Twelve Years

Senior night was last Thursday.  It was the last time Ben would play a home game at Bleaker Stadium.  The rest of the games this season are either away or at the St Rose College Field. For me it's the beginning of the end of twelve long, joyous years.  My role as a soccer Mom has become finite.

Both boys started playing fall sports as seventh graders, Sam in Cross Country and Ben with soccer.  For twelve years I have stood or sat in every type of weather, in every local town, using bathrooms where ever I could find one, seen the inside of every McDonald's Restaurant, and yelled endless words of wisdom and encouragement.  I have also attended the same fall sports parent meeting, listened to the same speech, seen the same video and sat in the same auditorium twelve times.  And yet I can say with 100% honesty, I have loved every minute of it.

Twelve years may not seem like a long time with a large family, but with only two boys, I was lucky enough to experience it one kid at a time and because of that, I rarely missed a meet or game.  My parents, especially my Mom, went to all my games and I know she felt about it the same way as I do.  It was a privilege to be part of it.  There is nothing better than watching your child excel at something that they love. No thanks is needed, the pleasure was all mine.  The smiles on their faces was enough.  It isn't the memories of the wins that I will treasure the most, but the level of effort and commitment that they both had and the pride they felt knowing that they had given it their all.

There are five regular season games left, plus post season, if they get that far.  This is an easy team to love, but a hard team to watch.  They haven't figured out how to gel together and the multiple injuries and family/church/synagogue/academic commitments have taken a toll.  For Ben's sake, I hope they figure it out soon.  This is a team that could go far and it would be a huge disappointment for them if they don't play to their potential.

Next fall will be the start of a new era for me, no games for me to plan my life around and both boys off doing their thing.  I will miss it all, the endless banking of chocolate chip cookie bars, the smelly boys in the car, the chatter after practice and games, the immense appetite,and the cheering for my two great loves.  Life will go on and I will find new things to do, but I'm not sure it will be nearly as awesome or fun as standing in the fall air cheering for one of my kids. Special thanks to all the amazing coaches we have encountered along the way.