Call Me Coach

Our soccer season is in full swing now and my job as coach is as frustrating as it is fun! My team is full of girls who don't really care where the ball is or where we need to get it! They would much rather hug and skip down the field hand in hand than actually make contact with the ball, even when it's kicked right to them, and are often seen sitting in the middle of the field picking grass! I only have 2 boys on my team, and the other boy is as easily distracted as the girls...usually by the girls!
Thank goodness for Hurricane Harrison! I'm not speaking as the bias mother, but from a strictly neutral coaching perspective here (are you buying that?! I didn't think so, but it was worth a try!!!) but he really is the star of the team! He's so enthusiastic and plays hard every game, giving 110% and covers the whole field, is an amazing goalie (that's him in net in the last picture) and calls out to the other players to pass him the ball when he's open! He understands the game and what needs to be done to score goals....something the rest of the team lacks! In fact, he picks up the slack and covers all positions, including that of the goalie if they are looking weak in the net! My problem is he plays to win, not for the fun or spirit of the game, and ends up in tears at the end of every game and is in a snit and doesn't want to shake hands with the other (winning!) team! We have not won a game yet...nor come anywhere close! Harrison usually gets one goal per game, and that is the extent of the scoring on our side, while I think the score for the other team is in the double digits every time! We are not a skilled team, despite my best efforts! The last 2 games we played, Harrison actually scored on our own goalie, but was so excited to get a goal, that he did his "Happy-Happy End Zone Dance" regardless of the fact that the other team really didn't need any help on the scoreboard! Hey...when you're 4 yrs old, a goal is a goal....no matter whose net you score on!!! So far the parents have been great, are very supportive, relaxed and easy to deal with. Actually one set of parents are from Saskatoon...how could you go wrong?! The Mom went to Evan Hardy (grad of 1988) and the Dad went to Holy Cross (grad of 1990) for all you Saskatoon people who read this regularily! The other coaches are out there encouraging my Black Panthers to score and for my goalie to make a great save, and the kids are having fun and if they learn a little bit about soccer along the way, then that is just a bonus! As for me...I kinda like being called "Coach"!