soccer 2013

Well we are almost at the end of our busiest soccer season yet.

This year all six of our children played and the three oldest also refereed.

Most weeks the only day that didn't involve soccer was on Sunday.

B2 was the busiest, not only did he play with the under 16's on Friday night he also played Reserve Grade and sometimes 2nd grade, as well as benching for first grade on a couple of occasions, not to mention refereeing on Saturday mornings.

This also meant two nights of training every week.

We are extremely proud of how well he has done this year.

His team were minor premiers, but unfortunately lost both semi finals.

They still have one game left to play as minor premiers, they play in the Champions of Champions match against a team from the other part of the region.

 Here he in playing reserve grade.

B3's team also made the semi finals, they won the first game, but lost the second in a very close game that went to extra time.

We have been very impressed with how well he has played this year and really seeing him become an essential part of the team, his coaches have commented several times on how much he has improved.

 Here is B5 playing his last game, he was on the field here, but spent a lot of time as goalie this year, doing a magnificent job, so we may well see him take this position more in the future.

 The girl playing here, has just finished her last year in small sided soccer and is looking forward to graduating to a big field next year, with real goals.

In this game she managed to score 4 goals!

Must have been the power of Mum sitting there taking photos!

I wanted to get photos of all the kids playing but due to having to swap with B1 one week as he had to be at the field for a meeting I missed out on getting any of B4.

B1 went back to playing soccer this year after a 3 year break and played seniors, his team were minor premiers as well but lost in the semi finals as well.

B1 has not quite finished his soccer season yet, because he gets to referee the under 16's grand final on Friday night, this only became possible because his brother's team lost, if they had won he would not have been allowed to do it.

B2 also has a sideline on a grand final.

When they referee grand finals they also receive a medallion as a memento of the occasion and the announcements are made at the presentation dinner- academy award style, so it is quite a privilege to be chosen.

I am sure we will never have another year of soccer like this year, 

which I am extremely grateful for, 

but now that it is almost over I think I did very well not to collapse of soccer overload 

and looking back have quite enjoyed watching all my children play and cheer them on from the sidelines!

in his brother's footsteps

This photo is the view from one of our local RSL clubs looking over our beautiful river at sunset last night.

I was at the club to accompany B1 and B2 to the soccer referees' presentation night.

B1 has been a soccer referee for 4 years now and this year he took on the role of junior assigner, which meant that he had to go through the list of who was available and assign them their weekend refereeing positions depending on their age and ability.

He was also selected to attend a TAP (Training Advancement Program) camp, in the June long weekend.

At the presentation night he had to give a talk about this experience and he did very well.

After the dinner we had the presentation of the awards.

 

 B2 was presented with the top trophy, 

a perpetual trophy that is given each year to the best junior referee, 

a trophy that his brother won 2 years ago.

B1 and B2 have also been selected to referee one of the junior grand finals on Sunday

(they are placed in an envelope and announced like an Academy Awards winner- very exciting!)

B2's soccer team will play in the grand final for their grade on Friday night,

because his team were also the minor premiers they will also be playing in the Zone Championships the following weekend.

We are very proud of our boys' efforts in refereeing soccer, not always the easiest of jobs but one they have both taken to and done very well at.

soccer girl

This week The Girl, joined her brothers as a soccer player.

Saturday morning at 8:30am saw her play her first game, well actually she played three mini 15 minute games, as they do in what they call Small Sided Games or SSG for short.

The children have five a side and no goalie, 

the rules are modified with kick ins rather than throw in etc.

She has been begging to be allowed to play soccer for two years, 

but you have to be five to play so she has been counting down the days since she turned five to her first game.

What a sad face!

She slipped down the wet steps in her soccer boots on the way out the door, thankfully a big brother was there to cuddle her better!

 Here she is at the field with her team shirt on.

Do you like her purple soccer boots?

She wanted me to buy them last year, 

but I told her she had to wait as her foot would grow 

and she wouldn't fit them when it was time to play soccer.

 Instructions from the coach before dividing them up into two teams.

 On the field waiting for kick off.

Obviously it is all taking too long.

She played really well and scored 4 goals over the 3 games.

I don't have any action shots to share as I was too busy yelling encouragement.

She was a goer and didn't stop, she had a very red face by the end!

cricketing trio

Here are VCH, B1 and B2 all ready and off to play cricket on Saturday afternoon.

VCH said he would like to play 3rd grade with the boys this year so despite a bit of rain hanging around they went off to play their first game together.

I had to take a quick snapshot of this momentous occasion before they left.
 I thought they would be home early because of a thunder storm but they said it went around them.
Their team lost but they had lots of fun playing together.

new soccer season???

Although the official soccer season is over it seems that the front-yard soccer season is just beginning.

The children have not once touched a soccer ball at home all season and now that it has officially ended they have taken to playing every spare moment they can in the front yard.

The Girl is particularly keen, she is honing her skills for next year when she is old enough to play!

Unfortunately the minute I appeared with the camera they all seemed to suddenly be too tired to play.

I did manage though to get a few shots of The Girl and B3.

The Girl hasn't quite got the idea that it is soccer and not football, for when she thinks the boys aren't giving her enough turns she dives on the ball to claim it!

hole in one

Many of you may not be aware that VCH has another passion, other than me that is!

His passion is golf.

He has been playing it since he was a kid, his parents were into golf, his dad in his late 70's still plays although he is a little slower these days, his brother plays, his uncle played- you get the picture, so there comes many a weekend when I find myself a golf widow.

Years ago they had a system of swapping golf balls that you won in competition for frozen chooks, so I always used to say he was out hunting and gathering for his family, for many years I never had to buy whole chickens to cook, unfortunately they no longer have this system in place.

Anyway last Saturday he went out playing golf, his last chance before the club championship which starts next week and is 4 Saturdays in a row.

He came home after picking children up from various places, it was quite late so we sat down to tea and said grace- we always take turns in thanking God for something before asking for our food to be blessed and he mentioned something about golf.

So after grace, I asked him- how did he go? 

Well I played OK he said, I got an eagle and a hole in one!

I was so excited for him that I immediately jumped up and ran to give him a kiss and a hug.

While getting a hole in one is exciting for anyone. 

VCH has never got one before. 

His dad has three and his younger brother has three.

They often teased him about his lack of holes in one.

So now they can tease him no more.

He has his hole in one.

 This is the little white ball that won him this prize and it has been cleaned in the dishwasher and will be placed somewhere very special to commemorate this very special occasion.
VCH has placed an order for a special trophy for Father's Day this year (we celebrate Father's Day on the first Sunday in September here in Australia)

winter swimming

The Girl and B5 have continued swimming over winter, with our new pool coming I want to make sure their swimming is up to scratch.

Our lessons this term are Mondays 9am brrr!!!

Thankfully the pool is heated really well and they feel like they are swimming in a giant outdoor bath.

 The Girl waiting her turn.

Practising breathing to the side.

Warming up with the kick board.

B5 is diving in and swimming the length now with lovely big arms and breathing - but I forgot to get a shot of this oops!

swimming lessons

B3,4 and 5 have been attending swimming lessons this term.

They have been really enjoying it.

Wendy is a great teacher and I really like her teaching style, firm but friendly.

B3 and B4 diving in for their final lap.

The Girl can't wait to get started on her lessons in February when school goes back.

cricket

This is B1 and B2 before their first game of cricket.
For those of you not in the know they are pretending to bat.
Cricket would have to be thought of as our national sport here in Australia.
If you would like to know more about the rules of cricket link here rather than me try a long winded explanation.
The game the boys play is a limited overs game each team gets 40 overs to bat or field in unless they get all out before the forty, then the following week they swap, so it takes two weeks to play each game.
The boys play Friday nights now and it is nice not having to take kids to sport on Saturday morning, leaving our Saturdays relatively free.
Their teams both won their first games and this week's games were washed out which means next week each team will be given 20 overs instead of the usual 40 so the game can be completed in the one week.
In the meantime a bit of backyard cricket practice will have to suffice.

little miss cricket

Coming into cricket season, all the gear is getting dusted off, checked for size and ready to start after the school holidays.

The girl was up in the big boys room and saw the gear out and insisted on trying it all on.
I think she will have to grow a little before she fits these!

soccer presentation

Soccer is over for another year.

Today we had our soccer presentation.
It was a lovely afternoon.
A family BBQ and catch up with friends.
The 3 big boys each received gift vouchers this year, and B4 got a new soccer ball.
Here they are getting their prizes.

B1 in the stripy shirt.

B2 has just got his prize from VCH who was his coach.

B3's coach also received the club coach of the year award for his never say die attitude and enthusiasm with a team that struggled all year.

Sorry B4's picture is a little blurry.


Here is VCH being official and making some announcements.
Next year we will have five playing soccer as B5 joins the ranks, what a juggle that will be!!!