Soccer Slammed

      It is soccer season, which means we need at least one post about soccer, right?  Well you are going to have to put up with the fact that I am NOT a sports writer, as is very evident from this post...
       Part of the soccer season around here is the "Soccer Slam", a full-day, double elimination tournament that always sounded a bit like over-kill, and a lot like torture to me.  In seasons past we have been unable to participate because they always held the "Slam" on a Sunday.  Well, this year it was on a Saturday and the boys (Tyler and Sam) were super excited that they finally got to be a part of it.  I would be lying if I said that I felt the same way (just a little honesty here).
One of the things the boys were especially excited about was the possibility of having a tie game which would then be decided by a PK Shoot-out.  Oh, to them this was the End all, what a thrill that would be!
     As I mentioned before, the Soccer Slam is a double elimination tournament with the possibility of playing up to 5 games in one day, which Sam's team did.  We arrived at the field at 8:15 for Sam's first game.  Sydney and Carter lasted about a game and a half before they were ready to go home (it was a little rainy and cold.) 
     Sam played awesome!  He has really become more aggressive and shot quite a few goals for his team (I think we counted somewhere around 10) throughout the day.  His team ended up taking 2nd place in the tournament!
     Tyler's first game began at 11:30.  His team ended up playing 4 games.  The final game was quite exciting, and a great way to end the day.  Tyler's team (The Deadly Pickles, and Tyler dubbed himself Midget Pickle) were playing a team they had lost to previously, and in the last quarter were down by 3 points.  I was pretty sure it was a lost game.  But those kids really kicked it up a notch, or maybe fired up the pickle juice,  and tied it up just before the end of the game. 
     What's this?  A tied game?  Now was the opportunity Tyler had been dreaming of!  A PK Shootout!   Each team chose 5 players to shoot.  (I was really glad at this point that I was not the Keeper!  Talk about pressure!)  What a tense and exciting moment as the teams took turns sending one player up to shoot for a goal.  At the end of the shoot-out, the two teams were still tied up, each having made one goal, I was really impressed with the Keepers on both teams!  They did amazing!
     So, now on to Sudden Death.  The Pickles were up first, and I felt a little flutter in my stomach as I watched my Midget Pickle walk up to take his turn at a Penalty Kick.  He stepped back, took his kick and...
 
SCOOOOOOOOOOORE!!!!!!!  (We really needed one of those soccer announcers there)
     Is it weird to cry at an 11 year old's soccer game?
     Nervously we waited for the other team to kick, and the game ended right there as our keeper blocked the shot and the Deadly Pickles won First Place in the Soccer Slam Tournament!
     So, at 5:00, after having been at the field for 8 hours, we loaded up two tired, but very happy boys and celebrated with pizza and a Movie Night!  Everyone slept well that night!