Evan's Soccer Season {2015}

Evan's fifth season of soccer ended last month.  It was a good year, and we were pleased with the quality and organization of our new town's recreation league.  We hope we can participate in sports here for many more seasons.  Of course, Evan will need to decide in the next year or so how serious he wants to be about soccer and if he wants to pursue it more "competitively," but I really just love the fun of the less competitive recreational leagues without the stress of traveling, intensive practices, and competitive tournaments.  Evan still shows a lot of skill on the field.  He has years where he wants to play more aggressively and is better in an offensive role and years where he holds back and wants to play more of a defensive role.  He has more of the skills of an offensive player because he is fast when he really wants to be.  This year, he seemed to enjoy demonstrating his "tricks" on the field as much as he enjoyed playing the game and trying to score.  It was fun to watch but could also be frustrating when he would come so close to scoring but just not follow through and take the ball to the goal.  It is really a mental thing for him, and he just has to decide he wants it.  One thing about this league that was no joke was their dedication to play their games "rain or shine."  It was pouring down rain on several occasions, and they still played.  It was crazy.  I missed several of his games for this reason.  They only called off one game because of lightening and rescheduled it.  I guess they are teaching these boys how serious soccer games can be.

Evan and his team were the Strikers.  The town has all the jerseys made with the team names on them.  I thought that was really neat. 

They play on a new AstroTurf field which helped make the rainy games a little easier without being muddy.  The fields could be very slippery though.  Evan really did have some professional looking moves on the field.  

Go #11!  He wasn't shy about attacking the players on the opposing team to get or keep the ball and often went up against three or more players at a time.  

I think he is such a handsome soccer player. 

He could run, attack, kick, and defend the ball like a pro.  I think what I admired most was how he could be a leader on the field often shouting instructions to his teammates about where to go or to line up to help defend the goal.  He was definitely one of the more experienced players.  

This should be his last year getting a "participation" trophy.  Although I am not saying all kids deserve a trophy just for participating, Evan really did work hard and was a team player and really progressed in the sport.

Brody enjoyed running around on the soccer fields too and practiced his kicks. 

I just love how he runs and how his hair flowing in the wind.