She scored a goal!

Today Emmie had her third Spring soccer game. It was cold and windy but the girls were real troopers. In the second quarter EmmaLi scored her first "non-set up" goal. She was so proud of herself. Last season in the last game the coaches of both teams set two girls (one from each team) up to get their first ever goals. Emmie had one attempt and another one of her own team mates stole the ball from her and kicked the goal in at the last second. They gave her another shot and she was successful in kicking it in despite the same team mate trying to take the ball from her.

Today however, it was ALL EmmaLi. She played well and took that ball down the field and scored all on her own. She stayed ahead of the "pack" and kicked it in the goal beautifully. I did the "Emmie scored a goal dance" on the side lines which I think Emmie would be embarrassed about in a few years.

I was surprised today to see the entire team playing as well as they did. They were protecting their goal and stopped a number of the opposing teams attempts to get goals. They passed the ball to one another. They didn't steal the ball from their own team mates. It was awesome to watch them play today. They have matured in their playing a great deal from the first game last fall. The team has gained three new players this season and lost two from last fall. One player returned to her previous coaches team and another found a spot on the same league as her sister which was very helpful to the parents. So the team is as intact as it could be from last fall. The girls are all sweet and work well together as a team.

I didn't have my camera with me today because of the threat of rain. So I didn't get a picture of the goal but it is etched in my memory for the rest of my life. EmmaLi was smiling ear to ear after she made the goal. She was so excited that she got her goal. I am so proud of her. She has stuck with the soccer and is doing well. The funny thing is she didn't want to go to the game today. She kept telling me that she wanted to stay home on Saturday and Sunday and didn't want to go anywhere. Once we were there she was fine. She is gaining confidence in her own skills and most of all she had fun.