What do you get when UPS and FedEx merge?

You get FedUp. :-)

The UPS man brought me our pictures today. I'll bring them to the game on Saturday.

Speaking of games, I shoul know tomorrow by noon when our rained out game will be scheduled for. I'll post it here.

That's all the news I have. See you all Saturday! 

A few notes . .

1) Make-up pictures for teams and individuals is scheduled for November 11 from 8am-11am, at the Lake Houston Family YMCA. Please call Wade Photography at 281-353-1819 for further details.

2) The Y has changed the weather line - 281-914-0397 (the call is no longer a long distance call). The weather line will be updated everyday by 3pm. Saturday mornings it will be updated by 7am.

3) If you have any pictures, I'd love copies. Digital or otherwise. I can make copies if you want.

4) If anyone has any woodworking skill they want to donate I'm looking for bench to hold a few sidelined kids for both the Dinosaurs and the tigers. Email or call if you want to donate time and talent.

Pictures and stuff

So far, these are my favorite pictures of the Dinosaurs. A thank you to Heather Skeen (Hayden's mom) for sharing. You can see (and buy) better versions at Snapfish.

If anyone else has pictures, I'd love to have them for my own records and, with your permission, I'd like to post them here.

Thank you all so much for letting me be the coach for these kids. It brings me joy.

"But why Coach, why?"

There are lots of different styles of coaching, even at the Y.

I'm really light on technical skills at this age and am more concerned with making sure the kids want to stay in sports. Those kids who are more advanced will move on their own to competitive leagues. I work best with the other kids, the ones who aren't always the best players, but will be better people because they had fun, made friends, exercised, learned to be good sports.

I have played against teams with serious coaches. Guys who played semi-pro. Guys out on the field with their clipboards, yelling at kids out of position. Maybe some kids work better that way. I don't.

I see kids that I coached in elementary and early middle school who are now in high-school and still smile at me and talk about soccer. That's the pay-off. If I'm very, very lucky I'll see these kids grow up, get married, have children, and coach their own kids. What more could a coach ask for?

Editor note: This post was written a few years ago.

Game and Snack schedule

Date Time shirt half time snack 30-Sep 11:30 red Burt Family 7-Oct 10:30 white Dixon Grabner 14-Oct 12:30 red Jackson Malinowski 21-Oct 10:30 white Roberts Skeen 28-Oct 9:30 white Stark Dixon 4-Nov 8:30 white Grabner Jackson 11-Nov 11:30 red Malinowski Roberts

Was it hot enough for you?

Wow. Great game everyone.

Think of it this way; this will probably be the hottest game of the season. We won't have another 12:30 game until the middle of October.

The kids did great. I couldn't be more pleased with them. It's always amazing to me how different kids are with so little space between their ages. This seems to hold true right up until high school.
Don't be too hard on you child if they didn't perform as well as you would like. My daughter, Miriam, spent more time sitting out, crying, or hanging out [except when covering the goal] than anyone but that'll change. One of the greatest assets YMCA soccer has is the emphasis on health and fun, not Olympians.

A few things:

1. Try to kick the ball around with your child this week. Encourage them to run to the ball; don't kick it straight to them.
2. Make sure they are having fun. I really don't want the kids to not think of soccer and sports as fun. This is our best time to set the standard for their life.
3. Not playing is OK on my team once in a while. By the end of the season they'll want to play more. Next season will be even better.
4. I had a great time. Thanks for letting me coach
5. I saw lots of parents taking pictures. If you send them to me, I'll post them here and you can send your friends and family to one spot. Some other parent might have gotten a great picture of your kid or you of theirs. Let's share.
6. Donna Burt will do snacks for next weeks game. My wife Susan should have a schedule to me soon and I will post it here. At that point you all can trade as you like. Call us if you can't make a day . . we'll adjust.
7. One last thing I thought of . . If you don't want me picking up your child, let me know via email. Sometimes it's the easiest, best, way to get them involved in the game.
   

See you soon.

Pre-first game notes

Just so you know; we are the away team and therefore, red shirts.

See you all at 12:30 at the YMCA. Bring water!

Dinosaur Joke

Q: What do you call it when a dinosaur makes a goal with a soccer ball?

A: A dino-score!

Game schedule link

There's a link on the right for the game schedules. It's kind of tucked away.

I do not know what color shirt we are. I know that we are away . . but i forget if that's red or white. I'll find out before the game.

Also, make sure that the kids have shin-guards; everything else is optional.

Team Meeting notes

Team name: Dinosaurs (and Butterfly)

Game schedule: Quickscores
All games played at Lake Houston YMCA Field A
Snack schedule will be posted soon. Susan and I will handle game 1.

Weather Line: 281.628.5730 (Do not call the YMCA. They will hate me if you do. Call the weather line or call me. Please.)

Team "Parent" {everyone knows it's a team Mom}: Susan Walters-Klenke

Free ball: Beasly Tire is giving away free soccer balls. Swing by and say "Hey." Tell them the YMCA sent you.

• Make sure you send lots of water with your child.
• Make sure they are wearing shin guards.
• They like soccer, they like you . . . do the math.
• Don't forget the snacks. And sticky snacks are a bad idea. No giant cookies!
• Snack suggestions: quartered oranges for half-time; juice and chips after the game.
  The kids also like grapes for half and Teddy Grahams or animal crackers for after.
  
• Don't forget to do the tunnel thing after the game.
• Make sure you talk to them about the game.
• Call me if you need anything. Rides, soccer tips, bad parenting advice, vegetarian recipes. Whatever.

I think that covers it. I'll post here if I forgot anything.

Have a great season.