Miss B has been playing soccer now since she’s 3 years old. Because I see that soccer is her favorite sport (yes, she has the Brazilian DNA), I thought it was time to move to a new league in which she could practice and not only play for fun. We chose Tampa Bay Football Club as it is a club too.
She was supposed to start the new league and have a friend
in her team. She and Mady were going to be together in the same team. However,
when we found out that our team had 12 kids and only 4 would play I asked her
whether she would prefer to be with her Imagine friends and play little soccer
or move to another team with no Imagine friends and have more play time. She
opted for the later. So she and Mady moved to different teams.
In the first practice with the new team, it was apparent
that her team with more boys than girls
was much stronger than the past league. Last practice that became
evident and Miss B suffered as she was not able to keep up with the boys, who
incredibly seem to be born to play soccer. Even the girls were better than her.
She was so frustrated when she could not get it right and cried alone out of
frustration. My heart was broken but she had to realize she cannot be the best
all the time and that she has to work hard. The positive side was that she
didn’t come to cry on my lap, she came to me only during the break to tell me
sobbing: “ it’s not fair, the boys are showing off!” . I explained to her that
the boys were not showing off and that they were better because they had been
in the league before while it was her first time practicing. She left the practice feeling defeated.
Saturday comes along and as I arrive at the field for the
game, I already feel that the environment resembles more a game than a
recreational league especially if compared to her last league. There’s a bench
for the players. The parents stay on the opposite side of the field. The coach
is not allowed to get into the field and the players need to figure out where
they should stay. Miss B was starting the game and I thought to myself, because
they don’t want her at the last minute since she is not that good if compared
to the others…
After ten minutes playing she leaves back to the bench and I
felt like going to the other side to stay with her but I see no parents, so I
stay on the parents side, but feeling really bad. I wanted to comfort, she’ my
little girl!!!!
She gets into the game again when the other team had 1 goal
lead. To everyone’s surprise she actually goes out there and scores a goal and
tied the game! We were over the moon! So happy for her. After the half-time
break she comes back in and she scores two more goals, but only one was valid.
Her team ended up winning 2-1 with two goals by Miss B!!!! I could not believe,
the underdog rules!!!! The coach named her MVP of the game with her two goals.
I know she always excels when it’s competition day, just like what happens in
swimming. But not in my wildest dreams I would think she would be the sole
responsible for her team’s victory! That was my lesson for underestimating her
and a divine providence. The victory with her two goals boosted her confidence
and brought back the joy of playing soccer. Yesterday, it was a practice day
and what I saw was a total different kid. Confidence and happy as she’s ever
been.
Life is good again for Miss B!
