted about 65 little kids from 4-6 years old and there were only 2 players coaching the clinic. Don't get me wrong, the guys made a valiant effort, but there is absolutely no way 2 people can coordinate that many small children effectively. I think that with the help of a few parents we can achieve a more productive practice session on our own so it looks like we'll be skipping the clinic in the future.

On a brighter note after last night, along with all of the research I've been doing on my own, I actually feel very confident that I can provide a coaching environment that, while not producing a world cup level team, will be able to lay ground work for the girls to build skills that should be helpful if they continue to pursue football as a sport, and if they don't.....well I think they're going to have a lot of fun and that's really the only thing that actually matters in the long run.

Lethal Weapon

So yesterday we went to the coaching clinic and the coaches meeting where we received some basic coaching information and our rosters. At the clinic the wife pushed me out to volunteer along with 11 others to go through some drills and exercises which is where we get the title of today's blog post....I'm gettin' too old for this $#1][!

Afterwards we picked the girls up at the in-law's had dinner and then while the wife was bathing kids in preparation for bed I started making phone calls to try and touch base with the parents of my new players. Three voicemails (one call returned), one invalid phone number, and a full message box means that at our first "practice" tonight at the fundamentals clinic is so far going to consist of Cassie, and just one other player. Hopefully I'll hear from the remaining two voicemails today and we're going to get with OSA to try and find alternate contacts for my remaining two players.

So this is how the story begins...

We tried to get my daughter Cassie into soccer last year but her birthday in December was beyond the cutoff so we had to wait and sign her up THIS year instead. We bought her her own ball and shin guards and she has been avidly looking forward to this ALL YEAR LONG!!! Well I guess a week or so ago the club called my wife to let her know that they were one team too many, and one coach too few and unfortunately Cassie is on the team without a coach. If they don't find someone to coach it by Sunday, my little girl and 5 others just like her will be told they won't get to play after all. Completely ignoring the fact that MY daughter has been looking forward to this for MONTHS, that's just not fair to the 5 other little girls who may or may not have been looking forward to it just as long or even longer. So after talking things over with the wife, and seriously thinking things over myself, it looks like we'll be at a coaching clinic Sunday and attending the coaches orientation meeting afterwards.

Hi! My name is Charles, and apparently I'm going to be an Odessa Soccer Association Girls U5 Soccer Coach! May god have mercy on my soul.....this should get interesting quick!!