Chance goes pro

Soccer is over for the year.  Sigh.  Poor Chance.

That was how his summer was panning out.  Then I went onto the website to resign Chance up for the county fall and spring league so he would be ready come fall.

While on the website, I noticed a call out for anyone interested in joining the competitive leagues.  The spots had actually been filled for the next session, but they were compiling a list of anyone who would be interested in trying out should slots become available.

Chance wasn't even home at the time, but I knew that he would be interested in at least giving it a shot if an opening became available.  Then I didn't even sign him up for the non competitive league.  I figured that he would have school soccer and we would look into a county league a little later when the time was closer.

A few weeks went by and I didn't even think about it until a coach from a neighboring city called and said he was looking for 3 players to join his team.  He would be having tryouts the next night and invited Chance to come.

We showed up at the park and met with the coach and Chance lined up with 3 other boys who were trying out for the team as well.

The coach had set out drills for the boys to do so he could assess their skill level.

I sat under a shade tree watching a huge bank of trees at the edge of the soccer filed sway back and forth in the building wind.  The coach was talking to the boys and giving them instructions while standing a good distance away from them. Then the coach asked Chance to lead out and go first.

I looked at the swaying trees,  then back at Chance.  I then started praying that Chance would be able to hear what the coach was saying through  the trees blowing in the wind and the distance between him and the coach.

I kind of held my breath as Chance started that first task.  Did he catch what he was supposed to do?  Chance got a running start and dribbled the ball down the field before kicking it into the goal net.

Due to the pattern set during the first drill, Chance was first every time they did a new skill.  That meant he didn't have the luxury of watching the other boys go first to see exactly what was expected if he didn't hear all of the instructions.

We left the practice not knowing if Chance had made the team or not.

Then the coach called and said he wanted Chance on the team.  Chance was so excited.  We worked out practice times, got details on cost and pending tournaments and thought we had it down.

Then  the coach called back and said Chance was too old for the team.  He said he was sad about that because Chance was a good player, but the rules of the league said that Chance couldn't play because he had just turned 13 in May.  The coach said he had passed Chance's name on to another coach who may need another player and wished us the best.

I was not excited to tell Chance about this new development.

Then another coach called that same day from our city and said his team was looking for a player and could we bring Chance over so he could take a look at him.

It was a last minute deal and the family had just finished dinner when I told Chance that another coach wanted to see him.

Chance heads downfield, anticipating the pass

When Chance and his dad got back from the "tryout", Chance was pretty excited.  Chance's dad was cautious.  The coach had liked Chance, but as luck would have it, a boy that his team had been trying to recruit for a long time called and said he was ready to play for the team.

The coach had explained how even if Chance did not make the team this year, he encouraged him to try out again next year as things could change and another spot may become available.  Though we didn't share our thoughts with Chance, his dad and I figured the odds were with the other boy.

Then we got the call.  The coach said that he thought Chance would make a good addition to their team, that he was teachable and had some raw talent.  He wanted Chance on the team.

I got off the phone and told Chance's brother to go downstairs and tell him that he had made the team.  I heard Chance's scream upstairs.  I met him as he came up the stairs and he said," This is what happens when you say 5 prayers in one night!"

Chance had wanted to be on the team, but he had not expressed how much until the got the spot.

So, Chance is now an official member of the Strikers team.  His uniform is on order, and Chance says that his coach, who he really took to at their first meeting, looks just like you would imagine a good soccer player would look.

Let the games begin!