Soccer Journey

A more competitive season often starts before the first game. A reflection on pressure, feedback, and supporting kids as environments change.

After a tough tournament, kids often process quietly. This reflection looks at why the moments after matter just as much as the games themselves.

Travel tournaments have a way of magnifying everything. The excitement. The nerves. The tiredness. The disappointment. And the moments in between. This Florida weekend reminded me that when youth soccer gets bigger, what kids need doesn’t get louder — it gets steadier. Before the Games Ever Started We began the weekend with what my son wanted. Fishing off the pier. Calamari for dinner. No soccer talk. That choice mattered more than it looked like. Before the schedules and un

Soccer tournament weekends have a way of teaching lessons slowly — and then all at once. This past weekend, both of my boys played in tournaments. Same fields. Same sidelines. Very different experiences. And it was Sunday that stayed with me the most. When Making the Final Still Didn’t Feel Like Enough My 7‑year‑old’s team had a strong tournament. They won every game in the group stage and earned their place in the final. The final started fast — and not in their favor. Withi

The Last Game: When My 5-Year-Old Scored — And Broke His Trophy End of season youth soccer always surprises me — not just with the goals, but with the moments that turn into family stories. This weekend, my 5-year-old played his last game of the season, and what happened after is something I’ll remember far longer than the score. A Big Goal in End of Season Youth Soccer He had worked so hard all fall. Running with his tiny legs pumping. Chasing the ball with pure joy. Trying

Halfway through the season, I can’t help but notice the little things — the way he lines up faster, the way he claps his hands for teammates, and how excited he is every Thursday to put on his shin guards. These are the real signs of 5-year-old soccer progress , and they matter more than any scoreline. It’s wild how quickly the weeks go. A few games left, and suddenly he’s already asking, “Mom, where will I play when soccer ends?”  It’s both sweet and a little sad — that mome

If you’ve ever tried to wrangle a toddler while cheering for a striker — welcome, you’re one of us. Having siblings on the soccer sidelines  is a whole sport in itself.  Between “I’m boooored,”   mud puddles,  and requests for snacks every 4.2 minutes… sometimes it feels like you need more stamina than the players on the field. But here’s the truth: It can  be fun. They can  learn something from being there. And sometimes, survival mode is okay. Let me give you a real example

Youth soccer isn’t just about goals or game results. A big part of growing as a player — and as a person — is learning how to handle frustration in youth soccer. Missed chances, tough losses, mistakes, and comparison all show up early, whether we expect them to or not. And every child experiences frustration differently. How Frustration Shows Up in Our House My kids all respond to soccer frustration in their own way. My 11‑year‑old is a perfectionist. One pass goes off targe

Rec soccer is often seen as the “starter league.”No uniforms with last names. No travel tournaments. No intense pressure. But here’s what...

When practices get rained out or your kids just want “one more game before bed,” keeping soccer fun at home is the best way to build...

For families starting their journey, rec vs club soccer  often comes up as the big question: which one is right for your child?...

Series: My 5-Year-Old’s Soccer Journey (Week 2 of 12) This past Saturday, our 5-year-old played in his first soccer game at age 5  — and...

Series: My 5-Year-Old’s Soccer Journey (Week 2) After years of tagging along to his older brothers’ games, it was finally my 5-year-old’s...

(Affiliate Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them—at no...

This pre-season, my son’s team got a tough new training schedule — agility, endurance, and something brand new for him: a 4-drill...

Why Youth Soccer Is About Lifting Each Other Up This past weekend, my 7-year-old was invited to play in a 4v4 indoor tournament with a...

This week, we filmed one of our usual indoor soccer clips. It was just a bit of fun: brother vs. brother. My 11-year-old was on defense...

This season wasn’t just about soccer. Yes, there was hard work. Early mornings, long drives, and high-pressure tryouts. There were...

This weekend gave us so many reasons to cheer—and a few quiet reminders about why we really show up to these games. It started with our...

This morning, the excitement started early. Before breakfast, before school drop-off, my 7-year-old already had his Next Gen  uniform on....