Sports Blues

Our house is not the most athletic household. ArtGuy and I are neither one particularly gifted in the sports department (although I bet I can still totally march like a pro! That is a marching band reference, for all you non-Band Geeks out there!). As you have read, The Young Adult chose Scottish Highland dance as his sport, after a dismal attempt at soccer and baseball. Cookie Boy prefers chess. See a trend?

It is Romeo, and probably the Mad Toddler, too, who carry the athletic genes in the family. Romeo was only one when his big brothers started sports. We literally had to bring extra balls to their games and practices to play with him. He could not wait to be old enough to join a soccer team. And he hasn't stopped since! He loves soccer with a passion. He plays his heart out every game.

Romeo ready to attack

I have seen him dripping sweat after a practice in 100+ degree heat, only to look up at me and say, "I just love soccer"!

Romeo plays in a recreational soccer league. I love it. I love his team and his coach. We were extremely fortunate to land on a really, really good team when we moved. The coach is knowledgeable, challenging, funny, and invariably kind.

Romeo is not the best soccer player, but he is good. Many of his teammates are extremely good. But as I listen in to the parents talking, I start to hear things. Like how many of their sons are on multiple teams. Some are on this soccer team, plus a pre-select soccer team, plus basketball, plus baseball! Or any combination thereof.

My head spins hearing about it.

Are we holding Romeo back? Would he be an awesome player, instead of merely okay, if we put him in other leagues, on other teams, and enrolled him in camps spring, summer, and winter? I don't know. Part of me feels like I am a liability to him.

If he wants to keep playing, and he does, should I seek out other forms of competition. I mean, Artguy and I can barely work with him at home. First, we are really busy. Second, I know little about soccer. We put the Mad Toddler out in the backyard with Romeo, because we figure the Mad Toddler is way more aggresive than any peer of Romeo's!

Besides, I looked it up and that pre-select team costs over $1000 a year. Too rich for us!

I have no objection to kids who are really, really into sports playing competitively, or being on multiple teams. But 8 seems too young to me. Will they still love it at 10 or 12 or 15 or 18?

Maybe.