How Chance spells spring.....S-O-C-C-E-R

A robin prepares a field for soccer

Chance is one of the 22 kids who made the school soccer team.  He is sooo excited.  He had to try out with the 43 kids who wanted to make the team over a 3 day trial ending with the kids doing the varsity workout the last day.
The teacher wanted to make sure those who made the team were going to be willing to work it. Chance came home that day flushed and tired, but with a smile on his face.  Chance is willing to work it for soccer.

A patch of grass yearning for a soccer ball

The ultimate joy ride for a soccer ball

They actually have one extra player on the team due to a miscommunication between Chance and the soccer coach.  Chance had felt ill one morning so he stayed home from school but felt well enough to go after the lunch break.  By the end of the day, Chance was complaining of a headache and didn't feel like he could run with the team up the hill and to a neighboring park.  Chance is a trooper so I knew if he didn't feel he could run, he should rest.  I did tell him to let the soccer coach know that he was at the school, and though he had been sick and could not run with the team, he could be in on the instruction when they got back to the field.


Chance told the coach that he was dizzy and could not run with the team.

The coach thought Chance said he was "busy" meaning he was too busy to be on the team.  Apparently a few of the students had told her that day that they were too busy to be on the team and make the twice a week games.
So the coach  took Chance off the roster and called the next kid on the list who was very very excited to learn that he would indeed be on the team after being cut.

We found out what happened the next day when Chance showed up for practice.

The teacher felt bad and said she should have emailed us to verify that he really could not be on the team.

Chance had been planning on playing soccer since he first learned there was a junior high team at school registration.  We knew that if he was cut after trying out and making the team due to a miscommunication, he would be beside himself.

The school worked it out by getting permission to have one more student on the team so Chance was able to start breathing again.

Due to the extra player, there were not enough uniform tops the first game and Chance told me with conviction that he would be wearing a girl soccer shirt that was brand new and had never been worn before. I am glad that the powers that be convinced him ahead of time that this was normal and cool.

The first game was today at the home field.  After checking cleats to make sure they are legal for play, the game got underway.

Chance headed the ball(hit the ball with his head) on a return from the goalie and would have been able to follow up except that his implant fell into the grass and he had to grab it before other players stepped on it.

We need to resurrect our trusty sports headband.  Chance has been on a soccer hiatus this winter and so we are a little rusty and behind.

Chance is going to play lots and lots and lots of soccer this spring.  We signed him up for a county league last fall that he missed out on due to his implant surgery.  That team is picking up again for the spring session and will play games on Saturday with practices on Wednesday.

Chance's school team plays games almost every Tuesday and Thursday with practices 8th period every day.

Chance is going to need to increase his caloric intake.  And we are going to need more than one headband.