Faithful readers will recall that Dom played in the YMCA league earlier this spring, his first foray into organized "soccer." He always had enthusiasm, but was only able to score a single goal throughout the whole season (8 games).
Liesel has posted once already about this season, but its my turn to tell you how the season ended. The regular, 10-game season ended tonight (a 4-1 St Helen win!), and Dom scored in all but 2 games! He even got a hat-trick -- twice! Usually, I was so busy cheering for him that I didn't record anything, but this is a strike on goal he had last week, in an 8-2 loss at St Peter.
Dom has shown ability at every position: striker, defender, & keeper. At tonights game he volunteered to be keeper, and had a clean sheet through the whole quarter! I love it especially when Dom plays keeper, because just like US National Team keeper Timmy Howard, Dom wears #1.
As much fun as Dom has in the net, he is a one-man wrecking crew on defense (Disclosure: I played center back as a kid; my mom said I was good at it). Dom stays in position, attacks the ball, and is actually able to clear the ball out of danger. (No pictures of this, so you'll just have to trust me).
The game is in our favor, but its pretty physical (for 5-6 year olds). Dom had an assist, and though he looked bummed that he didn't get the goal, he told us later that he was happy for his team mate (#7).
Like I said, the game was physical. See that big kid just on Dom's left? Those two had a pretty good collision down at our end, with Dom going down grabbing at his head. It was clear he was in distress. BUT, while still holding his head, he blocked a shot, cleared the ball, blocked another shot, and finally kicked the ball out of bounds. Then he fell over crying. Coach took him off the field, and Liesel ran over to him. After a drink of water, Dom finished out the quarter on the bench. But he was the first kid up, asking to go back in on offense.
But the drama doesn't end there. In the very next quarter, Dom goes down while going for a shot on goal.
This time, he stays down, grabbing at his leg. Coach helps him up, and this time he's limping. I go out to him, and the two coaches tell me he stepped on -- on the kneecap! The boot marks are still there! Dom is fighting back tears, rubbing his leg, saying: "I want to stay in, I want to stay in." So, we make sure he has full range of motion, give high-5's, and he stays in. (parents on the sideline: "They stepped on his knee? And he wants to keep playing?")
Of course, having been knocked down twice, and credited with an assist, Liesel and I can tell Dom is determined to get a goal of his own.
Its now the 4th quarter. Dom's coach has let him start the 4th, and this is highly unusual - kids aren't supposed to play the whole game. But Dom gets after it; you can tell from the pictures that he's usually going up against the same kid, the #8 from Mad River.
In the dying seconds of the match, as coach is calling out the seconds until he blows the whistle, Dom takes a kick from the edge of the box, and it.... rolls in, just past keeper for a goal. Dom tells us on the ride home that he was trying to hurry up and score, since he heard the coach counting down!
By the end of the season, Dom could pass to an open player, get open and call for the ball, defend, score, play every position, was the designated free kick taker, and played every minute he was on the pitch. I think he really learned to pass when we would all play as a family in the backyard, and he and Will would team up against me and Liesel. It was great to see him take that practiced skill to his games. On the way to dinner (Dom: "I want tacos!") I remarked to Liesel that, for all my excitement about football, and encouraging and practicing together with Dom, and having nets up in the backyard basically for the last 8 months -- it is still Dominic out on the pitch, making a conscious decision to play hard be competitive, especially after requiring on-field treatment! Other kids on his team asked to sit on the bench rather than play defense - but Dom always wanted to go in!
I feel lucky that he is our son, and today he really showed us his heart and his desire to play.
3 comments:
Wow. The video is awesome. You were really good as sweeper, but I am biased. Love the whole play by play of the whole game. Thanks.
Great sliding goal to bring it back left! That was simply awesome!
Dominic, I am proud to have been able to "play" against you last March!
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