March Madness

I got us into something here, and it's way more than we bargained for.  But, we don't have anything else going on, so we are just doing it.  Like the swoosh says.  Just Do It.

I'm talking about indoor soccer.

We were part of a year-round indoor soccer program in The Woodlands back in Houston, and the kids loved it.  As part of my effort to continue all their activities here in Amarillo, I looked up an indoor soccer program here, and found one that started almost as soon as we moved.

It was an 8 game season.  I, very naively, believed this meant it was an 8 or 9 week program, just as every other soccer program we have ever done would have been.

But no.  This is a three week program.  They cram 8 games, plus two practices per week, into three weeks.

Also, this indoor soccer program?  All the games are indoor, but all the practices are outside.

Didn't bargain for that, either.

At Connor's first practice, we were not prepared for the weather.  And by weather, I mean wind.  Did you know that the wind just blows ALL THE TIME in Amarillo, at a pace of about 13 MPH?  It's insane.  It's windier here than Chicago.

So, I did some research online and found some great North Face wind wear that is meant to totally block such winds, and we set out to buy some for everyone in the family.  But then the kids picked out some Columbia Omni Shield jackets that are both wind and water proof and decided they wanted those, instead.



This is Connor's second practice.  He may be the only kid with a jacket and pants, but at least he didn't spend this practice shivering and trying to crawl inside his t-shirt while playing soccer.  He said this was much better.

Lex and I watching Connor's practice from the top of a rock climbing thing on the playground nearby.



The other problem that we are having with this league is that Connor and Lex have practice two days a week, at the same time, but at different parks.  I am only one person, and we haven't figured that out yet.  Mostly because we don't know anyone else in town, and just met all the other families on the teams and the kids aren't comfortable with someone else taking them to practice.  Because people have offered.  Amarillo may be windy, but the people are the nicest ever.  Like, all of them.

Anyways, poor Lex hasn't made it to a practice yet.  But this week he will.

Don't worry, he has played in plenty of games, though.

Connor and Lex had back-to-back games on Friday night.



Connor is number 13.  His team didn't put the names on the shirts, but some of the other parents did.  I haven't gotten Connor's name on his shirt yet.



Lex is also number 13, but his team took care of the names on the shirts for everyone.



Connor playing defense.



There are bleachers for the parents to sit on, but Lex and bleachers don't mix.  He won't sit still and wants to climb all over and under and through them, but there are too many people and he falls down a lot.  So he ended up there for a bit.

Well, after their back-to-back games on Friday, Connor had a Saturday morning match.  Lex had a Saturday evening match.  Then Connor had a Sunday afternoon game.  And then Lex had a Monday night game.

Oh, and then Tuesday?  That's a day when we have two practices at the same time in two different places.

So much soccer, so little time!

But the kids are happy.  And it's only for a few more weeks.



Then we can move on and find something else to do or somewhere less intense to play soccer.