Ethan's very first soccer game

Take a bunch of 3 year olds, put them in matching t-shirts and oversized shin-guards, shove them out onto a grassy field with a ball and what do you get? The cutest attempt at organized sports I've ever seen!

Today was a beautiful day for Ethan's very first soccer game. Ricky and I have been practicing with him at home for a few weeks, hoping to give him some clue as to how to play the game. It's clear that the boy has skills - he can kick, he can run, he can shoot the ball between two strategically placed orange cones. But throw in a dozen other bodies running about, all who have also learned to kick the ball without other legs racing in from all different directions, and all hell breaks loose.

Ethan just didn't get it. Every time he kicked the ball, he'd stop, give me a HUGE smile, then turn around and lose it when in that split second someone "stole" it from him. And no matter how many times you tell a kid not to touch a ball with their hands, well, that just doesn't make sense to them, so there were tears, stepped on fingers, nose-dives into the dirt, you name it. It looked more like a game of rugby than soccer. (Although I've never seen a game of rugby that included periodic trips on and off the field so that mommies could kiss boo-boos or kids had to "go pee-pee, like, NOW".)

Our expectations were pretty accurate - we knew going in to it what we were about to witness. And really, it was just the most adorable thing ever. Ricky was asked to be the assistant coach about half way through the game so that the poor guy who took the job had some extra help coralling the kids back onto the field.

Just in case Ethan ever doubts the mess that was his first attempt at sports, and just in case we ever want a good laugh and a glimpse at our beautiful 3 year old boy in all his soccer glory, we got it all on tape. :)

Thanks Nana, Lilly, Andy, Grandma and Paw-Paw for coming to Ethan's first game!

Click here to see more pictures.