Next Stop, The World Cup

Hello football fans and welcome to Day One of U4 soccer. The tension on the pitch was palpable as the young competitors faced off for game one of the fall season. It goes without saying that you can throw out the record book when these teams meet. You can also throw out the rule book because the kids, and most of the parents, have no idea what is happening once play starts.

But before we even get to the highlights, pre-game began with some stretching ... and a search for bugs ...



After warming up and activating the metabolic processes necessary to achieve the high-energy output still to come, it was time to hone the skills with some ball-handling drills.



Concentration and motivation are key to achievement in any athletic endeavor. Every athlete goes about getting to that higher plane necessary to crush the competition in their own way. This process is serious business.



Game face.



Game on! To keep it moving we are going to fast-forward through most of the action. Up until this point, our team kicked it to their team. Their team kicked it back. Rinse and repeat.

Now comes the exciting part ...

Closing minutes of the game, victory hanging in the balance, and Lily squirts through enemy lines with two defenders in hot pursuit.



Handling the ball like only a four-year-old that has never played the game can, she makes a dash for the net ... and ... goooaaaall!!!!



Technically, this was her own team's net but nobody was keeping score or could really say for certain, so .... goooaaaall!!!



Even better than scoring, after the game we went to the playground.



That's all for now, sports fans.