Last game of the year! ~ 2015

Johnston Heat
Back row: Abby, Lizzy, Alia, Lauren, Abby
Front row: Morgan, Kennedy, Lauren, Vanessa 

Coach Daddy...they have so much fun together!

Good friends. Morgan and Alia Patterson

Soccer Fest 2014

Soooo, I just found this post in my drafts.. it's from early October.. better late than never!

Lauren's soccer team.
Ali, Katelynn, Brandy, Kennedy, Lizzy (Finn), Taryn, Lauren, Ava and Allie

No, they didn't win this, this is the USA Cup.. 

Lauren playing goalie.. as she stated "I was bored".  She likes to be in on the action and this team didn't have many shots on goal.

Cownie Fields, Des Moines, Iowa

We went to Village Inn between games (we had a 3 hour break).

It was a hot day.. trying to save some energy in the shade.

The end of the soccer season~ Kohls Cup 2014

Our team played in the Kohls Cup up in Ames, Iowa. We had 2 games on Saturday and 2 games on Sunday. Lauren was a beast. I know I talk her up but she was awesome this weekend!!  It was so fun to watch!

Huddle with coach Dain before kick-off!

Lauren and Brandy...Brandy is a beast too!!

Coach Dad in deep concentration

Eric helping Taryn ice her hand down after she got stepped on.

As Aunt Lisa Hubbard stated... "Girly but tough"!

Kennedy, Ava, Brandy, Katelynn
Alli, Lauren Ali, Taryn
Our team for day one!

Time for some shade and some grub!

Lauren and Brandy were captains for the last game.

You know it's a blow out when coach has a seat with the girls.. he is usually pacing the fields with Eric.

No stress here!

Our Team Day 2
Brandy, Katelynn, Ava and Ella
Ali, Lauren, Kennedy and Alli

Proud daddy and coach... he had so much fun this weekend.. and had a Happy Fathers day to boot.

Good buddies- Lauren and Ella

Kohl's Cup Soccer Tournament ~ October 12th, 2013

The Purple Dragons ~ 2013
Back Row: Coach Dad, Allie (speed demon), Ella (the slide tackler) Kennedy (the pusher) Katelynn (the power house) and Coach Dain
Front Row: Lauren (the go-getter) Lizzy (tough as nails) Olivia (tries really hard) and Ava (we borrowed her for the tourney..she did great!)

We had a nice sunny but very windy Saturday for the Kohls Cup at Racoon River Park. We played 3 games 10:00- West Des Moines, 12:00- Council Bluffs, and 2:00 Norwalk.
I have to tell this story because I am still just amazed at the behavior of parents for such young players.. not that it is ever okay but 7-8 year olds??? Really????
So, we played West Des Moines and they were really good but our girls hung in there and did a fantastic job, the parents were great and it was a fun game to watch.  The Council Bluff team was a team of 6-7 year olds, so they pretty much got smoked by our team. Here is the shocker, a parent from their team told their girls to punch our girls in the mouth.. no joke. Then they would yell at our girls for NOT letting them score or have a chance at the ball. They were screaming at the ref because they thought we were pushing.. he quickly chimed in and said that the girls were just dribbling. Well guess what? It's a tournament, and they signed their 6-7 year olds up to play 8 year olds.. they should have known they were going to get smoked. And when it's a tournament.. it's game on.. you win some you lose some...but we teach our girls to be good winners and good losers.  The final game was against Norwalk and I was shocked again when a really obnoxious mother yelled for her daughter or player to "push them back" numerous times. We have one player who does push a lot and Coaches have been working on it.. but we don't encourage it. Plus, most of the time she was yelling that, our girls were not even pushing, they were bumping shoulders and elbows.. it's allowed!
So I learned that I do have some self control and that no matter how much I wanted to get up in their faces and tell them what I thought of them.. I took the high road. I asked God what he would want me to do... and it was to NOT get up and say something. Those kinds of parents are not going to change and getting in their face or starting an argument (no matter how badly I wanted to) is stooping to their level. So... I ignored it and encouraged the girls.. (and then complained all day to friends and family about how obnoxious people are)  :)

The girls building forts between games.

WE SURVIVED!

More Soccer

Here are some more videos of Miss Lauren.. I know it seems like a lot but it's where I can store the videos and find them easy when we want to see them!

Soccer Galore!

I know there are a ton of videos but I have been so busy lately it just all has to go on one post. The movies are quick but got some great shots of Lauren working her tail off.. love watching this kiddo play. She is #3 in the grey shirt.