The soccer season came to a welcome close on Saturday with a round robin tournament dubbed "Death by Soccer" by a witty parent with multiple children involved. Caleb's tournament was 8 am to 11:30 and Maddie's was 11:30 to 4 pm.
Caleb's team opened the day with a 0-0 draw against the top team (whose coach helpfully pointed out that while the league does not count individual goals, if it did, his son would be the league leader with 52 goals on the season). Then a few nice wins. Caleb played great. He's not much of a scoring threat, but in a league with no goalies, his defense wins games.
Then we played the push, shove, and tackle team that took out two of our guys on illegal slide tackles. Here I also pause to note that in this league, coaches double as referees, which places them on the field during the game. The coach of this team placed himself right in front of the goal whenever the opposition would approach. Handy tactic. When this was brought to his attention, he laughed it off with "Oh, I just get out of the way if they kick the ball." Right. Because seeing you there, they won't try to kick around you, clearly.
A few games later, we had a rest period and were spectators while the team with the goal tending coach played another match. The game was tied and his team needed a win to make the finals. Suddenly, the coach of the illegal slide tackle team started calling fouls! Against his team! Amazing. So I wasn't too impressed and started really wanting him to lose.
Game tied, their top player makes a break away toward the goal, opposition giving chase. The time keeper calls time. No one hears. Players collide. They fall. Time keeper calls time again. The top player from goal-tending-coach team decides to hold his ankle and cry. At which point goal-tending-coach calls a foul and awards a penalty. Arguments ensue. Cheater coach places the ball for the kick.
I can't take it. I walk onto the field yelling that time was out. "No the foul took place first, we will end on a goal kick."
Then I really get into it and yell, "La. La. La. Mish quayes! You cheat!" (No. No. No. Not acceptable.)
This prompts a parent from the other team to yell at me, "You can't call another adult a cheater in front of all these kids. Not in Egypt. Not in our culture. In front of these kids, you can't call him a cheater."
To which I replied, "But it's okay in your culture for him to cheat?"
Then another parent yells, "This is just a social event, and then you ruin it with these accusations."
To which I replied, "No, he ruined it by cheating."
It was great. Katie really loved it.
Caleb's team opened the day with a 0-0 draw against the top team (whose coach helpfully pointed out that while the league does not count individual goals, if it did, his son would be the league leader with 52 goals on the season). Then a few nice wins. Caleb played great. He's not much of a scoring threat, but in a league with no goalies, his defense wins games.
Then we played the push, shove, and tackle team that took out two of our guys on illegal slide tackles. Here I also pause to note that in this league, coaches double as referees, which places them on the field during the game. The coach of this team placed himself right in front of the goal whenever the opposition would approach. Handy tactic. When this was brought to his attention, he laughed it off with "Oh, I just get out of the way if they kick the ball." Right. Because seeing you there, they won't try to kick around you, clearly.
A few games later, we had a rest period and were spectators while the team with the goal tending coach played another match. The game was tied and his team needed a win to make the finals. Suddenly, the coach of the illegal slide tackle team started calling fouls! Against his team! Amazing. So I wasn't too impressed and started really wanting him to lose.
Game tied, their top player makes a break away toward the goal, opposition giving chase. The time keeper calls time. No one hears. Players collide. They fall. Time keeper calls time again. The top player from goal-tending-coach team decides to hold his ankle and cry. At which point goal-tending-coach calls a foul and awards a penalty. Arguments ensue. Cheater coach places the ball for the kick.
I can't take it. I walk onto the field yelling that time was out. "No the foul took place first, we will end on a goal kick."
Then I really get into it and yell, "La. La. La. Mish quayes! You cheat!" (No. No. No. Not acceptable.)
This prompts a parent from the other team to yell at me, "You can't call another adult a cheater in front of all these kids. Not in Egypt. Not in our culture. In front of these kids, you can't call him a cheater."
To which I replied, "But it's okay in your culture for him to cheat?"
Then another parent yells, "This is just a social event, and then you ruin it with these accusations."
To which I replied, "No, he ruined it by cheating."
It was great. Katie really loved it.
2 comments:
I am grateful for your openness and the calibur of the lessons I learn from you. (I mean that with all sincerty.)
Thank you. I write this a bit for fun, a bit so my kids can read a record of a few things (I'm terrible at journal keeping), and a bit to share the frank and honest joys of marriage and parenthood. It is nice to get positive feedback.
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