Soccer Journey

Every soccer family has a story — and this space is for reflecting on it.
From a child’s first practice to navigating rec and club seasons, Soccer Journey captures the honest moments, lessons learned, and reminders that growth isn’t always linear.
If you’re raising young players, you’re not alone here.

Rec vs Club Soccer: What Parents Should Know

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

First Soccer Game at Age 5: What Parents Should Expect

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...

My 5-Year-Old’s First Soccer Practice: Fun, Friends, and a First Goal

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...

First Soccer Practice for 5-Year-Olds: Tips, Gear, and What to Expect

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

Join the 4-Drill Juggling Challenge

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

No Finals, Just Friendship:

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...

Parenting Lessons from Indoor Soccer: A Journey of Growth

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...

The Season That Meant More

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

Joy, Grit & Game Day Grace: A Weekend of Wins (and Lessons)

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...

Game Day Highs to Hard Losses: What Day 1 of Next-Gen Taught Us

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

Day 1 Tryout Recap: What Kids Really Need From Us

Tonight was Day 1 of tryouts, and the field was packed. The sun was still blazing at 7PM — over 80 degrees — and there were so many kids...

Tryout Prep: What Kids Really Need from Parents

Tryouts aren’t just for the players—they’re for us parents too. It’s a high-pressure week. The stakes feel high. We want our kids to...

Tryouts, Nerves & Showing Up: What My 10-Year-Old Reminded Me About Belief

As tryouts for the higher team approach, I’ve been watching my 10-year-old (soon to be 11) struggle with a different kind of challenge....

The Power of Role Models – From the Field to Forever

When my 10 year old was little, we lived in Sweden—and we were lucky. My dad worked then as a skill coach with top players in Allsvenskan...

When Siblings Don’t Always Get Along (And That’s Okay – Even in a Soccer House)

I sometimes scroll and see these picture-perfect families where the kids all help out, take turns, clean the table, and laugh together in...

Soccer Season Checklist

For soccer moms who pack snacks and love with purpose. Alvin all geared up and ready for practice Must-Haves (Don’t Skip These!) Cleats –...

About Team Tisell: What I Learned From Coach Grandpa

The story behind Team Tisell — a calm, parent‑first perspective on youth soccer shaped by growing up beside a professional coach.